Have you used smartphone taxi apps?

No. I don't ride taxis, and I don't have a smartphone.

I post this answer just to point out there are people who do not have a smartphone. Hard to imagine, but we live fine.

by Jasper on Mar 18, 2013 2:06 pm • link • report

I've used taxi magic a few times. Each time it worked fine except when I once booked a cab three times but then it was just a matter of canceling it and anyway that error was totally on me.

I live in Arlington so it dispatches Red Top.

by drumz on Mar 18, 2013 2:06 pm • link • report

@DA: Uber charges an automatic 20% tip, though one driver I spoke to said Uber keeps all of that as their fee.

----
Any source for this other than a single driver? Not that I disbelieve it but, well, consider the source.

by ChrisB on Mar 18, 2013 2:20 pm • link • report

I used myTaxi just a few minutes ago via the car2go app because there were no car2gos nearby. The taxi was the cleanest and newest DC cab I've been in, but the driver didn't have change for a $20 (you have to load your credit card info separately from car2go and they don't take AmEx which is all I had at the time). In other words, some improvement over the pre-app taxi experience but more room for improvement. Have used Über taxi as well and the experience was good but with the dispatch fee and automatic tip, much pricier than a car2go would have been. Jasper, you can text Über your location if you don't have a smartphone. Friends have used this and say it works fine.

The new mix of options is making getting around easier and more reliable for car-free folks like me and most of my friends. The best thing the Council and the taxi commission can do for DC residents is to just stay out of the way.

by Dno on Mar 18, 2013 2:21 pm • link • report

No. I don't ride taxis, and I don't have a smartphone.

I don't take taxis, and my smartphone is an ancient Blackberry that no one makes apps for. So yeah, me too.

by Caroline on Mar 18, 2013 2:28 pm • link • report

I used to have the Uber app on my Android but it would usually freeze up while trying to open, and if it did manage to open it was slow to the point of being unusable. You'd have to start wrangling with it an hour before you planned on taking the trip.

by cc on Mar 18, 2013 2:33 pm • link • report

I love Uber. It's convenient, excellent service, and I've found them to be marginally more expensive than a regular cab.

by Andy on Mar 18, 2013 2:33 pm • link • report

Can't afford taxis. Its the bus and metro for me!

by Public Transportee on Mar 18, 2013 2:36 pm • link • report

Uber charges an automatic 20% tip, though one driver I spoke to said Uber keeps all of that as their fee

No - as reported elsewhere and on Uber's own website, the tip goes directly to the driver. Maybe the driver told you that Uber keeps all the tip in hopes that you'd feel bad and give him more?

by Scoot on Mar 18, 2013 2:41 pm • link • report

I used to use taximagic because it is a locally developed app, but a cab didn't show one time, and I nearly missed my train.

This alone isn't necessarily TaxiMagic's fault, but when I notified them of this no-show (at 6am to the airport), they said that a "request for a cab is not a guarantee"...

However, it says this nowhere on their site. Furthermore, they call it a "reservation" not a "request". They wouldn't acknowledge this discrepancy and, to my knowledge, have not changed any wording or put any disclaimers on their site or confirmation emails

by nowisthetime on Mar 18, 2013 2:47 pm • link • report

I've used traditional Uber black-car-on-demand service in DC for some time now. I don't take a car/car often around town, but I use Uber over cabs because of a long history of problems with DC cab service. Uber is simple, reliable, and consistent, although a bit pricier.

I've used TaxiMagic in others cities (e.g.: Baltimore) and have had great results- cabs come on time and the experience was wonderful several times. However, using it in DC has been a headache- each time I tried it, the app sent a dispatch request to nearby Yellow Cabs, which quickly cycled the meter so they wouldn't have to pick me up. After trying and getting the same results more than a handful of occasions, I gave up.

I've also tried to use Uber's Taxi service, but haven't been able to get a taxi yet. On the handful of times I've tried, the map show available cabs just a block or two away, but none of them accepted the request. I reached out to Uber via Twitter, and they said they'd look into the reason, but I never heard back.

