Going My Way? Carpooling for Taxi Riders Arrives in Chicago

Barbara Maldonado Mar 30, 2011 Tweet

There is a new Android app in Chicago connecting taxi riders traveling to the same or nearby destinations throughout the city that is akin to carpooling.  Taxi Share Chicago launched officially a few weeks ago.  As the name implies, its aim is to connect riders traveling in the same direction to frequented and popular destinations (such as O’Hare, Downtown, Lincoln Park, etc).

Have problems hailing a cab?  Trying to save money on taxi fares?  Interested in meeting new people?  This is a great app to get you to your destination while cutting down on your fare costs and introducing you to new people.

What is most compelling about the Taxi Share Chicago app is its flexibility – someone interested in sharing a taxi can activate the app, as can someone already in route and willing to share their ride.  Taxi Share Chicago has also proactively answered concerns about riding in cabs with strangers.  The app provides text/chat capability for riders before they meet in order to “break the ice”.  Additionally, users of the app will be able to provide ratings on the individuals they share taxi rides with; if you end up sharing a ride with someone who isn’t very nice you can post a rating, which is viewable by others using the service.

What I liked most about the app is that once launched, it intuitively populates common Chicago destinations where one would be most likely to share a cab on a busy day, including O’Hare, Midway, Downtown, Lincoln Park/Wrigley and U.S. Cellular Field.  As other cities around the country are exploring ways to promote taxi sharing programs, Chicago is leading the way with smart phone technology.

If you are in Chicago, download their app today!  Taxi Share Chicago is a Community Level Sponsor of the Tech Cocktail Chicago event on Thursday, March 31, so be sure to say hi to the team!