taxi

Uber on the road to reconciliation in D.C. with new legislation

Embattled private car service Uber appears to be making inroads in Washington, D.C.

After a series of conflicts with regulators in the nation's capital, the quickly growing startup that lets people request rides via their smartphones scored a victory yesterday when the city council unanimously approved a legislative framework for "digital dispatch" transportation services.

The "Public Vehicle-for-Hire Innovation Amendment Act" (PDF) amends the D.C. Taxicab Commission Establishment Act of 1985 -- the rules under which taxis operate in the city -- to include a separate class of for-hire vehicles and sedans that operate … Read more

This DeLorean taxi concept will likely never hit 88 mph

To generate interest around the New York-based fashion brand Nooka, best known for its unconventionally designed wristwatches, designer Mike Lubrano wants to make NYC taxi cabs out of DeLorean DMC-12s, specifically the DeLorean time machine made famous by the "Back to the Future" films.

The normally bare stainless-steel finish of the DeLorean gets a coat of taxi-yellow paint and the concept, which only exists as a digital photo manipulation, receives NYC taxi livery and rooftop signage. The gull-winged DeLorean certainly looks cool, but with seating for only two passengers including the driver, the DMC-12 is definitely a less-than-ideal … Read more

AOL's twist on e-mail: You've got stacks

Thursday's CNET Update is checking your away message:

Just when you've given up all hope of having an organized inbox, along comes AOL with a new e-mail client called Alto. Today's tech news roundup looks at how Alto manages multiple accounts and sorts messages into stacks. The service is in beta test now (so you have to sign up for an invite to try it), but it could be open to everyone by February.

In other news, Yelp is cracking down on companies that pay for reviews. If Yelp sees that a business is trying to inflate … Read more

Uber hails arrival of its taxi service in San Francisco

A day after conceding defeat in the Big Apple, Uber is bringing its taxi service to the City by the Bay.

The private car-summoning company announced today that it is bringing its cab-hailing service to San Francisco, allowing customers to request a taxi via an app on their iOS or Android device. At the end of a customer's ride, the driver will input the fare appearing on the cab's meter into an Uber iPhone -- along with a 20 percent gratuity and a $1 booking fee -- to determine the final charge, which is then billed to … Read more

New York City puts the brakes on new Uber cab-hailing app

A day after private car-summoning service Uber announced it was expanding into the cab-hailing business in New York, the city's Taxi & Limousine Commission issued an industry notice today that it had not authorized any apps for calling for taxis or paying for rides for use in New York City cabs.

"The T.L.C. is eager to pave the way for taxi riders to take advantage of the most up-to-date technology, including smartphone apps that may help passengers locate available taxicabs more quickly," David S. Yassky, the commission's chairman, said in a statement. "However, … Read more

Uber changes lanes in New York by hailing cabs too

Private car service Uber is veering off its usual course by offering its service to taxi drivers in New York City.

Starting tomorrow, Uber Taxi will allow New Yorkers to use the smartphone app to hail a cab in much the same way it's been used to summon private cars in cities around the country.

"This is the first time in three decades that New Yorkers can get a taxi without going to the street," Uber CEO Travis Kalanick told CNET. He also touted the service as offering greater accessibility in neighborhoods where taxis don't normally … Read more

Uber fights proposed D.C. taxi commission fare increase

In a brewing D.C. cab war, Internet-based Uber feels the city is trying to drive it out of town.

Uber, a quickly-growing startup that lets people request private car service in select cities via their smartphones, is once again battling the D.C. Taxicab Commission, which is reportedly considering legislation that would require sedan car services like Uber to charge at least five times the minimum fare charged by cabs, according to a copy of the amendment Uber posted.

"Sedans would be required to charge a minimum fare of five times the drop rate for taxicabs.[And] sedans … Read more

The 404 943: Where can you turn off the Flash real quick? (podcast)

Steve Jobs gets vindicated this morning, as Adobe announced it's killing off Flash support for mobile devices.

We're also talking about the next evolution of New York taxi cabs replete with USB-charging stations, the entire city of Detroit protesting Nickelback, and an Irish airline offering an on-demand television app that will also feature adult channels. Gross or cool? We'll weigh both sides of the divisive argument.

Stream or download today's podcast after the break!… Read more

Nissan to exhibit NV200 Taxi of Tomorrow for New Yorkers

A few years ago, in 2007 to be exact, New York City officials set about reimagining the NYC taxi system from the ground up. The Taxi of Tomorrow project would eventually include new infrastructure and a new vehicle: the Nissan NV200 light commercial vehicle, which will be the next New York City taxicab for 10 years, beginning in 2013.

Taxi owners, drivers, passengers, and NYC residents will be able to kick the tires of the NV200 and smell (or, rather, not smell) the odor- and germ-reducing interior materials. Passengers may dig the rear seat's charging station that includes a … Read more

This Day in Tech: Obama signs debt limit bill; ZocDoc announces $50M funding round

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Tuesday, August 2.

Finally, President Obama signs debt limit bill after nasty fight to avert economic catastrophe Tuesday. According to CBS News, Obama said the deal to cut spending and increase the nation's $14.3 trillion debt limit marked an "important first step to ensuring that as a nation we live within our means."

Doctor booking site ZocDoc announces $50 million funding round from DST Global, and plans to use the investment to expand its presence to … Read more