The system that was widely considered annoying Taxi TV will be history in New York after the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) unanimously decided their removal. For most of the passengers, this is considered to have been due for a long time.
The popularity of the Taxi TV has been in decline ever since the novelty of its installation faded. While it was an interesting step forward in technology, since it was implemented in 2008, now it has become the source of annoyance and frustration. In fact, the system has received multiple complaints that has led to the TLC’s decision.
One of the first things a passenger does when entering the yellow taxi is to instantly mute the TV. That is for the purpose of stopping the audio of the annoyingly loud ads, commercials or announcement of re-runs of certain shows. However, the problem became even more pronounced when many of the devices malfunctioned.
Both the ‘mute’ and the ‘off’ button have been reported to be broken. It’s not a farfetched assumption that this might’ve happened due to their overuse of every annoyed customer pushing them upon entering. It has caused frustration for both the passengers and the drivers alike, so the TLC finally pulled the plug on Taxi TV.
Out of all the 13,500 cabs that are licensed by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, 4,000 will remove their system in the beginning. It’s expected that the number will grow with time.
However, this does leave an empty space, so the TLC have announced the implementation of a new system to help calculate fares or show various other important details.
Their aim is to modernize the old system, by introducing new, better, and less costly GPS technologies. According to statements, the new system will be smaller, more efficient and more portable. They will calculate fares using several components, including GPS and devices to track the number of times the wheels have turned, plus waiting time.
The customers will be enabled to easily see how much they’re being charged on a simple tablet. This could provide as an excellent solution and has already been appraised by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, who represent both medallion cabs and Uber drivers.
The new system will roll out gradually. It will begin with 10 vehicles before reaching 90, and then ultimately to be incorporated in 250 taxis. The new technology will be tested against traditional meters in order to assess any discrepancies between fares, in order to provide the best possible solution for passengers in New York.
Image source: wired.com
