[Nyabs] taxi technology

[Kathryn Carroll]

No problem. I can't wait to be able to hear my fare change.

On 5/16/2012 1:22 PM, Justin Young wrote:
> This sounds very great!  Thanks so much Kate for sharing!
>
> On 5/15/12, Kathryn<nyabs.board at gmail.com>  wrote:
>    
>> *Hi everyone,
>>
>> Just wanted to make sure everyone is aware of the technology enhancement
>> to NYC taxis we can expect itn eh future.
>>
>> Kate, President
>>
>> News clip embedded below.
>> *
>> CARLY BALDWIN
>> *NEW YORK *
>> *Published: *April 17, 2012 2:17 p.m.
>> Creative Mobile Technologies, one of two companies that outfits the
>> city's yellow cabs with credit card readers, unveiled groundbreaking new
>> technology today that will make it much easier for blind or visually
>> impaired taxi riders to pay --- and who was one of the first to use it?
>> Former New York Gov. David Paterson, who is blind.
>> "This is the first time I'll be able to use a credit card by myself in a
>> taxi cab, and I was the Governor of New York!" joked Paterson today.
>> The software allows passengers to hear the fare changing in regular
>> intervals during the taxi ride. A prerecorded voice will also read aloud
>> all aspects of the credit card or cash payment once the taxi reaches its
>> destination, including fare verification and how much to tip. Images
>> will also be displayed on the taxi TV screens to help the passengers.
>> The audible touch screen system can be activated by a special card or by
>> simply asking the driver.
>> Right now, only a portion of the city's cabs will get the software. The
>> software will be installed into about 1,250 cabs in the next two weeks.
>> There are 13,237 cabs total in the city's fleet.
>> How do you know you're in a cab with the technology? It will be audibly
>> announced on taxi TV when riders enter the cab.
>> Before the new devices, blind taxi passengers were forced to rely on cab
>> drivers to swipe their card and enter the correct amount, including tip.
>> Not only is this a violation of current TLC rules, but also it exposes
>> blind passengers to the risk of being ripped off, said Councilman James
>> Vacca, chair of the Council's Transportation Committee, and whose father
>> was blind.
>> Vacca introduced a bill that will require all city cabs to have a
>> version of this software installed.
>>
>>
>>      
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