The first taxi dates back to ancient Rome. In the Roman empire there were scores of taxis hauled by humans and animals. The taxi meter came centuries later, when it was developed by Wilhelm Bruhn in 1891. This enabled the driver to keep a track of the transportation fare to be charged. This was around the time the automobile came into existence and this meter was then mounted outside the automobile as against the dashboard where it lies at present.
The First taxi
The first motorized taxi was Daimler Victoria which were invented by Dottlieb Daimler. The earlier set of taxis were not chosen because of their durability, turning radius played a more important part in selection. This was due to the fact that a taxi driver had to drive in narrow and areas he was not familiar with. Thanks to their turn radius, De Soto and the Packard. General motors’ General was also used as a cab.
Taxi Regulations
Due to around the day use, taxis are subjected to much more usage than other private vehicles. Hence, to ensure the safety of both the passengers and the driver, Governments around the world have put in place several rules regarding taxi cabs. Such rules are related to the vehicle used, its mechanical up-keeping and the required qualifications to be eligible as a taxi driver.
The Electric meter
In 1980, the old ticking meter generally mounted on taxi cabs began to be replaced by electric meters. Taxis were later fitted with 2 way radios which enabled the taxi cabs to cater to their passengers more effectively. Today, in most of the countries minivans are used as taxi cabs as they offer a comfortable seating for 6 passengers.
Taxi
