As a busy mom saving time and finding services to make life easier and more convenient are extremely important. My smartphone plays a big role in this, becoming a lifeline to everything from taking perfect iPhone photos and now hailing a cab.
My latest app addiction is Hailo Cab, a simple, convenient and cost-effective way to book licensed Chicago taxis. With just two taps, a cab can be ordered and the driver’s route can be seen in real-time. Not just for me, but for babysitters too. I have peace of mind sending our sitters home in a cab right from our door step. Plus I can pay on their behalf directly to my credit card, including the tip.
You’d think in a metropolitan city like Chicago there would be a taxi on every corner. Not always the case, especially in residential neighborhoods and areas outside the Loop. Sure I could call a taxi company directly, however that means being at the mercy of just one company.
With Hailo, you have access to hundreds of drivers from multiple taxi companies. That means your wait time is super fast and under 5 minutes. The ability to charge fares to my credit card automatically eliminates waiting for a receipt to print and sign (sent directly to your inbox) AND no driver can ever tell you he/she doesn’t accept credit cards.
My personal experience has been wonderful and the taxi drivers are extremely friendly. It’s to their advantage to provide excellent service as passengers have the ability to rate performance once your ride has concluded. Always wanting the inside scoop, I have purposefully asked each driver what they think about Hailo and they could not be happier. That says a lot.
Hailo launched about 2 years ago by three London cab drivers who felt they were having trouble finding passengers and driving around too often with empty cars. After a few different iterations and meeting up with developers Hailo was created. They took London by storm and have since spread throughout the world, currently in Chicago, Boston, Toronto, London, Dublin and have recently launched or will be launching very soon in Madrid, Barcelona, New York, DC, and Tokyo.
Making life easier and providing a great service for customers is Hailo’s focus but they also aim to make life safer and easier for drivers. Happy drivers = happy passengers. Pricing is similar to other taxi apps with one major difference, Hailo splits their revenue with drivers. Customers pay a flat service charge for using the network rather than a % of the fare. The fees are: peak hours (6-9am & 3-6pm) $2.75, and off-peak hours $1.50. Hailo shares the Hailo Fee with drivers and the drivers always collect 100% of the tip.
Download Hailo and give it a try the next time you’re headed out for a date night, girl’s night out, the airport or visiting one of their 11 cities.
This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.
