The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, Cynergy Data, Lipman USA and U.S. Wireless Data (USWD) have launched a program to install wireless credit card terminals in New York City livery cabs.

In addition to successfully testing the technology, the program also aims to demonstrate that credit cards provide payment flexibility for passengers and improve safety for drivers.

The wireless credit card terminals are similar to those used in stores in that they allow drivers to accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and other forms of payment cards. They differ from their in-store counterparts because they communicate over a wireless data network, making them ideal for mobile merchants such as livery cab drivers. When a passenger presents a credit card to a driver, the transaction is communicated from the terminal to the cardholder's bank and back via Synapse technology from U.S. Wireless Data. Synapse wireless transactions are completed in a few as five seconds... essentially as fast as cash. The wireless terminals are manufactured by Lipman USA, a publicly held subsidiary of Lipman Electronic Engineering, LTD., and a leading manufacturer of point of sale terminals. Transaction processing is provided by Cynergy Data.