The Dawn of a New Look and Safer Rides

As public transportation grew in importance into the 1940's and 1950's, the government once again had to deal with issues associated with taxis and needed to find a way to stop drivers who were not legal to pick up and transport passengers. There were now thousands of these vehicles cruising through New York, and in the sixties a clever idea was institued to make New York's cabs unique - they were mandated to all be yellow. This marks the beginning of an indelible image that has remained to this day of the New York yellow cab.

With the large population that New York held, there was also the potential for crime. This was a common problem in cabs, sometimes even turning to violence that made driving one a dangerous affair. To remedy this, many cabs began to feature a bullet-proof divider that was set between the front and back seats, protecting the driver from crime to a greater degree.

To improve the environment and safety for both the driver and passenger, regulations were put into effect that limited the use of cell phones and walkie talkies while driving. A driver caught talking on a cell phone while driving in New York today can be fined around $200.00. The work day, though, for the cabbie was still filled with long shifts and the lack of proper healthcare coverage. The strike in Times Square in 1934 to improve conditions did induce some changes, but there were still improvements that could be made.