Cab app wars: taxi protectionism.

• Author: Shackford, Scott
• Position: Citings - Smart phone applications for taxi services - Brief article

Want to hail a New York cab on your phone ? You'll have to wait for permission from a court first. Uber, which for several years has offered a smart phone app allowing users to call and pay for private car services, recently implemented a feature allowing users to hail traditional taxis.

After a multi-month consideration period, the New York City's Taxi & Limousine Commission supported the innovation, giving the company, along with competitor Hailo, clearance in December for a one-year "e-hail" pilot program.

Livery companies, who are forbidden from directly competing with taxis for unscheduled pickups, objected to the encroachment of their services by filing a lawsuit. State Supreme Court Justice Carol Huff rejected the suit in April, allowing the city to move forward to accept bids to provide the e-hailing services. Just days later, however, an...