TIME Magazine has put together an intriguing photo compilation of New York City taxi cabs throughout the years: from 1897 to the present day. The taxi industry began in New York City in 1897 with the Electric Carriage and Wagon Company. These twelve original electric cabs dominated the streets compared to the horse-drawn buggy traffic on the roads.
From then on, various models of taxis were introduced into the city with features ranging from sunroofs to the classic checkered cab design. The year 1967 marks an important time in the taxi industry, when the law that all taxi cabs must be yellow was passed in an effort to make legal cabs more recognizable and safer for passengers.
Currently, New York City is in the middle of a huge switch-over to the new Nissan ‘taxis of tomorrow.’ These new taxis mark a makeover for the entire city with a completely revamped model, new color and enhanced features for passengers. Cab drivers will be required to have this model by 2013.
View the entire TIME photo gallery here.
