In New York City, cabs go cash-optional
What’s the greatest invention in travel since sliced bread? (Okay, maybe not quite.) The swipe-your-credit-card machine in a New York City taxi.
It used to be that, if you were on a business trip to New York, you had to stock up on $100 cash or more in the morning just to cover the cab fares. At $10 to $15 apiece, they added up quickly. Now, I just swipe my Amex and I’m done.
I tend to add a bigger tip, I find. But cabbies don’t seem to like the credit card swipes – mainly because they lose 5 percent (or so they say) on not only the fare but the tip and tolls. Still, it’s got to be a lot safer carrying just $30 or $40 in cash rather than a few hundred, no?
Oh, and they don’t keep a hand-written trip log any more, either. Now the GPS logs all of their trips.
Next up: An all-hybrid fleet of taxis by 2012, unless the next mayor changes the ruling by Mayor Bloomberg.
With fuel prices as high as they are, it seems like hybrids would be a no-brainer (if they can get ‘em).
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4 Responses to “In New York City, cabs go cash-optional”
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Peter, I can tell you from personal, experience living in Philadelphia, that having cabs which can take credit cards is great. This is wonderful news for those of us who often travel to NYC.
Philadelphia was the test city in the US for the joint project of the MasterCard and VeriFone wireless credit card system, starting in late 2006, and now all 1,600 Philadelphia Medallion taxis are equipped the system. We encountered the system in Honolulu, earlier this year. In Honolulu, it’s completely optional for the cabs, but according to the concierge I spoke with in the Waikiki Beach Hyatt, with the number of tourists requesting cabs with the wireless credit card system, more and more taxis will have to install it.
Thanks for your post.
The consensus in my office is that, while the 5% is grumbled about, it is more than offset by higher tips that credit card (esp. corporate credit card) users give. We think the real reason cabbies dislike credit cards is that they have to be honest about how much they’re getting tipped when they file their tax returns. I don’t know why they’re not allowed to surcharge for credit cards though, in Australia (where practically noone tips a cab driver) 10% is automatically added to the fare if you pay by credit card - which is not a big enough disincentive for most corporate travelers.
Carrying “only about $30 or $40 in cash” isn’t necessarily safer. Perpetrators of street robberies have been known to retaliate when their victims didn’t have enough to give for the cause.
hmmm… i thought it was the credit card option on the metrocard myself. but then, i’m a mass transit addict. ask me what i miss MOST about new york? the MTA and street vendor food. all else is commentary.