The American Taxi: A Century Of Service

Book Description The American Taxi has been providing a vital public service for 100 years! Enjoy the Taxi experience through photographs and the history of famous taxi marques, such as Yellow, General, Checker, DeSoto, Packard, Plymouth, Ford, & Studebaker ? many minor makes are also represented with forgotten names like Rockwell, Murphy, Oakland, Huppmobile and Stearns Knight. Oddball experiments, unusual taxis, lights, meters, and taxi memorabilia are highlighted. A walk through time illustrates the effect of regulations on taxis and how that led to technical advances and body changes. About the Author For Ben, what began as a fondness for Checker Motors products evolved into an appreciation for many types of commercial vehicles including, but not limited to, airport limousines, buses, handicap transports and, of course, taxis of any kind. Ben is a plank member of the Checker Club of America and currently sits on the Board of Directors. Since 1984, he has bought and sold over 150 Checker taxis and recycled about that same number for parts. Ben took literally hundreds of taxi pictures at airports and urban centers just as the Checkers were disappearing in the mid Eighties. Chris's interest in American Taxicabs started in 1985 after watching the film Taxidriver on TV. He bought his first Checker Cab in 1988 and since then, owned and restored several of them. Collecting U.S. Taxis and living in Europe isn't easy but Chris managed to become a well known taxi collector and a connoisseur in that field.