I drove as a Hailo driver for a few days, I've been a NYC taxi driver for 23 of the past 33 years, so perhaps I know what I am talking about.
Hailo does not solve a problem that for the most part does not exist in NYC, that of a taxi shortage. Like even a quick lunch at McDonalds, sometimes a person has to wait but in New York City there is an abundance of taxis and car services.
At those times taxis are really scarce (raining at shift change time) Hailo is useless. Why would a taxi driver pass up people waiving and whistling and shouting to him in order to answer a Hailo call? Only if he is trying to impress the Hailo management and is in a way "cultified." The other reason would be if it ever were to become mandatory or if Hailo became so predominant( (which tt won't in New York City). Hailo is instituting a point system for drivers with little badges of bronze, silver and gold and other "recognition" but drivers drive for money not recognition and they are well accustomed to not getting much respect.
Hailo's business model is to get "everyone on board" meaning the Mayor, the Taxi Limousine Commission and the media in order to create "inevitability." Then come the screws, the so far missing fees and charges to one and all, count on it,
Hailo does not solve a problem that for the most part does not exist in NYC, that of a taxi shortage. Like even a quick lunch at McDonalds, sometimes a person has to wait but in New York City there is an abundance of taxis and car services.
At those times taxis are really scarce (raining at shift change time) Hailo is useless. Why would a taxi driver pass up people waiving and whistling and shouting to him in order to answer a Hailo call? Only if he is trying to impress the Hailo management and is in a way "cultified." The other reason would be if it ever were to become mandatory or if Hailo became so predominant( (which tt won't in New York City). Hailo is instituting a point system for drivers with little badges of bronze, silver and gold and other "recognition" but drivers drive for money not recognition and they are well accustomed to not getting much respect.
Hailo's business model is to get "everyone on board" meaning the Mayor, the Taxi Limousine Commission and the media in order to create "inevitability." Then come the screws, the so far missing fees and charges to one and all, count on it,
Safety is the main issue
They will deny it and they take steps to dodge responsibility for it but Hailo requires drivers to answer and make phone calls and fiddle around with their app while driving.
Really someone in the media should spend a few hours riding "shotgun" with a Hailo driver without Hailo's knowledge. Perhaps a monitoring camera would do.
