Taxi Upfront Pricing Pilot Begins

Taxi Upfront Pricing Pilot Begins
By

The Taxi Upfront Fare Pilot Program began on November 9, 2022!

In September 2021, the SFMTA Board authorized the creation of a one-year Taxi Upfront Fare Pilot Program. The pilot will give taxi customers the ability to book a taxi trip through a taxi e-hail app and pay a flat-rate, upfront fare. It will also allow customers to request a taxi through approved third-party apps.

Our hope is that the pilot benefits taxi users by providing them with upfront information about their fares, relieving meter anxiety, and allowing customers to price shop for similar on-demand services. We believe this will bring taxi services in line with what customers expect on similar services. We also believe it will increase business for the local taxi industry, especially the drivers. A successful pilot would increase overall taxi trips, encourage more people to become taxi drivers, and maintain or improve taxi services for all passengers.

Beginning November 9, taxi customers have the ability to book a taxi trip through three approved taxi E-hail apps: Arro, Flywheel, and YoTaxi*. The approved E-hail apps will give taxi customers the option of choosing an upfront fare through the app, or they may choose to request a cab through traditional phone dispatch or street hail and simply pay for the trip based on the taximeter amount. The upfront fare offered to taxi customers will closely match the cost to the customer of a fare based on the Taximeter rate.

The pilot program will also allow customers to request or to be matched with a taxi through third-party apps. Uber is the first third-party app to participate in the pilot, which will lay the groundwork for other apps (including Muni Mobile) to refer trips to local taxis. Trips originated from a third-Party app will offer upfront fares that are not based on Taximeter rates.

The Upfront Fare Pilot allows two types of trips:

Taxi Pilot Trips:

Originate with a customer ride request through an approved taxi E-Hail app
Dispatched by a taxi E-Hail app
Provided by a permitted San Francisco taxi driver in a permitted SF taxi vehicle
Upfront fare is based on the estimated taximeter amount

Third-Party Pilot Trips:

Originate with a customer ride request through a third-party app
Provided by a permitted San Francisco taxi driver in a permitted SF taxi vehicle
Upfront fare is not required to be based on the estimated taximeter amount

Requesting a Taxi through a permitted Taxi E-Hail App

Taxi customers may request taxi rides through three permitted apps: Arro, Flywheel, and YoTaxi*.

To request a ride, customers can open the app of their choice and input a payment method. After inputting a payment method, customers can request a ride within the app and will be provided with an upfront fare based on the estimated taximeter amount.

Upon completion of the trip, the payment will be processed by the E-Hail app. No separate payment to the driver will be needed at the end of the trip.

*Currently, Arro and Flywheel are approved, while YoTaxi is eligible to participate and is conditionally approved.

Receiving a Taxi through Uber

Third-party pilot trips will allow San Francisco taxicabs to be matched with Uber customers. Currently, Flywheel is the only Taxi E-Hail App approved to provide Third-party trips.

Customers can request a ride through Uber as normal, but in some instances may be matched with a taxi. Customers will still receive an upfront fare, but the fare will not be based on the estimated taximeter amount. Uber customers will always be notified if they’re matched with a taxi, and if they prefer, can choose to get re-matched.

Upon completion of the trip, the payment will be processed by Uber. No separate payment to the driver will be needed at the end of the trip.

SF Paratransit Customers

Currently, both YoTaxi and Arro are unable to book paratransit customers as a part of this pilot, and Flywheel will only provide a fare estimate. SFMTA plans on working with the Taxi E-Hail apps to allow for this in the future.

SF Paratransit riders can continue to request rides through the regular process.

Next Steps and Comments

The SFMTA will report quarterly on the results of the pilot to the taxi industry, our board, and to other stakeholders. We will be having quarterly taxi outreach meetings about this pilot and other topics affecting the industry.

If you have comments about the pilot, we are taking written feedback.

