Hailo Introduces Tandem Taxi Bikes

LONDON and NEW YORK, April 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- This is an April Fools' release and should be taken as such by readers and the media. 

Hailo, the world's leading taxi-hailing app, today introduced its latest innovation to make getting around town easier than ever: Tandem Taxi Bikes.

Launching in its hometown, Londoners can now use Hailo to request a Tandem Taxi Bike, then watch live from their smartphone as a 'bicycle built for two' arrives in minutes. All Hailo bikes are ridden by licensed cab drivers who have secretly undergone extra training in speed and agility.

The bikes have been especially adapted to the rigors of city life, equipped with features including a state-of-the-art GPS system and a turning radius of just six inches to help weave through city traffic.

"As a mobile business, we're constantly looking for ways to help people get where they need to go," said Hailo's Head of Two-Wheel Tech. "If this is successful, then the scheme might be rolled out to skateboards, pogo sticks and toy red wagons."

Identical to Hailo's standard taxi hail process, passengers pay automatically by card when they hop off the bike and receive an instant e-mail receipt for each ride. Riders who choose to pedal along will get 50 percent off their fare due to their contribution.

Hailo is planning to roll out the Tandem Taxi Bikes beyond London, and the company is taking to Twitter to determine which current Hailo city should be next to experience the new service. The city that posts the most tweets featuring the hashtag #HailoTandems will be next on the list to receive the Tandem Taxi Bikes in their market.

About Hailo

Hailo is the evolution of the hail - a free smartphone app which puts people just two taps away from a licensed vehicle, and lets drivers get more passengers when they want them.

A Hailo hail is accepted around the world every two seconds from Hailo's global network of over 50,000 drivers.  Launched in November 2011, Hailo is available in London, New York, across Ireland, Toronto, Chicago, Boston, Madrid, Barcelona, Washington DC, Montreal, Osaka and soon, Atlanta.  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.

Hailo is available as a free download from the iTunes App Store and Google Play.  

CONTACTS:
Dana Hammack
Hailo
[email protected]

Stephanie Glessner
Ketchum Public Relations
[email protected]
+1 404 879 9136

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140401/CL95310-a
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140401/CL95310-b

SOURCE Hailo