Taxi! Sprint, Verifone Hook Up NYC Yellow Cabs

Ever had to wait 10 minutes for a credit card transaction in a cab to go through? Those days might be over for New York City’s iconic yellow cab fleet thanks to the Sprint-Nextel Corp. and VeriFone Holdings Inc. taxi business, VeriFone Transportation Systems (VTS). About 6,600 NYC taxis will now have a real-time integrated payment and information system, powered by Sprint Mobile Broadband and Sprint Data Link to ensure secure credit card transactions.

“Sprint’s Mobile Broadband helps achieve our goal of quick and convenient credit card payments, with minimal processing time averaging two seconds,” said Bud Waller, executive vice president of Integrated Systems at VeriFone.

The system also features a “Passenger Information Monitor” with a 10.4-inch touch screen that allows passengers to review the fare, add a tip and pay by swiping a credit card through a reader or using “tap and go” contactless payment.

The system also includes programming from several providers, including WABC-TV’s local news, AccuWeather, Reuters Business News, People.com, Disney Broadway, Zagat Survey and PMbuzz.com (for information on NYC night life). It also features a GPS component that helps passengers quickly recover items accidentally left in cabs.

Sprint and VTS plan to deliver a similar solution to taxis in Philadelphia, Chicago and Las Vegas.

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