Published November 10, 2022 at 06:39AM
https://ift.tt/w83GKPr

Comments

SFMTA to Replace All Parking Meters in the City

SFMTA to Replace All Parking Meters in the City By Jessie Liang San Franciscans will see new parking meters on city streets beginning in early March 2022. Staff from the SFMTA’s Parking Meter Shop will replace the meters at all the nearly 27,000 paid parking spaces in the city because those meters have reached the end of their useful lives, and because many of the meters rely on 3G communications technology that soon will be phased out by the wireless companies. The first new meters will be installed in the South of Market and Mission Bay neighborhoods. SFMTA staff will provide notices on vehicle windshields when the new meters are activated. The new meters will provide several benefits, including larger and more legible screens, more intuitive user interface, more powerful batteries, and more resistance to vandalism. The following neighborhoods will move to a pay-by-license-plate system with new paystations. South Beach SoMa Mission Bay Civic Center H...

New top story from Time: John le Carré’s Silverview Is Not the Defining Final Chapter of a Literary Career

https://ift.tt/3BMuXOI When John le Carré died last December, his obituarists struck a common theme: here was a master spy novelist who, despite selling millions of books and having his work adapted for television and film , never received the recognition he deserved as a literary giant. Over six decades, le Carré drew upon his brief career in British intelligence to chronicle the decline of the U.K. as a global power and critique what he saw as an arrogant and corrupt Western neo-imperialism, typically through the perspective of those in the “secret world” of spying. His archetypal heroes were not James Bonds or Jack Reachers but often disillusioned men driven by moral values they are not certain they still believe in. What compels people to serve their country, or betray it, was a consistent theme in his work. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] But just as Graham Greene —another former spy turned novelist—divided his work into “entertainments” and serious fare, so can one...

New top story from Time: The World’s First Malaria Vaccine—and What it Means for the Future of Pandemic Response

https://ift.tt/3uQFdD3 On Oct. 6, the World Health Organization recommended use of the first vaccine to fight malaria . The decision is momentous and highly anticipated for many reasons: among them is that this is the first vaccine to help reduce the risk of deadly severe malaria in young children in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease remains a leading killer. The vaccine offers hope that there can be a circle of learning from one pandemic to the next. Malaria, our oldest pandemic, may offer insights on how we can survive contemporary scourges like COVID-19. Malaria evolved at least 2.5 million years ago and first infected humans in rural parts of Africa. It then spread to all continents save Antarctica—notably, killing off armies ranging from those trying to conquer ancient Rome to those battling to control the Pacific in World War II. Malaria, according to historians, may have killed more people than any other pandemic. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Malaria changed ...

BRT Service on Van Ness to Begin Tomorrow

BRT Service on Van Ness to Begin Tomorrow By Jiaying Yu Tomorrow, April 1, we will cut the ribbon on San Francisco’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor on Van Ness Avenue. The public is invited to join and celebrate this historic moment in front of the War Memorial. The ribbon-cutting will include speeches from local and state leaders, performances from local musicians and giveaways. After the ribbon is cut, there will be an inaugural ride on the new Van Ness BRT corridor to North Point where the celebration continues with live music. BRT service on Van Ness is part of Muni’s Rapid Network, which prioritizes frequency and reliability for customers. Muni and Golden Gate Transit customers are expected to experience 32% shorter travel times. With dedicated transit lanes in the middle of the road, enhanced traffic signals with Transit Signal Priority and new platforms and shelters, the Van Ness BRT corridor will be the fastest way to travel north-south in this part of...

