Taxis: All Aboard!

What is a taxi cab service?

Taxi cabs. Most people have heard of them. And if they havent seen them in person, theyve seen them on TV, in movies; read about them in books and newspapers. In America, we have New York Citys historically famous yellow-checkered cabs, and that citys current army of yellow cabs. In London there are the black taxi cabs, iconic and classic. These taxis arent just convenient, they are so recognizable that they become cultural symbols of their home cities.

Taxis can come in the form of publicly regulated transport, or as the private fleet of a taxi and limousine company. Single passengers or a small group of people can ride at the same time. Its a vehicle for hire that doesnt come with the cost of a black limousine. And unlike limousine and town car services, many taxis can be hailed on the street in large metropolitan areas (New York, San Francisco, Chicago, London, Paris).

Most taxi servicesespecially the public options like in New York Cityare subject to governmental regulation. This means drivers are licensed and have the cab permits to back them up.

Some taxis are wheelchair-accessible, making them another good option when it comes to quick, easy travel for the handicapped, without the chore of finding parking. These modified taxis are usually vans or minivans. They have special lifts or ramps. The driver exits the car, greets the passenger who is in a wheelchair, and helps him or her onto the lift or up the ramp and into the taxi. Inside, the driver straps the wheelchair in with belts, clips, and wheel locks for safety. These modified, wheelchair-accessible taxis often account for a large number of a fleets vehicles.

How to get a taxi:

Many taxis roam the streets, empty or full, sent to one part of town or another based on whether that neighborhood could use more taxis, or has too many taxis in it already. These taxis you hail from the curb. They pull up curbside if theyre empty, or if the current passenger wants to exit where you stand.

Other taxis are run by call-in services. You dial the taxi companys phone number, say where you are and where you want to go. Then the dispatcher finds the nearest taxi by making some calls on the taxi companys special radio system. The closest taxi pulls up to meet you in five or ten minutes. Not bad.

There are taxi companies that will take reservations ahead of time, too. Like a limousine service!

Most companies accept all major credit cards.

Fares depend on the tariff rate, the areas standard initial fare (simply the cost of hailing and hiring a taxi), the distance youre traveling, and the wait times you encounter (at lights, in traffic, whether the taxi has to wait curbside for you, etc.).

Look for base fares to and from airports to city centers, suburbs, and elsewhere. $45 to or from an airport is a general charge. $20 for 9 miles, $38 for 18 miles, or $2.35 per mile are some other ways a taxi company will charge per distance to or from airports.

Dont be surprised to find taxis idling outside airport terminals, or on the drives in front of hotels. These drivers are expecting someone to need their servicespeople who might not know their way around town; people who, because theyre traveling, dont have a private automobile.

Who should callor haila taxi?

Those who dont have their own vehicles. Those who need to get across town fast for a meeting or to catch a friend for lunch. Those looking to have a good night on the town without the responsibility of a car.

And taxis are great for people who are out to visit an address theyve never been to. Say, the new address of your friend in a distant part of town. You might not know how to get there, and taxi drivers can often have a developed mental map beyond your local knowledge.

Pros and cons:

The bad news first, then the good.

Taxis may be convenient, but fares tend to be higher than the cost of most public transportation, like subways, trolleys, and buses.

Taxis are always on the roadthats how they maximize the amount of customers they take. But this means theyre constantly emitting carbon dioxide that contributes to problems stemming from greenhouse gas emissions.


Its nice that many taxi services are regulated, but this allows high prices to persistor grow. Some economists think it would be much better to have more competition. That is, more taxi cab companies operating in the same districts. That way the healthy competition would keep rates lower. Think about this: there are 1400 fewer taxi permits in New York City today ever since regulation of the industry took hold during the Great Depression.

As promised, the good news, too:

Taxi drivers are supposed to know their way around most parts of their covered areas. So you may be going to a part of town youd never before conceived of visiting, and a taxi driver may know the best way to get there. Saves you a ton of time and trouble.

If you live in a metropolitan area, taxis are an environmentally friendly alternative to owning your own car.

And though the regulation of taxi cab industries may allow for higher prices, it helps ensure that cab drivers possess the permits for their vehicles, and up-to-date licenses to drive them.

The bottom line:

Taxis may not be the most luxurious way to get around, but they are fast and convenient. Whole fleets of them wander the streets looking for passengers. All you have to do is raise your hand to hail one. Other cab companies are call-in services, so you can have a taxi waiting for you at your door when youre ready to go.