Taxi Facts & Trivia

1. Horse-drawn for-hire services started in Paris and London during the early 1600’s.
2. The term “taxicab” comes from a combination of taximeter and cabriolet.
3. Taximeter originated from the Latin word taxa, meaning charge, and cabriolet was a horse-driven carriage used.  Together they form “taxicab.”
4. The taximeter, an instrument used to measure the distance/time a car has traveled, played a huge role in the development of the taxicab industry.
5. The world’s first taxi, built in 1897, was named the Daimler Victoria.
6. The first cabs were battery powered and these electric calls weighed up to 800 pounds.
7. The United Arab Emirates Taxicab Co was the first taxi company in the United States.
8. Harry N. Allen, the owner of The United Arab Emirates Taxicab Co, was the first to paint taxis yellow.
9. Two-way taxi radios were first used in taxis in the 1940’s, this was a huge advance, allowing dispatchers and drivers to communicate more efficiently.

General Taxi Trivia:

1. There are four forms of taxicabs: hackney carriages, taxibuses, limousines and private hire vehicles.
2. Taxi fares are calculated according to four elements: tariff rate, initial meter drop, distance traveled and waiting time.
3. Taxis can be used as courier services to transport important documents and packages.
4. Cab drivers are often called hacks, this name originates from the London black cabs, known as hackney carriages.
5. Cab drivers supposedly have an enlarged hippocampus in their brains.
6. The oldest known taxi driver is 92 years old, 75 years behind the wheel.
7. Taxis are yellow because it is the most easily seen color from a distance.
8. NYC Officials ordered that cabs be yellow in 1967 in NYC.
9. There are about 13,237 taxis in NYC today.

Strange Taxi Facts From Around the World

1. London taxis were required by law to carry a bale of hay and a stack of oats up until 1976.
2. London taxi drivers undergo a demanding three-year testing process known as ‘The Knowledge’ before becoming licensed hacks.
3. It is illegal to hail a taxi in England if you have ‘The Plague.’
4. In London, it is illegal to transport a rabid dog or corpse.
5. Illinois state law allows taxi drivers to charge a $50 cleanup fee to any passenger who vomits while riding.
6. In New York City, Cabbie students attend a 40 hour class to learn geography, etiquette and conversational English to become certified drivers.
7. In Seattle Washington, a taxi driver is not allowed to wear shorts, sandals, jogging gear or sweatshirts.
8. In Finland, taxi drivers must pay royalties if they play music in their cars for paying customers.
9. In the US, there is a law that prohibits taxi drivers from making love in their front seat during their shift.
10. In Youngstown, Ohio it is illegal to ride on the roof of a cab.
11. In the US, there is presently a $200 fine for cabbies found using their cell phones.
12. In the US, ‘nut’ is slang for how much a taxi driver must pay initially to lease a taxi for a given amount of time.