Interactive Taxis

*KROW* · 02-08-2005, 10:59 AM

Taxi trips in some of the major metropolitan areas of the U.S. are about to get much more interactive, thanks to a New York advertising company that plans to roll out hundreds of wireless multimedia systems in cabs across the nation over the next few months.

Interactive Taxi, a subsidiary of Targeted Media Partners, based in New York, plans to install interactive devices in the back seats of more than 600 cabs in Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, according to company Chief Executive Officer Corey Gottlieb.

The units consist of a wirelessly networked multimedia computer controlled by a touch screen.

Interactive cabs have been available in the U.S. for years now, but technical limitations have curbed their popularity, Gottlieb says. "We used to have 40GB hard drives in the trunk, but they were too big and also vulnerable to bumps," he says. "Upgrading and updating was also complicated without a working wireless system."

Today the whole unit is mounted in the partition between the driver and the back seat and offers passengers news, movie trailers, and restaurant listings. The touch screen is connected to a 2GB flash drive running on Windows Embedded XP that receives wireless updates from a central database every five minutes.

Interactive Taxi is rolling out more than 600 interactive media units in cabs this year, Gottlieb says. His company rents the space for the unit in the vehicles and sells ads displayed in multimedia, including video.

More Practical Plans

But advertising is not the only force driving multimedia devices into cabs. By this fall, another 12,000 cabs in New York will have similar interactive devices, thanks to new regulations from the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission. "In November this year, each medallion cab must be equipped with vehicle location technology and an interactive passenger information monitor," says Allan Fromberg, public relations chief of the City of New York Taxi and Limousine Commission.

The devices will help the Commission keep tabs on the location of New York's cabs, which will enhance the security of cab drivers and also make it easier for passengers to recover items left behind. The Commission receives more than 1000 lost-property calls each month, and trying to find out which of the thousands of cabs the customer actually rode in is like looking for a needle in a haystack, Fromberg says.

So, what do the drivers themselves think about all of this high-tech gadgetry?

"It's cool," says Ted Ross, a driver at the Boston Cab Company for the past two years. "It strikes up conversation between the passengers and with me," he says. "If they read about a restaurant that looks interesting, they ask me if I've been there."

"And late nights, the drunks, instead of hassling me, they are tuned to the screen."

=======================

I'm reminded a little of those Johnny Cabs from Total Recall.

What do you all think of this development?

*Spitfire* · 02-08-2005, 06:50 PM

Nintendo said it bast "Touching is good" I think their right!
But really this is pretty cool news, and it does make me think about Johnny Cab. Who I too would have destoryed....Also reminds me of Cowboy Bebop The Movie haha dont even ask

*Kid Icarus* · 02-09-2005, 02:17 PM

I think they're gonna be so covered in barf you won't be able to use them.

*kyabetsu* · 02-16-2005, 09:21 AM

i think the money from the advertisement is gonna really help out a lot of flagging cab companies. With the price of gas so high, and insurance rates rising for cab drivers... the fairs were becoming so steep that no one was USING the cabs.

When i lived up in Boston, i'd hop a cab to the airport or to the veterinarian. The public transport system was excellent, but if you had awkward bags or a CAT... it got nightmarish.

A lot of those drivers were very nice and very talkative. I wish I remembered the name of the one that was telling me all about his cab company... but i do remember that yes, he said that things were becoming rough on all the taxi providers. ...and ultimately the poor guys and gals who drove the taxis themselves. the ads and things SHOULD offset the costs a bit.

good luck to them!

and gwtrunks... i can't speak for chicago or nyc cabs? but i never had a problem with cleanliness in the boston/cambridge cabs in all my 6 years of living there. Drivers don't just ride around with barf in the back.

