Hailo is an amazingly handy app for getting around town by cab. We always say that for less physically able bodied people, particularly wheelchair users, travelling by black cab is the easiest way of getting around and with Hailo it’s easier than ever. You can hail a cab virtually and book one to arrive in around 5-10 minutes.
To hail a cab all you have to do is open the Hailo app which shows you a map of your current location and how long it will take for the cab to arrive. Simply tap the ‘Pick Me Up From Here’ icon, choose a payment method and the cab will arrive in minutes. You can track the cab’s progress towards you and you’re notified when the cab arrives at which point there are five minutes before they start the meter. It really is that simple!
If you’ve been out and about in London recently, you may well have seen their distinctive yellow vehicles and wondered what they’re all about. We got in touch with Russell Hall, one of Hailo’s co-founders, to ask him all about this wonderful app and how it works:
What is the Hailo taxi app?
What inspired you to create the app?
The basic inefficiency of the taxi industry. Passengers often missed out on that empty cab a couple of streets away and so did the drivers. Hailo gave both parties the ability to link together. I, along with co-founders Terry Runham and Gary Jackson, had a previous entrepreneurial idea called Taxilight. We had about 1,000 drivers [involved with that] and contacted them to explain our exciting new venture. They believed in our vision and saw Hailo as the new beginning. We launched in London on 1st November 2011 but started building a team about a year before that, and since then Hailo has carried over ten million passengers and grown to annualized sales of well over $100M.
Founded by three taxi drivers and three internet entrepreneurs, Hailo has raised over $80M from the best investors anywhere, including Union Square Ventures, Accel Partners, Wellington Partners, Atomico Ventures and Sir Richard Branson.
How long does it take for a taxi to arrive once you’ve hailed it?
In the centre of London it can be really quick. Less than 4 minutes. Fiona (founder of Blue Badge Style) found this out for herself the other day.
Is the service only for black cabs or can you hail a people carrier sized vehicle?
You can choose between a large black Mercedes Vito or a traditional style black cab.
Is it possible to book a cab in advance?
We don’t offer pre-booking at the moment. With Hailo though you don’t need to pre-book. We have over 14,000 drivers registered in London so you are never more than two taps and a few minutes from a taxi.
How can Hailo help less able people?
Simple. All black cabs in London are wheelchair friendly making the London Taxi the perfect solution for getting around more easily. Just hail one through the app and the cabbie will help any less abled person on arrival. It’s our job to make getting across town comfortable for all our passengers. Hailo wants to take the pain out of the inability to get around town
At Hailo we also work with charities. We help the War Disabled fund and last year raised £12,000 for the Rainbow Trust to assist sick and disadvantaged children. Taxi drivers have big hearts and are charitable people.
Where does the Hailo app work?
What are the plans for the future of Hailo?
We have product innovation and more cities to come. We’re continuing to spread our model far and wide and promoting the interests of disabled travellers everywhere.
Hailo is an ingenious new tool which has changed the way that cabs work. We can attest that is is as efficient as Russell says and really is as easy to use as it sounds. We highly recommend it!
Hailo is available as a free download from the iTunes App Store and Google Play. Simply search “Hailo”.