The ride-sharing movement is bustling in some cities, yet still emerging in others, which is why good old yellow cabs are still the most trusted way to find a ride home at the end of a night out. Sure, Lyft's pink mustaches are a welcome sight, and taking a fancy Uber black car has its perks, but having a regular taxi app on hand is a smart move—especially since hailing a cab on New Year's Eve can be nearly impossible without planning ahead. Here are five reputable taxi apps for worry-free transportation.
Taxi Magic
Although you can find tons of apps specific to different cities, Taxi Magic (free for iOS and Android) is the most widespread—it's compatible with more than 60 major U.S. cities and their surrounding areas. Taxi Magic maintains partnerships with several major taxi fleets, and the app will locate available taxis nearby via your phone's location services.
Taxi Magic shows your cab driver's route
Tab on a cab in the app's map to see which fleet it belongs to and what the driver's name is, and tap "Come get me!" to order cab service. From there, the taxi-dispatch center is notified, and a driver is sent to pick you up. You can track the arrival of your taxi, send a message to your driver with further instructions, and even save a credit card to your account to pay for your ride all through Taxi Magic. Taxi Magic charges standard cab rates, plus a convenience fee of between $1.50 and $2.
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