02-08-2005, 10:59 AM	#1
KROW Meat-n-Potatoes Man Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: State's Anus, NY Posts: 6,472	Interactive Taxis Taxi trips in some of the major metropolitan areas of the U.S. are about to get much more interactive, thanks to a New York advertising company that plans to roll out hundreds of wireless multimedia systems in cabs across the nation over the next few months. Interactive Taxi, a subsidiary of Targeted Media Partners, based in New York, plans to install interactive devices in the back seats of more than 600 cabs in Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, according to company Chief Executive Officer Corey Gottlieb. The units consist of a wirelessly networked multimedia computer controlled by a touch screen. Interactive cabs have been available in the U.S. for years now, but technical limitations have curbed their popularity, Gottlieb says. "We used to have 40GB hard drives in the trunk, but they were too big and also vulnerable to bumps," he says. "Upgrading and updating was also complicated without a working wireless system." Today the whole unit is mounted in the partition between the driver and the back seat and offers passengers news, movie trailers, and restaurant listings. The touch screen is connected to a 2GB flash drive running on Windows Embedded XP that receives wireless updates from a central database every five minutes. Interactive Taxi is rolling out more than 600 interactive media units in cabs this year, Gottlieb says. His company rents the space for the unit in the vehicles and sells ads displayed in multimedia, including video. More Practical Plans But advertising is not the only force driving multimedia devices into cabs. By this fall, another 12,000 cabs in New York will have similar interactive devices, thanks to new regulations from the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission. "In November this year, each medallion cab must be equipped with vehicle location technology and an interactive passenger information monitor," says Allan Fromberg, public relations chief of the City of New York Taxi and Limousine Commission. The devices will help the Commission keep tabs on the location of New York's cabs, which will enhance the security of cab drivers and also make it easier for passengers to recover items left behind. The Commission receives more than 1000 lost-property calls each month, and trying to find out which of the thousands of cabs the customer actually rode in is like looking for a needle in a haystack, Fromberg says. So, what do the drivers themselves think about all of this high-tech gadgetry? "It's cool," says Ted Ross, a driver at the Boston Cab Company for the past two years. "It strikes up conversation between the passengers and with me," he says. "If they read about a restaurant that looks interesting, they ask me if I've been there." "And late nights, the drunks, instead of hassling me, they are tuned to the screen." ======================= I'm reminded a little of those Johnny Cabs from Total Recall. What do you all think of this development? __________________ - Optimus Acid Trip - Cult of a Half-Shell - Raiden's Bitter Tongue - *I don't try to be funny; I fail at it naturally.*

02-08-2005, 06:50 PM	#2
Spitfire Writer • Director Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12,035	Nintendo said it bast "Touching is good" I think their right! But really this is pretty cool news, and it does make me think about Johnny Cab. Who I too would have destoryed....Also reminds me of Cowboy Bebop The Movie haha dont even ask __________________ Check out my online portfolio http://www.christopherpelletier.com/

02-09-2005, 02:17 PM	#3
Kid Icarus Foot Elite Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Angel Land Posts: 4,150	I think they're gonna be so covered in barf you won't be able to use them.

02-16-2005, 09:21 AM	#4
kyabetsu Foot Elite Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: under my hat Posts: 4,393	i think the money from the advertisement is gonna really help out a lot of flagging cab companies. With the price of gas so high, and insurance rates rising for cab drivers... the fairs were becoming so steep that no one was USING the cabs. When i lived up in Boston, i'd hop a cab to the airport or to the veterinarian. The public transport system was excellent, but if you had awkward bags or a CAT... it got nightmarish. A lot of those drivers were very nice and very talkative. I wish I remembered the name of the one that was telling me all about his cab company... but i do remember that yes, he said that things were becoming rough on all the taxi providers. ...and ultimately the poor guys and gals who drove the taxis themselves. the ads and things SHOULD offset the costs a bit. good luck to them! and gwtrunks... i can't speak for chicago or nyc cabs? but i never had a problem with cleanliness in the boston/cambridge cabs in all my 6 years of living there. Drivers don't just ride around with barf in the back.