Tag Archives: Taxi

Save Extra Cash on Your Next Trip with RideGuru

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Disney TaxiWe love how our fans use TaxiFareFinder to continually find the price of their taxi rides around the globe. We are consistently getting feedback through our support inbox, social media, and comments section about how TaxiFareFinder has helped numerous travelers to better plan their transportation expenses for upcoming trips. It makes us happy to hear that our fare calculator is able to help relieve the burden of budgeting for a trip but we also find that many people, while happy they have found an estimate, are upset with the cost that is being calculated.

Travel is expensive and sometimes travelers just have to take a deep breath and spend the money to get from point A to B…but it is not always the case! Our sister site RideGuru may be able to help you save a few bucks on your travel expenses the next time you are looking to cut down on your trip’s budget. RideGuru not only calculates Taxi fares but it also simultaneously calculates the fares of all rideshare companies in your trip location area(s). When the results appear, you will be able to see multiple fare estimates across multiple ride platforms so you can pick the option that is cheapest for you.

ss3RideGuru also provides the option of ‘filtering results’ so you can narrow down your ride options by the number of passengers traveling, luxury vs economy, etc. Many times when people are traveling in a group setting they take 2 taxis to get around, but RideGuru will show you whether it is more economical to take those 2 taxis or one larger SUV. Many times the SUV rides are cheaper and will save the group money as a whole!

Perhaps the best part of RideGuru, is that once you have found your ride option that best suits your needs, you can hail the car straight from the website…saving you precious sightseeing time!

Happy Traveling!

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Find Your Next Travel Destination!

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Now that the holidays are over it is the perfect time to start daydreaming about your next vacation spot. We love to encourage our fans to daydream about hailing that yellow cab from the side of the road, throwing your suitcases in the trunk, and exclaiming “To the airport and step on it!”.

Take a look at this wanderlust series on our sister site, RideGuru to start inspiring your inner wanderlust.

 

Your could visit a charming town at the base of the alps in Switzerland.

 

Or maybe a trip to Florence, Italy is calling your name. If you love food and art, Florence is your destination!

 

Or perhaps, your feel destined to see a true wonder of the world, like the Taj Mahal.

taj mahal

The travel options are endless! Take a look at the many destinations featured on RideGuru and let us know where you would tell your cab driver to take you this year.

The Best (and Worst) Taxi Moments of 2016

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best and worst taxi moments of 2016This year we all heard a lot of news happening with taxis, both good and bad. We wanted to record and share some of the best and worst taxi moments of 2016!

  1. Some taxis went driverless! Still in testing phases across the world, these driverless taxis have been all the buzz this year. We’re expecting to hear even more as we enter the new year! best and worst taxi moments 2016
  2. New on demand taxi companies like Grab started challenging the big rideshare players, and they’re still fighting!
  3. Women are getting involved in the industry all around the world, breaking the stereotype that taxi drivers always have to be male, and hoping to prevent more sexual assaults. #WomenEmpowerment best and worst taxi moments 2016
  4. We saw some of the coolest taxi decorations. Ever. Guess how many light bulbs this taxi driver used to light up his cab? Over 8,000!top taxi moments of 2016
  5. Several taxi companies filed for bankruptcy in the midst of the rideshare takeover. In general, the number of taxis overall has been declining for these same reasons.
  6. 12 New York City taxi drivers were caught in a credit card scam, stealing almost $50,000 from passengers through fraudulent transactions.
  7. Taxi Driver of the Year: This Boston taxi driver returned almost $200,000 in cash after it was left in the back seat of his cab. He knew the money would change his life, but returned it to the police instead. best and worst taxi moments 2016

Wow, what a year! That’s all we got for the best and worst taxi moments in 2016, be sure to tune in next year to see what’s in store!

Oh La La! Taxi Drivers Strip Down for a Good Cause

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ali_march-0Looking for a unique gift to give your NYC dwelling friend this holiday season? If you want to send a laugh, look no further than The 2017 NYC Taxi Drivers Calendar. Yep, that’s right, firemen move over, the taxi cab drivers are baring all and ready for their close up.

