Special Reconversion Offer!!!

From the extensive  collection of Taxidepot's taxi memorabilia and taxi props I fished out this interesting poster from the famous Ohmer Fare Register Company (1916). Apparently the campaign was directed to the currentl Ohmer taximeter owners of the heavyweight champion of champions. The first printing taximeter I guess was not very affordable since just the upgrade from the previous model cost only $199 or $3,877.92 in today's dollars . The American company manufacturer of precision instruments wanted you to act quickly if  it was in your fleet's  interest  to survive the postwar crisis:

“Here’s your chance to replace old meters on your present cabs- to have available dependable Ohmer Printing Taximeter for your post war fleet. Every Taximeter is factory rebuilt by Ohmer-trained people. Every one carries our regular new meter guarantee”

Check it out, we also found the infamous meter in our vault!!! It weights 35.4 pounds and it was built to last forever. Still clicking...

Taxi Lights of Japan

Hailing a cab in Japan must feel like interrupting a Walt Disney's parade, or at least it was my impression when I first saw a taxicab in Japan by night. The top light aka rooflight, the normal sign that shines "Taxi" in the rooftop is instead a radiant-glowing  mini-sculpture of different shapes and colors.  I have to confess is my wish to pay a visit to this incredible country and  check out with my own eyes the diversity of their unique taxi top lights. For more info visit pingmag.jp

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Who stole the real cover ?!

While doing a little research about taxi history I came across a book which probably too many already know: “TAXI! A Social History of the New York City Cabdriver”. Written by Hodges, Graham Russell Gao. The book was published in 2007 by Johns Hopkins U. Press and believe me, I can't wait to get my hand on a copy!! However, what triggered my interest was the mismatch of cover art the publisher chose for this book: A contemporary full color night shot of a caravan of taxis clearly displaying their European style rooflight!!! c'mon, you can do better than that!! Any New Yorker knows very well how their cab's top-lights look like. They could have used a truly New York Icon, a Yellow Checker Cab, which by itself represents better the city, the drivers and their taxi history. The title, however, made me research deeply about the book, and I found amazing references as the ones found in Google-book and the New York Times.