Bargoers are cutting the cost of late-night cab rides by using a new taxi-sharing Web site that links them up with people going in the same direction.
CabCorner, developed by three college buddies, lets people “post” a cab route to the Web site, then seeks up to three other people to “join” that route — if they’re headed that way.
“It’s very practical. It saves me money, and, of course, it’s great at helping the environment. It worked without a hitch,” said Haejin Kim, 26, a student who used the service to get back to Prospect Heights from a Lower East Side bar last week.
Kim said she sized up her fellow passenger at one of the Web site’s predetermined “hot spots” — meeting places that are open 24 hours a day — and determined he was safe to ride with.
The hot spots, which include Starbucks and all-night delis, let one person bail out in case the situation doesn’t seem safe, said CabCorner founder Jonathan McKinney, adding that the service had about 500 users.
“I don’t think it’s a huge issue,” McKinney said, noting that people meet using Craigslist all the time.
Sharers are usually dropped off a block or two from their actual destination — for reason of safety and speed, said McKinney.
The Web site will also predetermine how much each person should pay, to minimize disputes.