So, in short, you can throw all sorts of technology at DC cabs, but they remain DC cabs. More competition is needed to force them to improve.

by Matt Ashburn on Mar 18, 2013 2:54 pm • link • report

Anyone tried SideCar yet?

by Lucre on Mar 18, 2013 2:57 pm • link • report

@Matt Ashburn: I don't understand. Why would cabbies turn down a fare? Do they lose a cut on rides they provide through these services or something?

by Gray on Mar 18, 2013 3:03 pm • link • report

Never mind taxis. Does WMATA have a tracking app that shows the current locations of all trains and buses? If not they need to get on it.

by Chris S. on Mar 18, 2013 3:13 pm • link • report

I'm in Ward 1 and generally am not willing to pay to take transit farther than say National Airport so I've never needed to use an app. I will likely do so next time I have an early flight to catch though as I've had issues with taxi dispatch in the past. On nights out it hasnt generally been problem finding a cab downtown recently. I did download both apps, but

by Alan B. on Mar 18, 2013 3:21 pm • link • report

er I generally take transit (or dont go) if its farther than the airport

by Alan B. on Mar 18, 2013 3:28 pm • link • report

Off-peak times like early in the morning are really when these apps shine - it's like being able to stick your arm out and have every cab in a few miles radius know you're there.

@Gray
I don't understand. Why would cabbies turn down a fare? Do they lose a cut on rides they provide through these services or something?

Yes apparently there are morons who don't understand that they can make up the tiny amount skimmed off the top for credit cards by taking way more trips.

by MLD on Mar 18, 2013 3:29 pm • link • report

@MLD: Ah, okay, so they're just protesting the credit card fees? This always amazes me. I often tip more with a credit card than with cash because it's such a pain to have (or ask for) exact change.

by Gray on Mar 18, 2013 3:32 pm • link • report

Have used Über taxi as well and the experience was good but with the dispatch fee and automatic tip, much pricier than a car2go would have been.

The dispatch fee is set by DCTC for all dispatched vehicles, not just vehicles dispatched by Uber, so theoretically taxis dispatched using Car2Go would be subject to this fee as well. I'm not sure how or if they bypass it as I've not yet ordered a taxi using Car2go.

Also, the Uber company does not use an umlaut (¨) in its name.

by Scoot on Mar 18, 2013 3:42 pm • link • report

I am posting via mobile device and the umlaut was courtesy of autocorrect. And I was referring to car2go itself being cheaper, not the affiliated (but very different) myTaxi service. Maybe I could have been clearer about that. Perhaps the reason I noted the cost difference between the two was because I took a car2go one way for about $5 and an Uber taxi back for about $18 after dispatch and tip. Still, I love having Uber as an option.

by Dno on Mar 18, 2013 3:59 pm • link • report

Taximagic is as good as the taxi companies it relies on. I've used it in DC, silver Spring and Alexandria. The two Silver Spring trips went to Barwood. Both times the taxi was contacted but my app wasn't notified. When i called the dispatcher they sent me a cab. In the end two cabs showed up, both times. It felt as if i had been working with two different companies. The few times i tried taximagic in DC i had to wait 30 minutes. My one Alexandria trip showed less than two minutes after i placed my request.

I've used Uber 100 times in the past year. I've never once been disappointed. The app accurately tracks the location of my car. So i can be out front only when i need to be.

I could care less about luxury. But it's essential i get away from DC taxis. I've witnessed so many variations on churlishness from DC taxi drivers that i can no longer contenance the business.

by PhilGP on Mar 18, 2013 5:10 pm • link • report

If you need a cab anywhere across the US and Canada and have a smartphone or feature phone, just call #TAXI, that's #8294 on any mobile to get the first available taxi co. based on independent ratings, or your preferred one, for a charge of $1.50 to $2.50 depending on your carrier. Details at http://poundtaxi.com and there are apps for it too.

