Hailo Arrives in Chicago--Transportation Hub of America

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hailo, the world's largest and fastest-growing app-based taxi service, is launching today in Chicago - the city with a tradition of being a prime mover of people by planes, trains… and taxis.

“Hailo is like giving cab drivers x-ray vision – as a result, they can see down the road and around corners so that they don’t miss a fare”

Hailo is the evolution of the hail - people are never more than two taps of a smartphone away from a licensed taxi and cabbies get more passengers when they want them.

Conceived by three London taxi drivers and three entrepreneurs, Hailo was launched in 2011 in London and, within a year of operation, has carried over a million passengers and now generates a Hailo fare every 15 seconds.

“The Second City is home to many US technology firsts,” said Jay Bregman, chief executive officer and a founder. “Hailo joins the long list of Chicago innovations, including automatic Stop/Go signs, the Pullman Sleeping Car and the famous Checker Taxi Cab. We are already the largest taxi network in London and Dublin, we quickly became the second-largest taxi network in Toronto within days of launch and now we’re thrilled to bring Hailo to Chicago.”

Hailo will benefit Chicagoans in three ways:

Two Taps to a Taxi. With Hailo, you can hail a taxi from anywhere in Chicago with two taps of a smartphone and watch it arrive in real time.

Convenient and safe. No more wandering the streets looking for a taxi - now it comes to you. Hailo works only with licensed Chicago taxi drivers. It provides every customer with the driver's photo, first name and cab number before they arrive to pick you up.

Effortless, automatic payment. Hailo's seamless payment system means customers simply hop out of the cab at the end of a ride. No need to take time with the credit card machine and no need to have cash on hand. A receipt is emailed immediately.

“I love that Hailo was founded by taxi drivers, for taxi drivers,” said Rashid Temuri, one of Hailo’s driver partners and a Chicago cabbie for over 15 years. “Hailo helps drivers earn more by keeping them occupied more often. That’s a huge benefit. Plus, the street-level demand and traffic data that drivers can share really helps make every mile count.”

“Hailo is like giving cab drivers x-ray vision – as a result, they can see down the road and around corners so that they don’t miss a fare,” said John Thompson, General Manager of Hailo Chicago.

“For passengers, it’s like standing on top of the John Hancock building and seeing every available cab near you. Chicagoans can quickly and easily hail a cab from the comfort of their home, office or restaurant. No need to step outside in the cold, rain or snow until they see that their taxi has arrived.”

Hailo has raised $20 million from an all-star cast of investors including Accel Partners, Wellington Partners, and Atomico. Together, they’ve funded Facebook and Spotify, founded Skype, and brought many companies to life all over the world.

Download Hailo free from the App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android devices. For more information, visit HailoCab.com/Chicago, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.