Mar 30, 2009 - Michael Carney, an Accenture consultant, has to travel a lot for work and hates carrying around a lot of cash. So he's always annoyed when he can't pay for a cab with a credit card.<br /><br />"The biggest inconvenience is cabdrivers who refuse to accept credit cards even if they have a credit card reader," said Carney, 25, of Ravenswood.<br /><br />He found a solution with "Taxi Magic," an application from RideCharge Inc. that allows travelers to book and pay for a cab using mobile smartphones, like BlackBerry and Apple iPhone. The software allows customers to set up accounts with their credit card information.<br /><br />Since its February launch here, 7,000 passengers have used RideCharge in Chicago, according to Michael Fearon, spokesman for the Alexandria, Va.-based company. Both Flash Cab and 303 Taxi have signed up with RideCharge. The application can also be used in about 30 other major U.S. cities.<br /><br />Once a ride is confirmed, the phone will send alerts, the cabdriver's name, the cab number, about how much it should cost, and how long it should take to get there. The fare and the tip are paid for through RideCharge, with receipts sent by e-mail.<br /><br />Carney said most drivers are familiar with the service: So far, he has had to provide only one driver with a lesson on how it worked.<br /><br />There's a $1.50 service charge, so the service may work best for long trips, like rides to and from the airport, not $6 hops across the Loop.<br /><br />BlackBerry users can get Taxi Magic through an e-mail from their device to get@ridecharge.com. IPhone users can download the application through iTunes, and anyone can book a cab online at RideCharge.com.<br /><br />View the original article here: <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/1501840,CST-NWS-ride30.article#none">http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/1501840,CST-NWS-ride30.article#none</a>