#TAXI works in every city where there are licensed cab co.s, helps avoid busy signals and takes no money from taxi co.s when rating taxi companies.

by Michael on Mar 18, 2013 6:01 pm • link • report

I've recounted some of my taxi experiences here before (in sum, when I need them the most, they're the least reliable). I resisted Uber for a while, but, one night, my Metro closed for track work, and needing to get across town (which, due to Metro's routes in town is already a lengthy process, even without adding 30 or more minutes to use the bus bridge), after waiting for an HOUR for a cab to be dispatched, I caved and I've never looked back. I was in the car and on my way before a cab company even called back, and even then they told me it would be another half hour for the cab to arrive. <15 minutes for the Uber to show up versus >1.5 hours for the cab is worth the relatively small difference in price. Sure, if possible, I still street hail, but Uber is my BEST option from home or between odd points (visiting friends in areas where a street hail is unlikely).

I've never been able to find a taxi near me using the Uber Taxi option. Hopefully that will improve as the service matures.

Since I've had bad experiences with both Yellow and Red Top, I've never considered Taxi Magic a viable option. I don't need to almost miss flights because my flight time is "inconvenient" for the taxi company (yeah, they actually told me this the time I had to keep calling companies to get someone after the company I reserved with AND the backup THEY called didn't show up..."this is a bad time to request a cab"...ummm...what, and why couldn't the original company have told me that when I reserved HOURS ago?). For personal travel, I use Super Shuttle. I haven't been on one of my ridiculously early business trips since Uber launched, but my first instinct is to use them for those, and just pay the difference between what the taxi fare would be and Uber charge is myself. A few bucks is certainly worth the peace of mind knowing that I'll actually make my flight without rush or hassle.

As for turning down fares, it's my experience that Uber drivers are EAGER to work. I mean, they go to the "undesirable" neighborhoods (given how quickly I can normally get a car, I'd even say that some drivers *troll* the area), take my requests promptly, and even take hits to get fares (I was once picked up by an SUV when I requested a sedan, and when I asked the driver about it, he said he marked himself as a sedan during the day because no one wanted a large SUV at that time and he just wanted business). Cab drivers on the other hand... Show of hands of who has been locked or ordered out of a car because they don't want to go to your destination? Illegal, yes, but also common.

by Ms. D on Mar 18, 2013 7:23 pm • link • report

@Ms D,

If you're headed to the airport (or Nation, at least) Red Top Cab of Arlington is about the only dependable service out there. They'll do a DC pickup so long as the destination is in VA.

by oboe on Mar 18, 2013 8:45 pm • link • report

Unfortunately, oboe, they were the "backup" in that story that refused to pick me up, and, yes, I was headed to National. Very briefly, I booked with Envirocab (who I had used before), called them when they weren't there 10 minutes after my pick up, they told me I was a jerk for requesting a cab at that hour (which I had booked HOURS before), but they had called Red Top and Red Top said they'd take the pick up. I called Red Top to find out the ETA and THEY ALSO told me I was being a jerk for wanting a cab in the early morning, and that they weren't coming (or they could have just declined the job in the first place?). Yellow finally came (after I called every cab company I could Google), but the driver acted like it was a *major* inconvenience and refused my route suggestions, which ended up taking longer and costing more. I very nearly missed my flight (I would have if I didn't have FF status and could use the priority check-in and security lines). Red Top was also the company that refused me service when I was trying to get a cab home from National with my dog (all 15 pounds of him) in a secured carrier (I mean, he had been on the PLANE with me, as a carry-on, and their rules are pretty strict). The driver told me that I could either put him in the trunk or find another cab (I took another cab, of course, and, FWIW, my dog rides in planes, cabs, cars, buses, and Metro ALL THE TIME in that same carrier and doesn't make a peep...he's a pro).

If I had *any* choice in the matter, I'd just book flights late enough that I could use Metro, over a hundred pounds of luggage and documents be damned (my arm would hurt from dragging it, but I'd survive). But I don't, so, I think I'll just go with Uber next time.

by Ms. D on Mar 18, 2013 11:37 pm • link • report

I tried using Taxi Magic a number of times last year while living in Arlington (Lyon Park, just South of Clarendon) to go to destinations in Arlington and DC, as well as one attempt at a DCA run. No matter the company I tried, it never, ever worked. Rather, the app worked fine, the companies were terrible. I've since moved to Eastern Market. Tried Taxi Magic again to get a couple friends home after a dinner party. Yellow Cab never showed. Finally broke down and ordered my first ever car from Uber. To my door in 6 minutes, and the friends reported that it was one of the most pleasant rides of their time in DC. Haven't yet had a chance to use the Uber Taxi service, but I have high hopes.

So, in short, it's not the technology, it's the companies. And, so far, as a company, only Uber seems decent or worthwhile.

by Shaun on Mar 19, 2013 6:47 am • link • report

I live in the suburbs and usually drive into DC too. But last weekend, my friends and I needed a quick ride from U street to DuPont, and one of my DC friends called Uber. It is pretty cool how you can see where the cab is at with the app's GPS. 5 minutes later, a really luxurious black Lincoln showed up and snagged us up... haha. The ride was smooth, the driver nice and we were all happy that we didn't have to go through idling and trying to scramble cash.

by JA on Mar 19, 2013 8:55 am • link • report

My in laws live car free in DC and Uber had been a godsend. When they babysit, instead of handing them a 20 and hoping that they can find a cab, I get them a black car in minutes and don't have to have any cash. It almost always costs only a few dollars more than a normal cab.

by TM on Mar 19, 2013 10:08 am • link • report

I'm Elizabeth, the DC Community Manager for Taxi Magic. I am sorry to hear about bad experiences booking taxis through our app. Please contact me at elizabeth@taximagic.com so I can find out more about what happened. I also want to thank you for sharing your valuable feedback.

We are a taxi booking service and we work with established regulated fleets in the DC metro area as well as nationwide. Taxi Magic allows you to book a ride for an asap pickup or to book a ride in advance for pickup at a later time. You can book a ride through multiple channels - by using the Taxi Magic app on your smartphone, by texting your pickup address to TMAGIC, or online at www.taximagic.com.

When booking a ride, you have multiple options for how you pay for the ride and you are in control of the tip amount. You can set your payment options to pay through the app with a credit card or to pay in the taxi. Once a cab is dispatched to come pick you up, you can track your assigned taxi's arrival on a map in the app!

We're working very closely with our fleet partners to improve reliability in the area and I do apologize for any bad experiences. Our team is working hard to solve these issues with technology and is specifically targeting issues like reliability and a shortage of supply.

I encourage you to try our service again and let me know if you have any questions or comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Ride On!
Elizabeth

by Elizabeth on Mar 19, 2013 10:17 am • link • report

Cab drivers want to discourage you from giving them an electronic tip. They much prefer cash because it can be unreported income. Unreported to the IRS and unreported to the cab company where the leasing rates can be based upon revenue.

by tour guide on Mar 19, 2013 10:38 am • link • report

@tour guide That's unfortunate and short-sighted. It crystallizes the problem with DC cabs: the culture of hustling instead of working honestly within the system.

Thank goodness for entrepreneurs like Uber, mytaxi, and taxi magic (as well as substitutes like zipcar, car2go, bikesharing, and transit) who have moved in and done what the cab industry and the government could not: create service that is responsive to customer needs and adds value to society.

Good riddance to dirty hard-to-hail cabs, rude drivers, and cash-only transactions. To survive, independent cab drivers will have to clean their cars, be courteous to passengers, participate in dispatch services, drive sanely, and accept credit cards. Or go the way of the dinosaurs.

by Ward 1 Guy on Mar 19, 2013 12:21 pm • link • report

To answer David's question, I don't use any of those services. I just use bikeshare and car2go, hailing a taxi on the street as a last resort. Last week I hailed a cab from NoMa to National Airport. It took me 45 minutes and $25. If I had been willing to take my luggage on metro and changed trains it would have been less than $3 and about 25 to 30 minutes.

by Ward 1 Guy on Mar 19, 2013 12:23 pm • link • report

Is it still the case that Uber does not and need not charge a dispatch fee while all the taxi apps, including UberTaxi do charge the dispatch fee? This may have changed since the DC rules change, but if this is the case, that factors in to the cost difference of Uber vs. Taxi apps.

