Hello and welcome readers! We are pleased to present you our blog discussing taxi services in the United States.
The taxi blogging field is richer than you can imagine, but we found that most blogs focus on news or specific services, acting more as practical guides for riders. Our blog, by contrast, aims to explore various new and old taxi services across the US and it means to delve deeper into their history and popularity.
This is why we decided to use our first blog post to tell you a little bit about the history of taxis. Enjoy reading!
History of Taxis
Many might not know that, but the first taxis were not even cars, they were horse-drawn carriages. The words “taxi” and “cab” make up the more descriptive word “taxicab”; taxi stands for the taximeter which tracks the mileage of a ride, while cab stands for cabriolet which is a type of horse-drawn carriage.
The first taxicab services trace their history to 17th-century France and England, with the oldest surviving mention of a horse-drawn carriage for hire coming from a source documenting a 1605 ride in London. Soon enough, the English Parliament voted to legalize and regulate cab-for-hire, creating a flourishing industry.
The English innovated the market by introducing the hansom cab in 1834. This new type of carriage required just one horse to operate and provided a faster alternative to regular horse-drawn carriages. If you’re a fan of Victorian fiction, you’ve likely read about or saw on the screen these hansom cabs driving fast around London.
Still, the era of horse-drawn carriages came to an end with the invention of the first car. Walter Bersey, an engineer who developed electric-powered vehicles in 1897, introduced his invention to the market. Bersey’s Hummingbirds soon replaced the hansom cabs. Simultaneously, Samuel introduced electric hansom cabs in New York City.
1897 was a big year for taxis, as German entrepreneurs Wilhelm Friedrich Nedler, Ferdinand Dencker and Friedrich Wilhelm Gustav Bruhn invented the taximeter. The first taxicab to have a taximeter was the Daimler Victoria, made by German engineer Gottlieb Daimler, again in 1897.
It didn’t take long for other countries to take note. Americans travelling to Europe on holiday were enthralled by these fast taxicabs whose taximeters ensured that they wouldn’t be scammed. They brought their experiences back home, and soon enough, American businessmen started importing the new European taxicabs.
From then on, the only improvement came in the shape of new automotive technology, but the old reliable taxicab still offers rides for hire and fair prices thanks to the taximeter.
Thank You
Thank you for reading our first blog post and thank you for supporting us! Go ahead and check our articles to find out many interesting facts about well-known and not so well-known taxi services across the US.