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111-795: From its introduction in early 1959 until 1962, the Lark was a product of the Studebaker-Packard Corporation . In mid-1962, the company dropped "Packard" from its name and reverted to its pre-1954 name, the Studebaker Corporation . In addition to being built in Studebaker's South Bend, Indiana , home plant, the Lark and its descendants were also built in Hamilton, Ontario , Canada, from 1959 to 1966 by Studebaker of Canada Limited . The cars were also exported to

222-422: A P (passenger) endorsement on their driver licence . Until 1 October 2017, all drivers wanting to obtain a P endorsement had to complete a P endorsement course, but that requirement was removed as a result of lobbying by Uber who had been flouting the law. Drivers must comply with work-time rules and maintain a logbook, with the onus on training falling on companies and drivers since the P endorsement course

333-527: A U.S. government fleet order. No one is certain how many were built, although the number was certainly minuscule, and none are known to exist today. The immediate effect of Stevens' restyle was improved sales. Indeed, had it not been for a strike called by the United Auto Workers Local 5 in early 1962 at Studebaker's South Bend home plant, writers then and now expressed confidence that the company could have easily sold more than 100,000 of

444-420: A V8 close to the same size as Studebaker's, and had since 1957. The lineup grew for 1960, when the company introduced a convertible (Studebaker's first since 1952) and a four-door station wagon. Two-door wagons were fast falling from favor throughout the industry, despite a minor redesign which made the two-door Lark wagon's tailgate and rear side windows more user-friendly, and indeed the four-door quickly proved

555-576: A builder of automobiles. The "second series" Canadian-built 1964 lineup was not much different from the South Bend offerings; however, the entire Challenger series (along with the Hawk , Avanti, and all trucks) was dropped. Six-cylinder Daytona models that had not previously been offered in the U.S. (but had been available in Canada and export markets) were added to the U.S. lineup. Another new addition

666-406: A call to "Top of the 2" means that the first cab in line at stand #2 is supposed to pick someone up. In offices using radio dispatch, taxi locations are often tracked using magnetic pegs on a "board"—a metal sheet with an engraved map of taxi zones. In computerized dispatch, the status of taxis is tracked by the computer system. Taxi frequencies are generally licensed in duplex pairs. One frequency

777-668: A certain order," as in commanding an orderly battle line, or in ordaining the payment of taxes, to the extent that ταξίδι ( taxidi ), meaning "journey" in Modern Greek , initially denoted an orderly military march or campaign. Meter is from the Greek μέτρον ( metron ) meaning "measure." A cabriolet is a type of horse-drawn carriage; the word comes from French cabrioler ("to leap, caper"), from Italian capriolare ("to somersault"), from Latin capreolus ("roebuck", "wild goat"). In most European languages that word has taken on

888-620: A dealer in Pennsylvania ), rolled off the assembly line on December 20. This car is now housed at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend. After the South Bend closing, production continued at the Studebaker's Canadian plant in Hamilton, Ontario, which was overseen by Gordon Grundy , the president of Studebaker of Canada . Grundy was a dedicated Studebaker executive who, like Egbert before him, wanted to see Studebaker continue as

999-473: A demanding process of learning and testing called The Knowledge . This typically takes around three years and equips them with a detailed command of 25,000 streets within central London, major routes outside this area, and all buildings and other destinations to which passengers may ask to be taken. Taxicabs have been both criticized for creating pollution and also praised as an environmentally responsible alternative to private car use. One study, published in

1110-577: A firewall-mounted brake master cylinder) and revamped steering systems. Unfortunately, for all of its new engineering and the mild restyling, sales of the Lark dropped off precipitously for 1961. Even more new competitors were squeezing their way into the marketplace, as Dodge brought out the Lancer , and General Motors issued the Buick Special , Oldsmobile F-85 and Pontiac Tempest . These new "senior compacts," in addition to their very presence in

1221-509: A four-door sedan (replacing the 1963 Custom four-door), and the Cruiser continued at the top of the line. All models except the Cruiser offered a Wagonaire. Challenger and Commander models came standard with single headlamps, the first time since 1961 that a Lark-based vehicle offered them. Dual lamps were an extra-cost option. For 1964, the Lark name was only used on early Challenger and Commander models. Early promotional materials referred to

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1332-517: A horse-drawn vehicle for hire, while the German term Fiaker is used, especially in Austria, to refer to the same thing.) The hansom cab was designed and patented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom , an architect from York as a substantial improvement on the old hackney carriages. These two-wheel vehicles were fast, light enough to be pulled by a single horse (making the journey cheaper than travelling in

1443-438: A larger four-wheel coach) were agile enough to steer around horse-drawn vehicles in the notorious traffic jams of nineteenth-century London and had a low centre of gravity for safe cornering. Hansom's original design was modified by John Chapman and several others to improve its practicability, but retained Hansom's name. These soon replaced the hackney carriage as a vehicle for hire . They quickly spread to other cities in

1554-400: A much more modern appearance. Inside the cars, a completely new instrument panel with full instrumentation (sans idiot lights ) was installed, although the designers were not able to integrate the available air conditioning into the panel; the evaporator and vents were still hung beneath the dash in a space-robbing box. For the ladies, an "Exclusive Beauty Vanity" with a mirror and makeup tray

1665-478: A new Studebaker-Packard Corporation entity, aiming to revive the brand in 2025. It was hoped that Packard would benefit from Studebaker's larger dealer network. Studebaker hoped to gain through the additional strength that Packard's cash position could provide. Once both companies stabilized their balance sheets and strengthened their product line, the original plan devised by Packard president James J. Nance and Nash-Kelvinator Corporation president George W. Mason

1776-642: A number of countries around the world as completed units and completely knocked down (CKD) kits which were then assembled at a local factory. Lark-based variants represented the bulk of the range produced by Studebaker after 1958 and sold in far greater volume than the contemporary Hawk and Avanti models. Beginning with the 1963 Cruiser, the Lark name was gradually phased out of the company catalog and by early 1964, Lark-based models were being marketed under Commander , Daytona and Cruiser nameplates only. The Studebaker company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1952, ceased automobile production in 1966. At

1887-422: A percentage of each fare). So "on the nut" simply means to be next in a taxi stand to receive a passenger. Additionally, some cab companies are owned cooperatively, with profits shared through democratic governance. Different states have different regulations for taxi driver registration and compliance: New Zealand taxi drivers fall under the definition of a Small Passenger Service Vehicle driver. They must have

1998-893: A pull-out or portable ramp. Taxicabs in less developed places can be a completely different experience, such as the antique French cars typically found in Cairo . However, starting in March 2006, newer modern taxicabs entered the service operated by various private companies. Taxicabs differ in other ways as well: London's black cabs have a large compartment beside the driver for storing bags, while many fleets of regular taxis also include wheelchair accessible taxicabs among their numbers (see above). Although taxicabs have traditionally been sedans , minivans , hatchbacks and even SUV taxicabs are becoming increasingly common. In many cities, limousines operate as well, usually in competition with taxicabs and at higher fares. Recently, with growing concern for

2109-434: A striking yet cost-effective 1962 update. Stevens lengthened the car body, especially at the rear, and modernized the interior. Studebaker's board of directors were reportedly pleased with the extent of the changes Stevens was able to make. They could not believe he could do so much for so little money. In addition to the new styling, Studebaker joined the increasing popularity of front bucket seats and center console models of

2220-463: A taxi stand—to contact the dispatch office. When a customer calls for a taxi, a trip is dispatched by either radio or computer, via an in-vehicle mobile data terminal , to the most suitable cab. The most suitable cab may either be the one closest to the pick-up address (often determined by GPS coordinates nowadays) or the one that was the first to book into the "zone" surrounding the pickup address. Cabs are sometimes dispatched from their taxi stands;

2331-440: A taxi to be "hailed" or "flagged" on the side of the street as it is approaching. Another option is a taxi stand (sometimes also called a "cab stand," "hack stand," "taxi rank," or "cab rank"). Taxi stands are usually located at airports, railway stations, major retail areas (malls), hotels and other places where a large number of passengers are likely to be found. In some places—Japan, for example—taxi stands are arranged according to

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2442-435: A two-door hardtop coupe and a two-door station wagon , with two levels of trim (Deluxe and Regal) offered on most. Aside from American Motors Corporation 's Rambler line, the Lark offered the broadest line of compacts on the U.S. market. Indeed, the Lark was the first car of its size to offer a V8 engine — the slightly smaller Rambler American offered only an inline six, though the slightly larger Rambler Rebel did offer

2553-447: Is a compound word formed as a contraction of taximeter and cabriolet . Taximeter is an adaptation of the German word Taxameter , which is itself a variant of the earlier German word Taxanom . Taxe /ˈtaksə/ is a German word meaning "tax", "charge", or "scale of charges". The Medieval Latin word taxa also means tax or charge . Taxi may ultimately be attributed to Ancient Greek τάξις from τάσσω meaning "to place in

2664-601: Is merely incidental". The Marshal was available in Pursuit, Patrol, and City variants. Studebaker worked very hard to establish a high-performance image for the 1964 lineup, sending a number of cars to the Bonneville Salt Flats to set new production-car speed records. Advertisements played up the powerful R-series engines, disc brakes and the company's position that Studebakers were "different ... by design" from other American cars. Magazine road test reviews of

2775-587: Is used for the dispatcher to talk to the cabs, and a second frequency is used to the cabs to talk back. This means that the drivers generally cannot talk to each other. Some cabs have a CB radio in addition to the company radio so they can speak to each other. In the United States, there is a Taxicab Radio Service with pairs assigned for this purpose. A taxi company can also be licensed in the Business Radio Service. Business frequencies in

2886-430: Is usually monitored and controlled by a central office, which provides dispatching , accounting, and human resources services to one or more taxi companies. Taxi owners and drivers usually communicate with the dispatch office through either a 2-way radio or a computer terminal (called a mobile data terminal ). Before the innovation of radio dispatch in the 1950s, taxi drivers would use a callbox —a special telephone at

2997-548: The Avanti Motor Company . Studebaker Corp. merged with Worthington Corporation one year later. Studebaker-Worthington was a diversified American manufacturer operating the various business units of Studebaker, Wagner Electric and Worthington Corporation. The company was in turn acquired by McGraw-Edison in 1979. In 2008, the Studebaker and Packard trademarks were acquired by Silver Knight Group, Inc. In 2021, Silver Knight Group announced that they were forming

3108-698: The Hansom cab ) or even boats (such as water taxies or gondolas ) are also used or have been used historically. In Western Europe, Bissau , and to an extent, Australia, it is not uncommon for expensive cars such as Mercedes-Benz to be the taxicab of choice. Often this decision is based upon the perceived reliability of, and warranty offered with these vehicles. These taxi-service vehicles are almost always equipped with four-cylinder turbodiesel engines and relatively low levels of equipment, and are not considered luxury cars. This has changed though in countries such as Denmark, where tax regulation makes it profitable to sell

3219-573: The Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit , Michigan . While Studebaker was the larger of the two companies, Packard's balance sheet and executive team were stronger than that of the South Bend company. In the spring of 1962, Studebaker-Packard reverted its name to "Studebaker Corporation". The following year, the South Bend plant was closed, while its Canadian plant in Hamilton, Ontario , continued to produce Studebaker cars until 1966. The South Bend plant would later be acquired by

3330-615: The Turin Auto Show . Both designs came in for criticism regarding the front of the cars, but were otherwise well regarded. Intended for small-scale production for the Italian market, it is unknown if any were built aside from the display examples. In an effort to reverse the downward sales trend created when Detroit rolled out its own compacts in 1960 and 1961, new Studebaker-Packard president Sherwood Egbert called upon his friend, noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens , to effect

3441-522: The Wagonaire , the high-performance R-series engines and Super Performance Packages (inspired by the Avanti ) that were developed with the help of "Mr. Indy 500" Andy Granatelli (who headed Studebaker's Paxton Products and STP divisions), sales did not increase. By the early autumn of 1963, Studebaker's board of directors acted to slow down the South Bend assembly lines. At the start of the model year,

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3552-478: The 1956 Lincoln Bodies that Ford was eliminating. Studebaker Corporation in 1965 sold back to Daimler Benz, Mercedes Benz of North America which was distributing Mercedes in the USA. In 1960, the company began diversification efforts by buying: In 1961 Sherwood Egbert was appointed company president. He was expected to help diversify the company. In the spring of 1962, four years after the last Packard car rolled off

3663-407: The 1956-1959 Hawk), minimal and tasteful use of chrome and clean lines, the Lark "flew" in the face of most of the established "longer, lower and wider" styling norms fostered by Detroit's "Big Three" automakers ( General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler ). Studebaker's 1957-58 Scotsman had proved the existence of a demand for a less-flashy automobile, and while the Lark was not nearly so undecorated as

