Cambridge Taxi Share + New York Taxi Share

But cabbies have said they are not keen.

David Wratten, from the Cambridge City Licensed Taxis organisation, told a Guildhall meeting: “This will mean less work for taxis and more waiting on ranks to try and fill the cabs.”

If the scheme was introduced, taxis could make shared trips, with each passenger paying a separate fare.

Beyond the environmental benefits, officers at Cambridge City Council argue passengers would like the scheme because they would only pay a proportion of the metered fare, and taxi drivers would benefit because they will receive several fares, and thus more money.

Similar schemes operate at Paddington and Euston stations in London, and in New York.

Mr Wratten told the council’s environment scrutiny committee: “People get taxis for various reasons – if they want to share transport they get a bus.

“Elderly customers get cabs as a treat and business people don’t want to share because they want to get from A to B and talk in private.”

The scheme would need separate ranks to normal taxis, clear markings on vehicles, and possibly the use of booking software to match passengers to cars.

Marshals could be used to organise passengers into shared groups in the evenings.

Cllr Mike Pitt, the council’s environment chief, said nobody would be forced into operating a shared taxi, or into taking one.

He said: “If there’s no willingness to provide it by the taxis, and no demand from the public, we will find that and it will go to full stop there.

“It’s worth finding out if there is a viable business case.”

In the late 1990s, plans to introduce a “taxi bus” shuttle service between Cambridge station and the city centre were vigorously opposed by drivers.

this seems complicated. the shared rides from train stations or airports could be done now, with the current technology. but of course the drivers would have to have a map that shows what the flat fees are to where, which would lead to a lot of negotiating problems.

I wouldn’t want the hassle of dealing with separate people at once, it would be too much to handle, and nobody would be happy. What are the odds that everyone would be going in the same direction? The only way this would be feasible is if a dispatcher were in charge at taxi lines.

To say that this is a benefit to the environment while it may be true in theory, is also very deplorable since there are always more taxis and drivers being added, not to mention the road closures for real estate development, street fairs, and parades, all of which clog the streets and cause huge environmental problems.

If they are going to treat us like buses, than we should be able to use bus lanes, and all hov lanes, all the time! (a heads up, there is a proposal to start giving cabbies tickets for driving in the bus lanes through video cameras on 34th.)

Also if the average ride is 1.4 people, why don’t we have 60% of our cabs a lot smaller, for one person and their bag?

A friend of mine has added some more crucial or simplified points-

Part of what people buy when they get in a taxi is privacy / alone time , plus a direct ride… why would they want to share?

If you want to share, take a bus or subway. Also, its not as if the cab stops running when they have no one in them, so how does this help the environment, as # of taxis will not be reduced.

Seems like dopey thinking by someone who is sometimes not able to get a taxi…. and thinks, if others would share, there would be a taxi for me…

I agree that i doubt any of this will catch on w/ the taxi using public….. Read More Here