One of the most reliable and effective taxi hailing apps is apparently shutting down in Canada. Hailo, which has been lauded for consistent service and efficiency as an app that easily bridges the gap between commuters and cab drivers, is apparently pulling out of North America, Toronto and Montreal included.
I personally used Hailo often and have been impressed by the accuracy as well as ease of use of the system. But, last week in New York City, requests I made via the app to hail nearby cabs to get me to the airport were dropped in quick succession. I should have known something was up.
"We have ... decided to end our operations in North America, where the astronomical marketing spend required to compete is making profitability for any one player almost impossible," Hailo's co-CEO Tom Barr said in a statement to the CBC. Justin Raymond, Hailo's Toronto operation lead stated on Twitter that "We r working to keep @HailoToronto alive under a strategic arrangement / licensing deal. We are dedicated to T.O."
Word from the Hailo head office stresses that Hailo is not extending service and will instead focus on Asian markets. Looks like it is a done deal, folks.
Hailo started out in the UK as a way for cabbies to quickly find fares. The app-based model worked so well that it spread in popularity across different countries. Agressive competition from the likes of Uber and Lyft are being cited as the reasons why Hailo has folded in the competitive North American market.
Source: CBC.ca