3774-403: The 1963 models were seen as an extension of the improvements made the previous year, the buying public by this time was looking for more than just a mild change, and sales fell, this time to around 77,000 cars. Studebaker's executives allowed Stevens to continue the process of modernizing main line vehicles that resulted in a more extensive (but still inexpensive) restyling for 1964. What resulted

3885-726: The 1980s when computer assisted dispatching was first introduced. Paris taxis played a memorable part in the French victory at First Battle of the Marne in the First World War . On 7 September 1914, the Military Governor of Paris, Joseph Gallieni , gathered about six hundred taxicabs at Les Invalides in central Paris to carry soldiers to the front at Nanteuil-le Haudouin, fifty kilometers away. Within twenty-four hours about six thousand soldiers and officers were moved to

3996-571: The 20-second mark from 0-60 mph. None of the Big Three compacts offered a V8 until the second wave of such cars — the so-called "senior compacts" — arrived for 1961. To meet the challenge of those new cars head-on, for 1961 Studebaker created a new four-door sedan, the Cruiser, using the Econ-O-Miler taxicab body with an upgraded, more luxurious interior. The resulting car harked back to the long-wheelbase Studebaker Land Cruiser sedans of

4107-546: The Allen-Kingston Motor Car Company. Their manufacturing took place at Bristol Engineering in Bristol, Connecticut where the first domestically produced Taxicabs were built in 1908, designed by Fred E. Moskovics who had worked at Daimler in the late 1890s. Albert F. Rockwell was the owner of Bristol and his wife suggested he paint his taxicabs yellow to maximise his vehicles' visibility. Moskovics

4218-514: The Canadian built late 1964 models came from South Bend until the end of the model year by July. When the union contract ended in May 1964, the foundry was closed, however sufficient engines were built to complete the 1964 model run. Spotters can distinguish original second-series 1964 cars by their solid white steering wheels; cars built in South Bend were built with steering wheels that either matched

4329-479: The Challenger and Commander as Larks, but aside from Lark emblems on the roof sail panels on Challengers, there was no Lark identification on the cars, as Studebaker replaced the Lark emblems elsewhere on the car with the company's "circle-S" logo. Inside, the cars were only slightly modified, with minor changes made in upholstery, glovebox opening, and gauge position. The speedometer, which in 1963 had resided in

4440-477: The Cruiser at the other end of the line — was obviously a Lark, it bore no Lark nameplates, just "Studebaker" scripts (first used on 1956 Hawks) on the front fenders. In addition, the Standard, in keeping with its frugal image, carried no side trim, and had a plainer interior with no vanity, just a simple glove box with a lid that opened at the top. Mainly promoted as a fleet vehicle, the Standard offered good value;

4551-571: The Regulation of Hackney-Coachmen in London and the places adjacent" was approved by Parliament in 1654 and the first hackney-carriage licences were issued in 1662. A similar service was started by Nicolas Sauvage in Paris in 1637. His vehicles were known as fiacres , as the main vehicle depot apparently was opposite a shrine to Saint Fiacre . (The term fiacre is still used in French to describe

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4662-759: The Samuel's Electric Carriage and Wagon Company began running 12 electric hansom cabs . The company ran until 1898 with up to 62 cabs operating until it was reformed by its financiers to form the Electric Vehicle Company . Taxicabs proliferated around the world in the early 20th century. The first major innovation after the invention of the taximeter occurred in the late 1940s, when two-way radios first appeared in taxicabs. Radios enabled taxicabs and dispatch offices to communicate and serve customers more efficiently than previous methods, such as using callboxes . The next major innovation occurred in

4773-527: The Scotsman, it was unmistakably purer of line than anything Detroit would offer for 1959, save the Rambler American . Sales of the Lark were good for the 1959 and 1960 model year, thanks to the fact that Studebaker had obtained "dual" dealerships with dealers of the Big Three manufacturers that did not as yet have their own compacts to sell. Initial models included two- and four-door sedans ,

4884-525: The Studebaker dealer network could sell in the event that the company quit building its own cars. Studebaker-Packard Corporation made numerous attempt at resurrecting the Packard nameplate. The Franco-American Facel-Vega four-door sedan, which was powered by a Chrysler V8 engine, would have been supplied the basis of a new Packard. Additional work was done with the Ford Motor Company to use