I also noticed that Taxi Magic charges a second "documentation" fee in addition to the dispatch fee (this may have changed) which added around $5 to the fair. Since most of the time, short trips (within the 3 mile radius) with Uber are around $5 more than a cab, there is/was no point in taking cab for the same price as a sedan. For the small increase or the same cost, Uber will turn off the radio, not talk on the phone, turn on the AC, keep the windows close, open the door for you, not haggle with you over destination, not pass you buy if you don't look right, and not have to deal with cash.) And if you have more than on passenger, Uber is sometimes cheaper as they don't add on for additional passengers.

I'm happy to try a taxi app and have a few downloaded, but haven't yet seen it be worth it for short trips.

by DC Temujin on Mar 19, 2013 12:57 pm • link • report

I love Uber. But it took me 30 bucks to get from Anacostia to near Minn Ave's metro. That's waaaaaaay more than a regular taxi.

FWIW, I've never had a problem (after asking) having a taxi driver turn a radio station, turn on AC or not talk on the phone. But I've also had Uber drivers talk on their bluetooth as well...

by HogWash on Mar 19, 2013 1:31 pm • link • report

@DC Temujin Taxi Magic does not charge a "dispatch fee." If you pay with your credit card through our app, there is a $1.50 processing fee but it is only $1.50. Shoot me an email at elizabeth@taximagic.com and we'll look into what charges you are seeing on your Taxi Magic ride.

by Elizabeth - Taxi Magic on Mar 19, 2013 1:51 pm • link • report

I love Uber. I live on Columbia Road so it's usually easy to grab a cab. On particularly cold or rainy days that I have an appointment, I Uber. I recently Ubered at Union Station and walked by a ton of people waiting for cabs.

by Mike on Mar 19, 2013 2:30 pm • link • report

Elizabeth: Thank you for the quick response. That goes a long way and is appreciated. To be clear, I have not used Taxi Magic or any other taxi app, although I have 3 downloaded.

Before posting above, I tried it again online and through the app to make sure my memory wasn't faulty. When I used the fare estimator online, it mentioned the $1.50 fee, but referred to it as a "doc fee." I am not troubled by the semantics; I just want to be clear.

My info about a dispatch fee and a doc fee came from a post here from a while back, so clearly I am operating on outdated data:

"Taxi Magic online booking smooth, taxi ride not so much
by David Alpert August 16, 2011 3:59 pm
Using the app to request a cab is free, except for whatever fee the locality lets taxis charge for all dispatched trips, which is $2 in DC. If you want to pay by credit card through the system, there's a $1.50 "documentation fee."

Also, I almost exclusively use Uber for short rides downtown that are within a three mile radius, which keeps the cost to a flat $15. For short rides, that often isn't too much more than a cab in traffic plus a tip. The flat fee was $12 before the latest agreement with the city, although I do not know those details and fear that my knowledge, like the dispatch fees, could be outdated.

My colleagues and I have "raced" to meetings a few times, one in a cab one in Uber to compare cost and time, and our experience is that in most cases the cost isn't much different (staying in the downtown core) and again, with multiple riders, it is often cheaper. Now cabs win on time unless you have the wherewithal to call an Uber a few minutes ahead of time. I don't take Uber for long trips or to the airports where I believe they have a separate flat fee that is much higher than cabs.

I am all for the cab apps, but the barrier to entry so far has been the additional fees on top of wildly inconsistent service from the cabbies unrelated to the cool (one being home grown) apps.

