New York officials on Friday gave the go-ahead to Uber under its new pilot program, meaning any local or tourist can fire up the app and hail a taxi. After dismissing a lawsuit from the livery cab industry, which held the program up for a year, “e-hailing” will become part of the larger digital vernacular after every night out. Fire up the app, and soon you’ll be escorted by a yellow, four-wheeled steed. The fruits of progress.
Uber is the first to get approval, but it won’t be the last. David Yassky, taxi commissioner, said other companies will get the opportunity for approval to give passengers more choices.
“The passenger have spoken and the Bloomberg administration listened…people want the opportunity to device whether new technology can improve their taxi experience, and today, that option is available to them,” Yassky said.
Uber, however, is the market’s most recognizable name. Last year, the San Francisco-based company attempted to launch the service in NYC without approval. But the company’s service has finally been approved, which means you can stop flailing your limbs and hail a cab the same way humans today do everything else: with a smartphone.