Hailo aims to simplify hailing a cab

A British mobile app company is looking to change Toronto’s cab marketplace in a big way.

Courtesy Hailo

“It’s a totally new experience – it’s a new way to hail a taxi,” said Raymond. “It’s a lot more convenient for the passenger . . . they don’t have to do anything but open up their app and, in two taps, they have virtually hailed a taxi cab.”

Toronto becomes the first Canadian Hailo dispatch, joining London, Dublin, New York, Chicago and Boston.

“Toronto is a world-class city. It’s a taxi cab market that has some significant opportunities for improvement,” said Raymond, adding that Hailo was excited about the operation in Ontario’s capital.

Humber student Constance Lamothe, an 18-year-old first year Protection, Security and Investigation student, said that she occasionally takes cabs in downtown Toronto, and Hailo’s service interests her.

“Sometimes hailing a cab can be kind of tedious,” said Lamothe.

Stephanie Fusco, who used Hailo for the first time just two weeks ago, said her trip was excellent.

“It was really easy for me to pay at the end of the journey, and I had an automatic tip, so I didn’t have to worry about figuring out the tip or having any cash on me,” said Fusco.

Though some may feel using cashless transactions and having their credit card information saved to a mobile app is unsafe, Fusco said she felt entirely secure.

“Once you get over the initial hurdle, you’re in a great situation where it becomes easy and convenient to use cashless payments,” said Fusco.