Uber Launching Taxi Service

From Uber’s website – Washington, Help Us Inaugurate UberTAXI:

There’s nothing more American than the freedom to choose—so it’s fitting that Uber is bringing our nation’s capital yet another choice when it comes to getting a reliable ride. Starting today, you’ll be able to use UberTAXI to request a DC cab right alongside our existing sedan and SUV service.

Just like with our black car service, open up your Uber app and you can easily request a DC taxi, pay with your credit card, and do it all with just the tap of a button. In a nutshell, UberTAXI offers the reliability and convenience you expect from Uber at a lower cost, so you can pick exactly what kind of ride you need, whenever you need it.

Thanks to the pro-innovation, pro-consumer legislation passed last month by the DC Council, we know that Uber is here to stay, which is why we are rolling out new transportation options like UberTAXI. But make no mistake: it’s still an experiment, and we will continue to improve on UberTAXI as more people use it.

Continues after the jump.

Ready to try UberTAXI? Please keep these things in mind:

Supply will be limited at first. Many taxis don’t fit Uber standards, so we are curating our supply pretty carefully.

Black car will remain the default. To request a taxi instead of a black car, be sure to select TAXI in the Uber app, then request as usual.

Once you get in the car, your driver will start the regular taxi meter. At the end of the trip, your driver will input the fare into their Uber iPhone, including all tolls and surcharges that would normally apply for a DC taxi ride. This also includes the $2.00 dispatch fee, standard for any dispatched DC taxi.

Like any Uber ride, you don’t need to pay the driver directly. All charges will go to your credit card on file.

A 20% gratuity will be added to your fare. This will be done automatically and charged to your credit card, exactly like a black car Uber ride (and unlike any taxi ride you’ve ever taken here in the District!).

At this time, TAXI will only be available for pick-ups in the District. If you are in Virginia or Maryland, stay tuned for updates about when UberTAXI will be available to you.

Requesting via text message? Head to m.uber.com to request a taxi.

Don’t need a taxi? You can keep using all the same sedan and SUV options exactly as before.