May 18, 2013
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
ATLANTA -- Passengers in some Atlanta taxis will soon be able to pay for a ride by swiping their credit cards from the back seat.
The multimedia payment systems are already in use in a number of other cities. Installation began Friday in Checker Cab vehicles and president Rick Hewatt said all of the company's roughly 200 vehicles should be outfitted within the next 60 days.
Hewatt said the machines allow passengers to pay without handing over their card to the driver, increasing security for both, and will also provide entertainment and news content during the ride.
Similar machines caused a controversy in New York in 2007, when cabbies called a walkout to protest new rules requiring their installation. The drivers said the technology was costly and worked erratically.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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