London’s 22,500 Black Cabs Go Mobile with HailoPay (Nov. 12, 2015)
In a global battle pitting two companies, Hailo and Uber, that connect drivers with riders, U.K-based Hailo announced this week that all of London’s 22,500 black cabs now accept mobile payments using HailoPay, a payment gateway for passengers to pay for black cab rides using their smartphones.
HailoPay, which is a free service, enables passengers with smartphones to pay for their rides with a credit or debit card on file, entering their driver’s badge number and confirming the payment amount. When the ride is complete, the driver receives a notification and the passenger receives a receipt on their device, which also can be sent through email. HailoPay also gives passengers the flexibility to split fares between friends, or pay part in cash and part with mobile. “HailoPay is mobile payment system for [trips] in cabs hailed from the street,” a spokesman tells Pay News, versus setting up a ride ahead of time.
“The taxi industry is far from a cash-only, technophobic trade,” Hailo CEO Andrew Pinnington said. “In the past four years, the Hailo app has facilitated mobile and card payments for almost 9 million journeys in London, and now, through HailoPay, all London black cabs have the ability to accept mobile payments for passengers hailing off the street.”
Hailo and Uber go head to head in several regions. Hailo is available in the U.K., Ireland, Spain, Singapore and Japan. San Francisco-based Uber is available in 65 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas.
Hailo’s announcement comes on the heels of reports that Uber drivers in some cities, including London, are protesting a hike in the commission Uber takes from 20 to 25 percent.
Related stories:
