Over the years, I’ve had to hail a taxi in Manhattan at least a thousand times. One always arrived promptly, except when it was snowing, raining, sleeting, temperature over 90 or after midnight.

A new GPS-connected app called ZapKab now promises to have a cab door opening for you within seconds of your clicking to hail it. Authorized and licensed cabbies then currently cruising Manhattan streets use their GPS devices to locate potential customers, and can quickly get to sites.

For both customers and cabbies with touch screens on their cell phones, a video map will pinpoint to both where the call originates. It will also display locations of cabbies in the immediate area who are tuned into the system.

Other ZabKab features allows callers to send detailed information to cabbies they contact, including how many people are waiting for the cab and their intended destinations.

ZabKab is free and so far is available on iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices. Plans are underway to include other phone services.