The wide-scale prevalence of taxis from all sorts of cab services in a homogenous color: yellow, is alarming for most people. The sight is so common that one wonders why a cab doesn’t replace the sun in a children’s first color-identifying book as the most natural example of yellow!
Some do not realize the significance that this color plays in the business of cab service. To begin with, this is not only a modern trend in cabs. This color and its relations to cabs or a means of transport runs back a long history which is exciting to discover!
History
Back in the 19th century, when horse-drawn Hansom cabs in the color yellow were known to be seen in the metropolitan centers: Paris and London, it was still a mystery how the culture travelled to the U.S.
Tales have narrated that the culture originated with Chicago’s very own Taxi Cab Company which was owned by John D. Hertz. Prior to founding this venture sometime between 1907 and 1910, Hertz was known to have stakes amounting to 33% in a second-hand car business.
Since that business did not survive and expired in its early stages, Hertz struggled to think of an idea that would actually sell to the public. Realizing that people were not interested or able to purchase used cars, he proposed the idea of starting a cab service that would provide temporary transport to commuters without their own cars.
Market in 1800’s
A trend popular at that time in the market of cabs was the concept of joy rides. This idea centered on families celebrating their family time on Sundays by going to avenue in rented transport. Even though horse-drawn cabs still monopolized the economic arena back then, rare sights of motor vehicles like cabs were beginning to appear. This was a defining moment which set his dominoes in motion and success soon kissed his feet.
Why YELLOW
Owing to the ease of visibility and outstanding brightness, the color yellow was picked by Hertz to become the color cabs would be known by today. Borrowing from a study by University of Chicago, Hertz realized that seeing yellow on the roads would catch the eye, first thing. Even though he may not have pioneered this idea, the credibility of this hypothesis was nonetheless maintained.
The advent of this yellow-practice can be attributed to Albert Rockwell who was running a business with yellow cabs in 1909. For all we know, the real founder of this idea could be hidden under layers of history and never known to mankind.
But the concept surely propelled development. It was found recently that owing to the visibility of color yellow, fewer accidents are reported with cabs in yellow as compared to those in other tints.
Texas Yellow and Checker Taxi is a licensed and fully-insured yellow cab service provider serving many locations within Texas including Dallas, Arlington, Mansfield, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie and other adjacent areas. We have been in the industry for a considerably long period of time and provide safe and quality transportation.
We specialize in offering easy and timely airport taxi service, along with conveyance to corporate and private users for regular use. Making the system of taxi cab services near you, Texas Yellow and Checker Taxi is there to take you anywhere you need!