The reason iconic New York City taxis are yellow actually has a story behind it
- The reason behind New York City taxis being yellow is interesting
- John Hertz, who started one of the first taxis, painted them yellow
- Plus, Yellow was the most visible color from a distance
Published on Aug 18, 2024 at 3:29 PM (UTC+4)
by Daksh Chaudhary
Last updated on Aug 19, 2024 at 3:19 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Siddharth Dudeja
Have you ever wondered why New York City taxis are specifically yellow in color?
Well, there’s an interesting story behind it that takes us back to the 1960s.
At that time, New York City passed a law to make yellow the official color for all licensed taxis.
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The history behind the yellow color of taxis in New York City
This rule was meant to help people easily tell the difference between legal medallion taxis and illegal cabs.
However, the roots of the story of yellow taxis began much earlier.
The story goes even further back to 1915 when John Hertz, founder of the Yellow Cab Company, made the decision to paint his taxis yellow.
But why the yellow color? That’s because his decision was based on a study by a local university, which found that yellow, especially with a hint of red, was the most visible color from a distance.
Hertz’s idea worked, and soon, yellow taxis became a common sight in cities like Chicago and New York.
It’s certainly fascinating how simple colors can sometimes have a fascinating backstory.
Similar to the yellow cabs, the history of yellow Ferraris is also an interesting one.
Other stories connected to the iconic yellow color
Albert Rockwell was another key player in the picture, who started the Yellow Taxicab Company in New York in 1912.
Similar to John Hertz, the reason for choosing the bright color was simple – it was most easily spotted.
Some stories suggest that yellow’s connection to transportation goes back even further, with Italy’s 15th-century postal vehicles being among the first to use the color.
Today, NYC follows strict rules, and the cabs need to be painted in a specific yellow color – Dupont M6284.
It’s fascinating how transportation rules can have such deep roots, whether it’s the iconic yellow color for taxis or why Britons drive on the left side of the road while Americans drive on the right.
