A taxicab is a type of vehicle for hire, with a driver, for a single passenger or a group of passengers, usually for a non-shared ride. The purpose of taxicabs is to transport the passenger from one place to another of his choice. Taxicabs are a very popular mode of public transport and they are seen all over the world. Each country has their own set of rules and regulations about cabs. Taxicabs have a rich history and this article throws light on a few of its milestones.

The history of taxis can be dated back to ancient Rome where a mechanism was employed to turn the cart’s axle and release small balls. When the trip ended, the passenger had to pay money based on the number of balls released. This is the earliest form of taximeters known to man. It was in 1891 that German Wilhelm Bruhn invented the modern taximeter. In 1897, Gottlieb Daimler built the world’s first gasoline - powered and meter - equipped cab. In the beginning, taximeters were totally mechanical and were mounted outside the cabs. In the 80’s of the previous century, electronic meters saw their day and the mechanical ones were thrown out.

In Paris and London, the illustrious history of taxis can be traced back to the 17^th century. It was a horse - drawn hackney carriage that had to be paid for to ride. In 1640, Nicolas Sauvage provided the first-documented taxi service. His depot was opposite to a shrine to St. Fiacre and that is the reason why his vehicles came to be known as the fiacres. In fact, the name is still used in France to refer to cabs. In 1635, Hackney Carriage Act became the first legislation in London which dealt with vehicles which were on hire. It was due to this legislation that Hansom cabs were introduced in place of the older models for increased safety and speed.

In Toronto, "The City" was the first taxi agency that was opened in 1837 by Thornton Blackburn. Battery-powered vehicles were quite popular in London, Paris and New York in the 1890’s. The taximeter that was invented in 1891 ushered in a revolution in the history of taxis.

It was in the year 1903 in London and 1899 in Paris that gasoline - powered taxis started off. In fact New York taxicabs were imported from France. It was in New York that taxis were painted yellow because of the simple reason that yellow was a color that could easily be seen from a distance. An important phase in the history of taxis is the 20^th century. This was the time when taxis flourished all over the world. In 1940, the two -way radio for taxis was first invented. This enabled taxi drivers to communicate better with their agencies and provide their customers better service. The 1980’s saw the next invention that was important in the form of computer-assisted dispatching.  This is in short a history of taxis, a transport which has made all our lives so much easier.