I will make a point to use Taxi Magic thanks to Elizabeth's quick and courteous response. But I am still an avid apologist for Uber.

by DC Temujin on Mar 19, 2013 3:00 pm • link • report

@Elizabeth That response is kind of misleading. Taxi Magic doesn't charge a dispatch fee, but the cab will. So, if you use Taxi Magic and pay by credit card, it's $3.50 over base fare + tip. (In contrast, UberTaxi and myTaxi don't charge users for paying by credit card, although the cab still charges the $2 dispatch fee.)

by jjj on Mar 20, 2013 9:14 am • link • report

@jjj I'm in charge of user experience here at Taxi Magic. I wanted to chime in on your convo with @Elizabeth. You are correct that some taxi fleets/drivers charge dispatch fees directly to the rider (the fee amount differs depending on the fleet and even the channel through which a dispatch request comes in). We are never trying to be misleading but since the taxi fare structure differs from city to city in the DMV region, we avoid citing specific fare figures. But you math is correct for DC taxi rides using Taxi Magic.

by Matt C on Mar 20, 2013 10:08 am • link • report

I went back and took a look at all my Uber receipts and all my cab receipts for the last year and a half. These rides are all generally to and from the same ten places for work. The same cab rides within the DC core are $10 or $12 including tip (obviously my tip amount is discretionary) with a few a bit higher with bad traffic.

Uber sedan is $15 flat fee (was $12 until recently) if within a 3 mile radius of your pick up location. This can also go up in bad traffic, but that has only happened to me once as opposed to cab meters always ticking off for time and/or mileage.

So with the dispatch fee from any app (if jjj has it right - h/t), a sedan is $1 to $3 more for short trips. If an additional doc fee is added, the cab can be more by a buck or two. Additional passengers skew it further. We've had 4 people all going to different places (not great distances) downtown in an Uber, no additional fees.

Obviously, the numbers change quite a bit for longer rides, airport rides, tip amounts, congestion pricing, bad traffic, etc. Uber cars are really abundant in the city core. But I expect cabs will be more so as the apps mature. Uber seem to be plentiful in Arlington and Alexandria the few times I have looked it up. That can also change dramatically depending on where you are compared to cabs.

This is why I have downloaded 3 taxi apps and have used none of them yet. It's worth a buck or two to me to have a sedan.

I take Metro, park with ParkMobile, or take Uber. That seems to cover all my bases. If there is real differentiation to my particular usage, I am happy to eventually add cab app usage in there, but no tangible reason to do so at this point.

But I will try it for Elizabeth and will report back.

by DC Temujin on Mar 20, 2013 10:16 am • link • report

@DJ Temujin I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes!

by Elizabeth - Taxi Magic on Mar 20, 2013 10:19 am • link • report

tl;dr - Taxi Magic works great. A couple more steps than Uber, but more info than Uber during the ride. Cheaper, but not always with shorter trips. In the end, a sedan is a nicer ride than a cab, even a nice cab. Maybe I shouldn't compare sedans to cabs as both companies now do both sedans and taxis. But the price points have blurred the lines a bit, and I went with what I know.

I had a meeting in SE DC. I left from downtown. I took Uber sedan to the meeting and took Taxi Magic back. The trip was 2.8 miles one way according to Google Maps.

Taxi Magic gets the nod for being able to schedule a ride ahead of time, which you cannot do with Uber. Although it's pretty easy to predict when you want to leave and fire up the Uber app 5 or 10 minutes beforehand.

Uber took 3 minutes from app to in the car.

Taxi Magic took 5 minutes from app to in the car.

In my view that's a wash--both were fast; and of course this can vary greatly.

Taxi Magic set me up with Yellow Cab. If I had choice of fleets through the app at the time of use, I didn't see it. I had not previously selected a favorite fleet in my settings.

Both provided a very fast emailed receipt with all the relevant information. Uber adds a google map of your route and a picture of your driver.

Both iPhone apps worked well and did the job.

The Taxi Magic app was well built and easy to use. It did require a couple of extra steps comparatively. I had to plug in the destination before I could book the car. That step is not needed with Uber and adds a little time.

