New York City is known for it’s iconic yellow cabs that dominate the city streets and every scenic view. Yellow taxis have become synonymous with the city and even define the nonstop hustle and bustle of the big apple. We’ve compiled notable facts, figures, and historical tidbits to celebrate the taxi-driven culture of New York City.
There are over 13,437 medallions, the right to run a yellow taxi, in New York City.
There are over 50,000 taxi drivers in New York City.
A typical driver shift is 9.5 hours.
The average number of rides per shift is 30.
The average number of miles driven in a shift is 180.
The average fare is about $6.
The average trip distance is 2.6 miles.
About 99% of all trips are less than 12 miles.
About 20% of all trips are less than 1 mile.
There are over 485,000 taxi trips made per day.
There are over 175 million taxi trips per year.
A typical taxi travels 70,000 miles per year.
Over 600,000 people ride in taxis everyday.
Over 236 million people ride in taxis every year.
The average age of a taxi vehicle is 3.3 years.
Average daily taxi usage is highest in the spring months.
Average daily taxi usage is lowest during the summer months.
Friday December 11, 2009 is the day with the most taxicabs trips between 2008 and 2013.
Taxi usage always dips significantly on major holidays.
About 90% of taxi pickups in New York City occur in Manhattan.
The average tip given to a taxi driver is 18%.
About 1% of taxi drivers in New York City are female.
Each yellow taxi goes through a rigorous inspection process 3 times per year.
Cabs have 18 different sensors, these are all reviewed during the inspection process.
Medallions can be as expensive as $1,200,000.
Over 2/3 of taxi passengers are 35 or under in age.
A cab gets its name from its predecessor, the horse-driven carriage called the cabriolet.
In 1967 all medallion taxicabs in New York City were painted yellow by order of the city.
In 1925 the first woman became a taxi driver in New York City.
There is presently a $200 penalty for taxicab drivers found using their cell phones while operating their vehicles.
TaxiFareFinder used the following resources to compile these taxicab facts and figures:
