Everyone knows how to detect a bright yellow cab driving through the city streets, but something that many people do not know is why these taxi cabs are yellow. Have no fear, we are here to share the answer with you!
The first taxis ever made in the year 1907 were actually not yellow– they were painted red and green! That all changed in 1917 when John Hertz, founder of Hertz Rent-a-Car system, came into the picture. Hertz had the idea of hiring the University of Chicago to conduct a scientific study to determine which color “stands out” to the human eye from a distance, and yellow was the winner! There emerged the first ever yellow taxi, and the idea appears to have stuck from then on!
Now the law says that all medallion cabs must be yellow, and any other vehicles for hire can be any color besides yellow.
In some cities, like London for example, cabs have always been historically black, and that has not changed since the 17th century when they used a horse and carriage. The iconic history of these cabs makes them stand out without having to be bright yellow!
So now the next time you see a taxi, you will know where its color came from!
Felicia is an intern at Unleashed, LLC. She is from upstate NY, and is currently pursuing a Marketing degree at Bentley University. One day she hopes to travel the world and visit every continent.
