The History Of Taxi Cabs

At the very tail end of the 19th century, America was witnessing the beginning of the transition from horse drawn carriage to taxi cab

. Of course, it was not nearly as glamorous as it is today. In 1899, cabs were powered by batteries. Most of the batteries weighed somewhere around 800 lbs. While this wasn't the most practical application, it paved the way to a new era. Unfortunately, it also came with some downfalls as well. Henry H. Bliss was the first man ever to be hit and killed by a taxi cab. This took place in New York on September 13th of 1899. Henry was just the first of many to be killed by way of a taxi cab.

Nearly a decade later, the New York taxicab company imported hundreds of cars from France. This was done in an effort to take advantage of their gas-powered automobile technology. This jump started the automobile movement as these cars ended up working far better. The original prices were somewhere in the vicinity of fifty cents a mile. Because of the high price that this was at the time, only the relatively wealthy would enjoy a taxi ride from time to time. General Motors and Ford Motor Company continued the taxi cab movement in the 1920s.

As time moved on, so did the drivers. More and more taxi drivers could be found in the bustling streets of Times Square. At the time, the regulations for wages and treatment of taxi drivers were not set, nor enforced which led to unfair labor prices. As the depression set in, it was a rough time for a taxi driver. They had to fight for their pay as many who utilized their services would try to run from the debt. Eventually, the fleet of taxi drivers ended up going on strike to try and make their situation better than what it had been up until that point.

The result of that strike was well worth the efforts for taxi drivers in that day and even still until this day. It led to the signing of the Haas Act of 1937 which introduced official taxi licenses as well as the medallion system that is still in use on this very day. This certifies that taxis are indeed licensed to pick up and transport passengers. It enabled the reassurance of better wages and safer cab rides. By the 1950s there were over 10,000 taxis swarming the streets of New York. Throughout the years there has been much evolving and implementation of restrictions and guidelines for the industry. Thanks to the pioneers of the automobile industry, anyone who wants to can hail a cab in New York and be taken safely to any place they'd wish to go.

by: Art Gib

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