In all seriousness, this calendar was made for a good cause! A portion of all proceeds will be donated to University Settlement, a settlement house that serves over 30,000 immigrants, working individuals, and families every year with services like education, housing, wellness opportunities, and literacy programs.

The calendar is available now for purchase for $14.99.

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Yellow Cabs Disappearing in NYC

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taxi graveyardHave you been in NYC lately? Have you noticed a difference in the types of cars transporting people around? According to a video by Interrobang, the yellow cab is disappearing in New York City and is becoming dominated by rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft.

In Brooklyn, you can see the “graveyard” of yellow cabs parked along the side of the streets. Many of these cabs are full of drivers sitting on the side of the road waiting for people who are looking for a ride. The price of medallions issued in the city has also been in a steady decline in the past few years.

The number of taxi medallions in NYC was 13,587, and since 2013 the value of the medallion has also been in decline since it reached its high point of over 1 million dollars in 2013. The number of Ubers has now surpassed that of yellow cabs in NYC. Some people find the technology of Uber to be more convenient and easier for them to use.

For other people, however, yellow taxis remain their first choice for transportation, and the yellow cab medallion is not dead yet. As Uber expands to highly technological adaptations such as self-driving vehicles, taxi medallion owners will just have to adapt and change to adhere to the current trends in the industry in order to stay alive.

What is your opinion on taxis versus Ubers in New York City? Or anywhere, for that matter? Is the taxi medallion dead? Let us know what you think!

More than One Taxi Company Shows it’s Possible to Compete with Ridesharing’s Big Two

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taxipeople-1Fast Taxi of Albany, NY has just launched a full service transportation app to compete with the outdated taxi system currently in place in Albany, a city where Uber and Lyft are still banned legally.  In just 3 weeks after launch, the company has over 40 vehicles servicing the area and is growing rapidly. Based on popular ridesharing apps, Fast Taxi has taken advantage of all the great features many consumers have become accustomed to, such as:

– Sending pickup address via gps
– Finding closest driver based on users position
– Tracking driver to your location
– Paying with credit card automatically
– Getting transparent fare estimates

You would expect the clear benefits of ridesharing technology to catch on in every city. The politics of how these companies suddenly started competing with local taxi businesses, however, is an entirely different story. One key point to mention is that most ridesharing apps provide no real form of insurance to their riders, and their drivers are not vetted up to the standard the rest of the transportation industry uses. This is where Fast Taxi, a company who intends for the inevitable ridesharing wars to arrive in Albany, has setup core principles and added new standards to put the customer first. Improvements featured in Fast Taxi and not typical of other ridesharing apps include:

– Fully insured rides
– Allowance of cash payments
– No surge fees
– Advanced bookings
– Fair, transparent pricing powered by TaxiFareFinder
– No account needed (web booking only)

The Fast Taxi App has been very well received in Albany and the company is expected to grow it’s operation throughout the entire state of New York in the coming year. You can expect the trend of taxi service styled ridesharing apps to grow rapidly for the unseen future.

Disclaimer: This post is a guest post written by Fast Taxi of Albany, NY

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Help Us to Keep Rideshares Transparent!

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With the release of our new site, RideGuru, the TaxiFareFinder/RideGuru team has become passionate about bringing transparency to the ridesharing community. Rideshares, such as Uber and Lyft, have their benefits but they also can be hampered by a lack of transparency.

Take a look at the video below to see how RideGuru is helping to bring insight into the ridesharing industry and let us know your thoughts below!

