A few of the 13,000 NYC taxicabs have already installed the new touch screen monitors for passengers to check weather, news and sports, along with seeing the cab on a GPS map and being able to pay by credit card among other things. It is a step forward for bringing those lunging yellow beasts into the 21st century. Cabbies don't see it that way however.
From New York Business:
....But some drivers do not like the idea. They have raised concerns about the costs of the hardware, credit-card fees and potential working time lost if the systems need repair. Some worry that the global-positioning system will be used to track drivers' movements, although the taxi commission says it will record only the pickup and drop-off points and fare, which drivers already are required to log.
Drivers' concerns about the taxi technology have caught the ears of some City Council members, including Transportation Committee Chairman John Liu. He convened a committee hearing on the issue in January and said he has asked the taxi commission to address such questions as what drivers will pay for credit-card processing, a topic up for discussion Thursday.
''We would like to see these additions in New York cabs, but the benefit to the riding public has to be clear, and the concerns of the drivers have to be mitigated,'' Mr. Liu said in an interview.
The problems Councilman Liu addressed should be fixed if they are there. Otherwise, drivers need to put a sock in it. The technology is a huge benefit for everyone involved. Paying by credit card in emergency situations (or not) is a terrific thing, whether it is for drunks who spent all their cash at the bars or absent-minded sober people who forgot to go to the bank beforehand. It is especially good for tourists who do not know the city as well and can avoid being taken advantage of by a cab. And of course, if you are stuck in traffic, make sure to catch up on all the news out there.
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