Taxi Service Near Me

A taxicab, which is also known as a taxi or cab, is a vehicle for hire service. It can be used by a single passenger or a small group or passengers. A taxi service is a great way to get between locations of your choice. Whether you’re looking for a ride home or for airport drop off or pick up, calling a taxi service is often your best bet when it comes to getting from A to B.

Are you interested in finding a taxi service near you? You’re in luck! Simply browse taxi service near me on the map below and find a list of taxi services located in your area? Need a bit more information on taxi services? Read on for facts, trivia, and history on taxis!

Taxi Service Near Me – Find it on the Map

Taxi Service Near Me – Taxi Service Trivia

What were the first taxi services?

When you think of a taxi service, what comes to mind? A bright yellow cab? A green cab? Perhaps, even a black Uber car. While all of things things are modern day iterations of the taxi, the earliest taxi’s were horse drawn Hackney carriages. These hackney carriage services first began operating in Paris and London in the early 17th century. The first publicly documented hackney coach service for hire was in London in 1605. By 1625, carriages were made available for hire from innkeepers in London and the first taxi rank appeared on the Strand outside of the now historic Maypole Inn back in 1636. These early carriages took important upper class residents to restaurants, shows, art openings, and a variety of other elite events. In order to regulate and keep standards high, the Hackney Carriage Act was passed by Parliament to legalize horse drawn carriages for hire. Coaches were officially hired out by innkeepers to merchants and visitors. A similar service was started in Paris, Brance by Nicolas Sauvage in Paris in 1637. His vehicles were dubbed fiacres, which is the term that is still used to describe horse drawn vehicles for hire in Paris. Consider this as you search taxi service near me.

A fleet of taxi cabs in New York City.

When were modern taxi-cabs introduced?

If you’re searching taxi service near me, then you’re not very likely concerned with hackney carriages and horses. What you are interested in is the electric battery powered taxis that first became available near the end of the 19th century. These taxis laid the foundation for the cars we known and love today. Walter C. Bersey designed a fleet of such cabs and introduced them in London in 1897. They were nicknamed “hummingbirds” due to the loud humming noise nearly all of these taxis essentially made. That same year in New York City, Samuel’s Electric Carriage and Wagon Company officially introduced 12 electric hansom cabs. The company made a successful run up until 1898, with more than 62 cabs operating at a time. The modern taximeter was first invented (and perfected) by a trio of German inventors. The Daimler Victoria was the world’s first gasoline powered taximeter cab, which was built by Gottlieb Daimler in 1897. Gasoline powered taxi cabs first began operating in Paris in 1899, London in 1903, and New York in 1907. New York taxicabs were imported from France by Harry Allen who then painted his cabs yellow to allow for maximum visibility.

Taxi Service Near Me – Taxi Service Facts

How the Taxi Got Its Name

Anyone searching taxi service near me, has likely wondered how the taxi earned its name. According to historians, the name taxi comes from the “taximeter.” This was the instrument that was initially invented to measure the distance traveled, or the time taken in order to determine an accurate fair. The taximeter was invented in 1891 by German inventor Wilhelm Bruhn. In London, many still refer to a taxi as a Hackney carriage. A Hackney carriage was a carriage drawn by an ambling horse or mare. The name is now synonymous with a taxi, in particular, London’s famous black taxi cabs. London’s very last horse drawn carriage received its license in 1946. Some licensing authorities in towns such as York, still license horse drawn taxis to this day. In 1986, there were more than 19,000 taxi drivers and 14,000 cabs in London. By 1996, this number increased to 22,000 licensed drivers and 17,000 licensed cabs.

The Greatest Threat to Taxi Services

For decades there were few options in terms of car service if you were looking to travel short distances or hitch a ride to or from the airport. In the past, you could choose between a taxi cab or a hired driver which could be procured through a limousine service. For those strictly seeking airport transportation, airline shuttles were (and still are) also an option. But now cabs and professional limo drivers are facing strict competition from services such as Uber and Lyft. Uber and Lyft offer services similar to a traditional cab. The major differences being method of pickup, payment, cars offered, and ride share options. Since Lyft and Uber operate through an online app platform, passengers have control over who picks them up, what kind of vehicle they’ll be riding in, and if they would like to share a ride with others in order to save a few dollars. Since the advent of these services, traditional taxi services have been feeling a bit pinched in major metropolitan areas. Many millennials are more comfortable hailing a virtual car rather than standing on the corner for a yellow cab or hiring a driving service. As you search taxi service near me, consider which method of transportation makes you feel the most comfortable.