Top 5 Places to Take a Taxi This Fall

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Summer is over and it’s no longer perfect weather for the beach. Have no fear, there are still so many places to go this fall! No matter what city you live in, there is a place for you to take your taxi. So hop into Fall and enjoy the ride!

apple-picking

  1. Apple Picking: ‘Tis the season of fresh crisp apples! Even if you’re from the city, there is bound to be an apple orchard nearby, and a taxi can always take you there! Enjoy the fruit, and don’t forget to grab a cider donut on your way out!hot-air-balloon
  2. Hot Air Balloon Ride: Although this is not your every-day fall activity, riding in a hot air balloon ride is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will want to try this fall. Make a day out of it and enjoy the beautiful view! tailgate
  3. Your local football game: Even if you’re not a sports fan, make sure to at least stop by your local football game and tailgate, if only for the food. This is a staple event of fall and a can’t-miss experience. potluck
  4. Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner: Come one, come all! A potluck dinner is an awesome event to have in the fall, so talk with your friends and plan a group gathering! And don’t worry about driving through the city with your mashed potatoes — grab a taxi for a no-worry drive!foliage2
  5. Foliage at the park: Last but not least, make sure you take some time to enjoy the changing scenery around you! Fall is everywhere, and it goes by quickly, so make sure you don’t miss it!

Wherever you go this fall, know that TaxiFareFinder is there as a resource.  Find your fare on our website and enjoy!

Finding Lost Items in Your Uber or Taxi

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lost item in uber Did you have a rough night on the town and realize you left your iPhone in the backseat of your Uber?

What do you do next? Luckily, if you’re in an Uber, retrieving your lost item should not be difficult. Rideshare companies generally make it easy for passengers to find the items they accidentally left behind.

Follow these steps to figure out how to get back your lost item from your Uber!

  1. As soon as you realize your item is missing, contact your Uber driver through the Uber app. The app will prompt you to enter your phone number and report the lost item.
  2. Next, the Uber app will connect you to your driver’s cell phone number, you will be able to speak to the driver directly to see if he/she has your missing item
  3. Coordinate with your driver to meet up and exchange your missing item.
  4. If the driver never answers your call, wait 24 hours and let Uber know — they will contact your driver directly for you to ensure you get in contact.

Unfortunately, it is not so easy to retrieve your lost item from a taxi. Taxi services such as the NYC taxi company have a “lost and found” where drivers are able to give any items left in their cab, however there is no obligation for the driver to return any lost items. Most taxi companies also encourage passengers to call their company to report any missing items as soon as possible. Remember to always know the name and taxi number of your cab to make this process easier – getting a receipt is the best way to always ensure you have your taxi drivers information!

Have any horror stories of lost items in your Uber or taxi? Comment below to share!

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RideGuru – A New Rideshare Initiative

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rg1We are excited to announce that the groundbreaking rideshare fare comparison calculator, RideGuru, which was originally hosted on TaxiFareFinder.com was officially released this morning as an independent website at Ride.Guru.

While the sites main attraction is its ability to compare rideshare fares across thousands of cities for a vast number of rideshare companies, it is also a place for riders, drivers, and travelers to come together.

To kick-start Ride.Guru’s community, the RideGuru team built a Q&A platform called, “Ask a Guru”. “Ask a Guru” connects rideshare drivers and riders not only with each other, but also with industry experts. Questions that are submitted will be answered by real insiders, such as actual rideshare drivers and representatives.  RideGuru has even partnered with Harry Campbell, otherwise known as “The Rideshare Guy”, who will be directly interacting with the visitors!

For travelers, RideGuru is providing a wealth of knowledge not only related to ridesharing but also in regards to general travel tips and tricks. Through Ride Guru’s city spotlights, users can find city specific travel information on multiple cities worldwide. Additionally, through RideGuru’s Instagram, Newsroom, and Newsletter, visitors can get ideas on where to travel next and can engage with one another on the best ways to get from point A to point B.

RideGuru is place of pure transparency within the rideshare marketplace. Curious which rideshare company is cheapest, RideGuru can show you. Interested in which rideshare company pays back the most to their drivers, RideGuru will let you know. Have a question, RideGuru will make sure to provide you with an unbiased answer. Check it out, join the community, and happy ride-hailing!

