What’s new in Cabulous 2.0?


 

On August 3, 2011, Cabulous 2.0 launched in several cities in the US, Canada and overseas.

Cabulous 2.0 introduced some significant changes.  Here are the most important ones:

1) Drivers must be part of a registered fleet and use the dedicated Cabulous device provided by the fleet.  (After 2 years of learning, it was clear to everyone that using a driver’s personal smartphone wasn’t good for passengers, dispatchers or drivers.)  If you are a driver that wants to be on the Cabulous map, contact sales@cabulous.com to find out how your fleet or group of registered drivers can become part of the Cabulous network.

2) We have replaced telephone-based calling between driver and passenger with an internet-based walkie-talkie push-to-talk style system which complies with the goal of many cities to keep people off cell phones when driving.  The new system gets through even when a passenger’s phone number is wrong or not available, and it doesn’t require getting dialtone and waiting for the call to connect.  Driver pushes a button, starts talking, and the passenger hears it right through their smartphone app.  If the passenger called into dispatch or used the web to order the car, our system calls out to the passenger, plays the message the driver recorded, and allows the passenger to press 1 to reply with a voice recording of their own.  It’s not exactly telephony, but it is interactive and gets the job done:  Driver – “Hey, I’m just pulling up outside on the south side of the road across from your building.”  Passenger – “Ok…I’m the guy in the blue shirt.”

3) iPhone, Web and Android passenger apps are either out or imminent (Android is slated for August 2011 release).  The iPhone app used to allow both drivers and passengers to log in, but now iPhone is strictly for passengers.  Drivers use a dedicated Android-based Cabulous device provided by the fleet.

4) Cabulous is now the only platform in the world that provides voice, passenger-visibility, and digital dispatch for fleets in a single, integrated, web-based and mobile app package.

Temporary Changes:

1) We are revamping our “Favorites” driver rating system, so for a few weeks, this feature is not available.  Hang tight…you’ll love what we are coming out with soon.

2) To improve stability and respect the wishes of fleets (and also to make the process simpler for passengers who just want a car fast) we have temporarily eliminated the ability to select a specific car and send a hail to that car alone.  Now, just hit the “Pick Me Up” button and the system will cycle through the drivers until it gets one to pick you up.  But you still can select the car, see which fleet it is from, which car number it is, and even dial the phone number to get through to dispatch.

3) We have temporarily removed the order history screen from both passenger and driver apps.  We will bring it back asap.



What Does Cabulous Cost?


 

Cabulous is free to passengers. Cabulous is free to drivers. Cabulous supplies in-car dispatch technology and web-based dispatch systems to fleets and registered groups of drivers for a fraction of what these systems used to cost. Once a fleet is on dispatch, it is also on the global map. Contact sales@cabulous.com for more on getting your team on the map.



Is there a different app for drivers and passengers?


 

Yes.

Passengers use iPhone and web (and very soon Android and other smartphones) to see, hail and talk to taxi drivers.

Drivers are supplied with a dedicated Cabulous device through their fleet or registered group of licensed drivers.



Is my privacy safe with Cabulous?


 

As a Cabulous passenger you are never visible to anyone except the one driver you choose to come pick you up. And when the cab has picked you up, the session is over, and you are back to being totally invisible to everyone.

Our voice communication technology does not rely on telephones, so your personal phone number is safe…you and the driver talk to each other over voice-over-IP through our system while the driver is en-route, without revealing phone numbers.

Professional Drivers, of course, can be seen by all Cabulous users, but that’s a good thing for them…they want you to see where they are so you can hail them.



How Do I Hail A Cab?


 

Once you sign up or log in, you have two options: if you just want the nearest cab, press the “Hail Nearest Cab” button and we’ll automatically try to hail the cab closest to you. Otherwise, you can press on any taxi you see driving around the map, click the blue arrow button, and then click “Hail Cab” and wait for the driver to accept the hail. (They have two minutes.)

If your driver doesn’t accept, try again! Even if you select “Hail Nearest Cab,” you won’t be sent to the same driver twice.


Have a question that we didn't answer here? Shoot us an email at support@cabulous.com