Why online payment is table-stakes in 2026
78% of taxi bookings under 30 miles are now paid online at booking, not in-cab. Cash and card-machine payments have three problems: chargeback risk, no-show risk (customer books and vanishes), and settlement delay (7-14 days for card-machine takings). Pre-authorising the fare at booking eliminates all three and lets you offer a 5-10% online-payment discount that lifts conversion.