Today in Automotive History
The first taxicab took to the streets of New York City on this day, marking the beginning of the love-hate relationship between New Yorkers and their cabbies. Motorized taxicabs had actually begun appearing on the streets of Europe in the late 1890s, and their development closely mirrors that of the automobile. The taxi is named after the taximeter, a device that automatically records the distance traveled or time consumed and used to calculate the fare. The term cab originated from the cabriolet, a one-horse carriage let out for hire.
Posted by Quality Weenie at August 13, 2004 11:26 AM