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Taxi riders in Chicago now can use their BlackBerry devices or Apple Inc. iPhones to pay for taxi service using Taxi Magic, a downloadable application from RideCharge Inc. Toby Russell, co-founder of Alexandria, Va.-based RideCharge, says the free Taxi Magic software enables consumers to set up accounts containing their credit card information. They can use the accounts to pay for rides in taxis owned by 303 Taxi and Flash Cab in Chicago. RideCharge servers store the card information, Russell says. Consumers can use Taxi Magic to request taxi service and track the status of cabs while enroute to them. RideCharge's network is connected to the taxi company's dispatch system. At the end of the trip the fare appears on the phone screen. The consumer authorizes the transaction and has the option to include a tip. Each transaction also includes a $1.50 fee for the service. Consumers receive receipts by e-mail. Confirmation of the payment is displayed on the taxi's dispatch device. RideCharge processes transactions through its merchant account. Taxi drivers never need to handle a credit card for a Taxi Magic transaction, Russell says. Taxi Magic had been available for corporate travelers to use to pay for car service before the consumer launch last month in San Francisco.
