There are plenty of apps around to hail a cab, but now, thanks to the release today of Taxi Turvi by 2 Hit Wonders, travelers can also keep their taxi drivers honest. Taxi Turvi is the first iPhone app designed to stop cabbies from taking unsuspecting passengers “the long way” in order to charge more money for the trip.
“No cab rider likes to get taken for a ride, but prior to Taxi Turvi, there wasn’t much you could do to avoid it,” said Audrey Overstreet, Chief Dispatch Officer (CDO) at 2 Hit Wonders. “Taxi Turvi helps travelers get to their destinations faster and cheaper, and the app will bring accountability to an industry that is notorious for duping unsuspecting tourists.”
When the cab ride begins, riders simply open the app on their iPhone and press the “Start” button, and when they get to their destination, they press “Stop.” Taxi Turvi records the entire journey, draws the route that was taken on their mobile phone map, and also draws the route the cab driver should have taken – showing both routes side-by-side. The consumer can easily compare at a glance whether they were taken for a ride or taken directly to their destination. Taxi Turvi also rates the driver for effectiveness, and recommends a tip.
Passengers can also input the taxi driver’s permit number or cab number to record any trip details they wish to share with future passengers. At the end of the journey, passengers can choose to rate their driver’s “friendly factor,” and then post all their experiences onto Facebook.
The app is free, and it works in virtually every city in the world.