A Guide To L.A.'s 6 Best Alternative Taxi Services & Apps

Taxi Magic

Type: App, Service How It Works: Use the app to order a cab for either now or schedule one for later. Taxi Magic saves your destination much like a GPS, and gives you a fare estimation based on the route. Taxi Magic dispatches your request to existing cab networks (including LA Yellow, Long Beach Yellow, S. Bay Yellow Cab, Fiesta Cab, LA Yellow Cab Co., Long Beach Yellow Cab Cooperative, South Bay Yellow Cab Cooperative, Fiesta Taxi, and United Checker Cab, Pomona Yellow Cab), and sends a text message with the driver's name and how far away the cab is that has been assigned to grab you. Live route-tracking allows you to pull up a map on your phone and watch the cab make its way to pick you up. Driver messaging allows you to be a virtual backseat driver by giving you the ability to send your driver special instructions, all before he or she even picks you up. The Taxi Flag feature turns your phone into a bright yellow beacon flashing the assigned cab number, so there's no chance of your driver wandering around accidentally picking up the wrong fare. Finally, you can manage several credit cards over the app and score an e-receipt for your ride. Price: Regular cab fare. Features:

• Book via app, text message or online.
• Fare estimates allow you to put in your drop-off location and get an idea of the ride cost.
• Message drivers directly with special pick-up instructions.
• Help your taxi find you in a large crowd with their Taxi Flag, a flashing beacon icon you can bring up in the app with your assigned cab number.

[Photo via @la_yellow_cab]