The only glitch on the Taxi Magic app was that during the trip, it showed me standing still in a cab on the GW Parkway in N. Va. when I was in downtown DC.

The Uber transaction is a bit easier. You don't need to do anything in the car. You just hop in and out and you get an email with your receipt within minutes, as with Taxi Magic.

For some this may be less comforting as you don't have a meter to give you a sense of your possible fare real-time. Uber prices similar to cabs in that there is a base, a per mile and a per minute fee when traveling under 11 mph. All the Uber rates are higher than cab rates, but there are no dispatch fees, bag fees, or transaction fees, and the tip is included.

With TaxiMagic, I paid through the app, but couldn't start that process until the cab stopped and told me the fare. The fare included a $2.00 dispatch fee and the $1.50 credit card transaction fee. So I had to sit in the car for a couple of minutes while the driver's screen waited on payment confirmation.

I also had to wait a couple of minutes on the front end while the app waited for a car to be dispatched. I got an automated call (presumably from the dispatcher as opposed to Taxi Magic) saying a car was not yet dispatched and did I still want to wait.

I also got an auto call saying my car was arriving. I was already in the car and we had driven a couple of blocks when the call came in.

It wasn't clear to me until after the ride, but you can forgo the the doc fee by paying the driver as usual. You can basically just use the app for dispatch, not the payment. This may be painfully obvious to the taxi app users, but from a purely Uber sedan user, that was a bit of a change and something new.

As far as cost, Taxi Magic wins. It seems obvious that a cab should be cheaper than a sedan. But Uber has blurred those lines so much, it's closer than a lot of folks ever imagined. $5 is not bad for a cab to sedan upgrade.

Taxi Magic
fare and tip 11.37
tip 3.13
dispatch 2.00
in-cab total $16.50
credit fee 1.50
total $18.00

Uber
$23.00

Thanks Elizabeth for the quick response. Glad to support a local company.

Happy to try Taxi Sedan once the pricing is online. I fired up the app and tried it in apprentice mode, but no sedans in my area.

by DC Temujin on Mar 20, 2013 3:13 pm • link • report

Since my posts haven't been long enough, I thought I'd come back!

I tried Uber Taxi today. It worked very similar to Taxi Magic. It was a bit easier to use.

As mentioned above with respect to Uber sedan, you don't have to plug in your destination before your car is dispatched, your payment is automatic, so you don't have to select pay on your app nor wait for the driver to verify payment. You do however have to wait until the driver stops and plugs in your total fare into his Uber iPhone app. But it's a bit less time than in a Taxi Magic cab.

The tip is a flat 20% automatically added in, so you don't have to figure out your tip in the car.

You get in the cab, and when you arrive, you wait while the cabby plugs in your fare in his phone, and get out. Less steps.

I guess you could hop out immediately, but it's probably best to verify they plug in the right fare.

Uber has one app for taxi, sedan and SUV. Taxi Magic has different apps for cab and sedan (not yet up and running).

The Uber cab seemed a bit cleaner and newer than the Yellow Taxi via Taxi Magic, but there is no way to know that this is anything but relatively random. I don't recall which cab company it was. It was a solid black taxi.

Price cut and pasted from receipt:
Fare Breakdown
CHARGES
Meter rate (includes $2 DCTC dispatch fee) $9.05
Gratuity & Service Charge (20%) $1.81
Charge subtotal $10.86
Trip Statistics
DISTANCE
1.15 miles
DURATION
7 minutes, 38 seconds
AVERAGE SPEED
9.02 mph

An Uber sedan would have been $15.

by DC Temujin on Mar 27, 2013 3:19 pm • link • report

Mytaxi saved my life on a Sunday morning when successfully hailing is rarely possible, and when my wife was registered to take an exam in Crystal City that I had nearly caused her to miss. I opened the app, tapped on a cab near Union Station, and watched as its icon immediately began moving toward us. She made it to Crystal City from eastern Capitol Hill in about twenty minutes total.

by lucre on May 1, 2013 8:22 am • link • report