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New York taxis finally have a tech-forward answer to Uber and Lyft

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New York finally has an answer to Uber and Lyft. Today, yellow taxis found a way to hit back at the Silicon Valley, California-based transportation giants by way of a new partnership between the on-demand ridesharing services firm Via, and taxi app Curb from Verifone

Regardless of which app you use (Curb or Via), you’ll be able to carpool with other riders who are headed in the same direction, and thereby share the cost of a cab. Similar to Uber Pool or Lyft Line, passengers will be directed to a nearby corner for both pick-up and drop-off, which means more efficient routes and quicker riders.

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“We’re delighted to offer a new lower-cost option for taxi riders while simultaneously increasing earnings for hardworking New York City taxi drivers with more passengers, longer trips, and reduced downtime,” said Amos Tamam, senior vice president of Verifone Taxi Systems. “This latest app integration marks yet another milestone in the transformation of Verifone’s connected taxis around the world into a smart transportation platform.”

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Ultimately, both companies believe that this collaboration will allow New York taxis to move more passengers from Point A to Point B than would be possible without this tech. And of course, carpooling is better both for the Earth and for your wallet.

“At Via we’re committed to reducing congestion and emissions in major cities with a fully dynamic network of shared vehicles,” said Daniel Ramot, CEO and co-founder of Via. “Everyone benefits when we increase the efficiency of vehicles on the road. Cities benefit from reduced congestion and emissions, riders benefit from affordable and convenient transportation options, and drivers benefit from a system optimized to increase their earnings. We’re excited to deploy our technology for the first time in New York City taxis, one of the largest and most important taxi fleets in the world.”

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
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