I didn’t know this, but apparently the New York City yellow taxi cab is celebrating 100 years of service this year.
The NY Daily News has a slideshow of some great photos of taxis (and their occupants) from the past 100 years.
Started in 1907 by businessman Harry Allen after being overcharged for a trip across New York City, the taxi cab company that he started with a modest fleet of 65 red cabs would eventually become a [yellow] staple of New York City daily life. Today, there are over 40,000 taxi drivers occupying over 12,000 taxi cabs in New York City alone.
Although I don’t prefer to ride cabs myself, I always tell people who visit NYC that they must ride in one at least once. There’s just something exciting about being driven around in a crazed way by some stranger as the city whizzes by you.
If you don’t think you’ll ever make it to New York City to ride in a yellow cab, then maybe PBS’ Taxi Dreams video and website will tickle your curiosity a bit. There’s even panoramas from the inside and outside of a taxi. It’ll almost be like you’re riding in one.
