Judge OKs NYC plan for 'e-hailing' yellow cabs
(AP)—A judge says New York City can test out letting people hail yellow cabs via their smartphones.
A Manhattan judge dismissed a lawsuit over the "e-hail" program Tuesday and lifted an order that temporarily stopped it.
The city Taxi and Limousine Commission agreed in December to test the idea for a year.
Livery cab owners sued. They say the program would violate a law that prohibits cab drivers from refusing passengers without justifiable grounds.
The judge says the e-hail plan might actually combat discrimination in selecting passengers, since drivers won't be able to see their fares when accepting them.
Taxi Commissioner David Yassky calls the decision a victory for riders' choice.
A lawyer for the livery cab owners, Randy Mastro, terms it fundamentally wrong and says they're considering an appeal.
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