Innovation to Icon: 150 Years of Cable Cars Exhibit Opens

Innovation to Icon: 150 Years of Cable Cars Exhibit Opens By Jeremy Menzies We are happy to announce the opening of a special history exhibit at the San Francisco Public Library, as part of the ongoing celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the cable cars . The “Innovation to Icon: 150 Years of Cable Cars” exhibit runs from July 1 to September 30 on the 6th floor of the public library’s main branch library at 100 Larkin Street. 150 years strong, San Francisco’s cable car system is a symbol of the city. "Innovation to Icon: 150 Years of Cable Cars" takes a visual journey through time that brings the incredible history of San Francisco’s beloved cable cars to life. Combining photographs, original documents, and unique memorabilia from the San Francisco History Center and the SFMTA Photo Archive, this exhibit showcases the spirit, ingenuity and timeless allure of a city icon.  Cable cars once dominated the transit scene in San Francisco. This 1890s shot was taken at M...

FOX NEWS: Top baby names list for 2021 reveals familiar trends For the second year in a row, these two names are the most popular for girls and boys – leading BabyCenter's Top 100 Baby Names list.

Top baby names list for 2021 reveals familiar trends For the second year in a row, these two names are the most popular for girls and boys – leading BabyCenter's Top 100 Baby Names list. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/pTk7rtZRQ

FOX NEWS: College student sheds 100 pounds after years of dedication: 'The greatest accomplishment' Lori Odegaard, 24, from Fargo, North Dakota, tells Fox News about her incredible weight loss journey.

College student sheds 100 pounds after years of dedication: 'The greatest accomplishment' Lori Odegaard, 24, from Fargo, North Dakota, tells Fox News about her incredible weight loss journey. via FOX NEWS https://ift.tt/6S8knsb

Exciting Changes Coming to San Francisco Taxis!

Exciting Changes Coming to San Francisco Taxis! By Exciting Changes Coming to San Francisco Taxis! A new way to hail a taxi is coming soon, San Francisco! Yesterday, our MTA Board of Directors approved an amendment to the pilot program to test upfront fares, which was approved back in September 2021. This amendment will now allow Taxi E-Hail app providers to dispatch trips that originate with third-party entities, which may offer upfront fares that are not based on taximeter rates. In other words, you’ll soon be able to pick up your smartphone and check the cost to your destination and book a ride via taxi with a few swipes. Allowing taxi customers to select a flat rate advance fare is intended to improve customer service, enable customers to price shop among similar services and minimize meter anxiety that occurs when customers feel that the Taximeter rate is increasing beyond their expectation. The price flexibility is intended to increase the number of taxi trips a...

A New Connection with Art in Chinatown

A New Connection with Art in Chinatown By Enrique Aguilar Artwork at the Chinatown-Rose Pak Central Subway Station brings communities to the forefront by honoring the history and contemporary identity of Chinatown. These art pieces deliver vivid colors and designs to every level of the station. Muni customers can expect a unique experience at this new station. The three artists with work at Chinatown-Rose Pak Station received the Visionary Artist Award earlier this year and were honored at the Harmony and Bliss Gala — an event that supports the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco and its mission to elevate underserved communities and give voice to equality. Yumei Hou transformed two of her traditional Chinese paper cuts into large laser-cut metal panels painted a vibrant red and installed to stand slightly off the wall to allow for shadow casting. Spanning the station’s mezzanine and ticketing hall walls, Hou’s monumental artworks portray s...

SFMTA Expands Connection Between the Public and Staff Through New Podcast

SFMTA Expands Connection Between the Public and Staff Through New Podcast By We have taken to the airwaves, or the “digital waves” anyway, with the new SFMTA podcast, Taken with Transportation . Taken with Transportation showcases the people and policies that make accessible, equitable transportation possible in San Francisco, and two episodes already have dropped. The first brings listeners along for the ride aboard one of Muni’s hardest working bus lines: the 22 Fillmore. The second profiles several members of our transit car cleaning staff and takes a detailed look at the hard work they do to keep our buses, light rail vehicles and cable cars clean and safe. Every episode will feature SFMTA staff members and offer listeners a deeper understanding of the agency. These stories will cover everything from the city’s streets to the SFMTA’s inner workings and offer insight and perspectives that aren’t available anywhere else. We’re passionate about the work we do an...

My precise view

Search This Blog