I was reading a consultant group report on taxi usage in New York. Is it any wonder firms earn such big bucks with insights like this:

Ridership increased by 35% from the mid-1970s to 1995, spurred by rising demand

And from the report's section on the history of New York City cabs, picture what hailing a taxi might have been like before this regulation went into effect:

Until 1954, New York City required that taxicabs seat five passengers behind the driver and have a trunk-mounted luggage rack. Also required was a grill in the trunk to prevent carriage of dead bodies.

Also, taxi is the term for the metering device, not the vehicle. Here endeth the lesson.