An article in this week’s Crain’s New York Business, called “Taxi apps may fuel better rides,” (registration required)  discusses the limitations inherent in creating an NYC taxi app for iPhone or Android that is approved by the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Because the TLC has so many regulations around what taxis can and cannot do, lots of app developers, especially those who have designed taxi apps for other cities, are feeling hamstrung.

For example:

• Yellow taxis can’t have rides reserved in advance.
• “Apps that help riders arrange pickups may flout the rule giving livery cabs that exclusive right.”
• The TLC is going to select only 1 winning app in November for paying taxi fares.

It’s too bad that the mazelike taxi rules mean we can’t get better apps in place, ones that benefit both riders and drivers.

I’d like to see more apps like CabSense, which shows riders the best places to hail taxis, based on “the pick-up locations of 220 million taxi trips” (as the app says), as well as time of day and day of the week.

What are your favorite NYC taxi apps for iPhone?