The Taxi industry has changes a great deal due to technology over the last several years
. Taxi services have used technology to change the way that they accept payment, that they dispatch their drivers, and which they enforce security. It is in the enforcement of security that security cameras have begun to be used in many cabs in many cities. The technology available now makes it possible to place a tiny and unobtrusive camera in a taxi cab while providing much added security to the driver. This is why so many companies have made the decision to put them into their cabs.
If there is a security camera in a taxi that you are taking, it should be labeled clearly somewhere in the cab that there is active monitoring going on. Usually, this will be labeled on the outside of the car so that people know that they are being taped before they enter. Other times it will also be stated on the inside.
Security cameras in cabs are useful for two reasons. First, they are useful in identifying people after a crime has been committed. They are also very useful in helping to deter crime though. When someone sees that there is an active security camera in a taxi that they are in they are usually much less likely to commit a crime.
The fact that a security camera acts as a deterrent is why some cabs even have fake cameras in them. These are much cheaper to install than a real camera, but they can have the same effect in helping to prevent people from ever committing a crime while they are riding in the cab. This is a good halfway measure for a cab driver that might not be able to afford a real security camera.
Some people are worried about an invasion of privacy which might be created due to the placement of security cameras in taxi cabs, but they don't really have to worry. There are privacy laws which protect the usage of security camera footage of all kinds in most areas. This means that unless a crime has been reported, the footage will never be viewed. These cameras are not there in any way to compromise the privacy of those who are just trying to enjoy a cab ride. They are really just a measure that is meant to keep people safe, and they have been shown to be effective in that regard.