To view RideGuru’s Press Release please click here.

 

To view a Text Only Press Release please see below.

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RideGuru – A New Rideshare Initiative

BOSTON, MA,  September 20, 2016

Travelers rejoice! The ability to easily compare ridehail options such as Uber and Lyft is now available. Unleashed, LLC, the Boston-based technology company best known for TaxiFareFinder, officially released their newest site and initiative, RideGuru. RideGuru brings transparency to the rideshare and ridehail markets, something many riders and drivers have been seeking.

RideGuru’s primary feature is its comparison fare calculator. When to and from locations are entered, RideGuru will calculate and display fare estimates for a multitude of ride options, enabling comparison shopping for the end users.  It is able to provide estimates for all possible rideshare and taxi options for a given trip, complete with a breakdown of the potential fares.  Each estimate gets a “fare card”, and users can narrow down the cards by using filters, e.g. specifying the number of passengers, selecting luxury vs. economy experience, etc.

There are other calculators in the market that have attempted to provide similar comparative information, but they are being shut down by Uber and Lyft for violating their API terms of service. RideGuru is different. Using the same trusted technology and algorithm that the company created for TaxiFareFinder.com, RideGuru can derive fare estimates without the use of external APIs.  This means that it is not reliant on rideshare companies providing the estimates.  To provide accurate and trustworthy fares, RideGuru keeps a database of thousands of rates, and the algorithm is continuously optimized by real fares provided by users and drivers.  This ensures RideGuru’s estimates are as accurate as possible.

Ippei Takahashi, the CEO/President of Unleashed, LLC, states, “The innovation that rideshare and ridehail companies brought to the market is very impressive.  While many welcome its emergence, it is also disruptive in a way, as it forced fast transitions to the market and left a lot of uncertainty and confusion among the consumers.  For example, the fare and payout structures can be complex, and the rules and regulations can be vague.  Our mission is to bring transparency to the market by providing useful tools and informative resources, and through connecting people with rideshare experts.”

RideGuru is truly making waves as the Expedia of ride-hailing services.  It supports a vast number of major rideshare companies, such as Uber, Lyft, Curb, Ola, Didi Kauidi, taxis and more, and the list extends across over 70 countries.

In order to provide unfiltered information and industry knowledge to the public, RideGuru is hosting a Q&A platform called, “Ask a Guru.”  Rideshare consumers will be connected with industry experts and questions will be answered by real insiders, such as drivers, travel authorities, and representatives from service providers.  RideGuru has partnered with Harry Campbell, also known as “The Rideshare Guy” who will be directly interacting with the visitors. Harry is eager to spread his expertise through RideGuru, stating, “My goal is to answer any question you might have about the world of rideshare.  Whether you’re an experienced veteran of Uber or just heard about it for the first time today, I’m here to help!”

Furthermore, once a user finds their desired ride, they can simply sign up and/or hail the car straight from the site for most of the ridehail services.  The user, if interested, can also view the driver take-home pay as a part of the fare breakdown.  This feature gives the public an idea of how much is going to the driver and how much is going to the ridehail companies.

RideGuru strives to become a community and platform for all information pertaining to the ridehailing industry. With today’s release of its fare calculator as well as the Ask a Guru forum, RideGuru will start equipping the public with all the information they need to navigate this innovative but often confusing market.

 

About Unleashed, LLC

Unleashed, LLC is a Boston-based technology company that specializes in creating websites and smartphone applications to provide users with the information they need for daily decisions. The company is best known for creating the popular travel site TaxiFareFinder.com. TaxiFareFinder, released in 2007, is an online resource for all things related to taxis and rideshares. TaxiFareFinder is best recognized for its groundbreaking, location based, taxi and rideshare fare calculators. With taxi and rideshare rates for more than 2,000 international locations, TaxiFareFinder is the proven, trusted trip companion for travelers around the world.

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