A Brief History of New York City Taxi Cabs

Taxi Cab
Everett Collection

Taxis drive through the streets of Manhattan near 5th Avenue in New York City, 1972. The vehicles' signature yellow livery didn't become law until 1967, when the city ordered that all licensed "medallion taxis" be painted the same color, in order to cut down on unofficial drivers and make the cabs more recognizable

Get the Latest Photos from Time.com
Get TIME photos and pictures of the week delivered directly to your inbox.