NYTimes: New York’s cabbies howled when the city began forcing them to take credit cards. Some even went on strike, calling the requirements a kowtow to tourists and a burden on drivers. But two years later, the back-of-the-cab swipe has emerged as an unlikely savior for New York’s taxi industry, even as other cities’ fleets struggle to find fares in a deep recession.

The saving grace appears to be a simple nudge. Before the credit card swipe system the average tip was around 10% but the computer offers three tip sizes 30%, 25%, 20% and the average tip has now risen to 18-22%!

Joshua Gross estimates, that this simple nudge has increased the income of taxi drivers by $144 milion per year. Had the drivers demanded this increase via an increase in rates it probably never would have happened.

Sometimes it can be better to be nudgy than pushy, even in New York.

Hat tip: Cheap Talk.