4995-556: The UHF range are also licensed in pairs to allow for repeaters, though taxi companies usually use the pair for duplex communications. Taxi dispatch is evolving in connection to the telecom sector with the advent of smart-phones. In some countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK and USA, smartphone applications are emerging that connect taxi drivers directly with passengers for the purpose of dispatching taxi jobs, launching new battles for

5106-650: The United Kingdom, as well as continental European cities, particularly Paris , Berlin , and St Petersburg . The cab was introduced to other British Empire cities and to the United States during the late 19th century, being most commonly used in New York City . The first cab service in Toronto , "The City", was established in 1837 by Thornton Blackburn , an ex-slave whose escape when captured in Detroit

5217-474: The amount of money a driver has to pay upfront to lease a taxi for a specific period of time. Once that amount is collected in fare, the driver then begins to make a profit. A driver "on the nut" is trying to earn back the initial cost. This varies from city to city though, in Las Vegas, Nevada , all taxicabs are owned and operated by the companies and all drivers are employees (hence no initial cost and earn

5328-496: The assembly line on July 25, 1958. That year, Studebaker instructed company personnel to sell their Packards and use only Studebakers. Hurley was able to negotiate the distribution rights of the Mercedes Benz automobile brand in the USA exclusively owned by SP. Daimler Benz . The agreement was looked on as a necessity both for the income that Mercedes-Benz could add to the company's bottom line and as another product that

5439-509: The assembly line, and eight years following the merger between Packard and Studebaker, the company dropped 'Packard' from its legal name, which returned to being 'Studebaker Corporation'. Taxicab A taxi , also known as a taxicab or simply a cab , is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver , used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice. This differs from public transport where

5550-406: The board took the opportunity to force Egbert out and execute their plan to wind up automotive production. Although it would by necessity have to be done slowly and methodically, lest the company expose itself to contract lawsuits from angry dealers (which would have drained even more precious revenue from the company's depleted coffers), the directors quickly put their plan into action. Meeting with

5661-410: The board's argument were the undeniable facts that Studebaker's subsidiary companies were profitable, while the growing losses at the automotive division were bleeding the corporation dry. Despite being terminally ill with cancer, Egbert fought the directors tooth and nail in his efforts to continue auto operations. However, when he had to undergo further cancer surgery (his third since 1962) that month,

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5772-641: The company in the years prior to World War II . In fact, it was the Champion which Churchill specifically took as his inspiration for the Lark, as well as the no-frills sales success Studebaker Scotsman . Two series of Larks were available, the Lark VI and the Lark VIII , both designations indicated whether the engines were of six or eight cylinders. Both series were available in "Deluxe" and "Regal" trim levels. With its simple grille (similar to that found on

5883-408: The company was building 60 cars per hour. By late October 1963, some 2,500 workers were laid off and the line speed was reduced. Rumors were spreading in the media that the board of directors and the company's president, Sherwood Egbert , were at odds over the future of the automotive division. The board's opinion was that it was finally time to find a way out of the auto business. Lending strength to

5994-513: The company's 259 cu in (4.2 L) V8. Testers at the time gave high marks to the V8's performance. A V8 Lark could turn out a 0 to 60 mph time of around 10 seconds, which was on par with much larger cars. By comparison, among the early Big Three compacts ( Ford Falcon , Mercury Comet , Chevrolet Corvair and Plymouth Valiant ) that arrived on the scene in 1960, only the Valiant could break

6105-410: The competition in both power and fuel economy. Lacking the budget to design a completely new engine, the engineering staff converted the 170 engine to overhead valves while retaining much of the basic design. The "new" six, which displaced the same 170 cu. in. as before, went from 90 hp (67 kW) to 112 hp (84 kW), all without a loss in fuel economy. Indeed, most road testers of

6216-431: The core bodyshell of the full-sized 1953–1958 Studebakers. By reducing the front and rear overhangs and shortening the wheelbase ahead of the firewall, the car could still seat six people comfortably and hold a surprising amount of luggage. It was hoped that the new model would save America's oldest vehicle manufacturer when it was launched in the fall of 1958 as a 1959 model, much like the 1939 Studebaker Champion had saved

6327-428: The customer's as well at times) a cab driver is usually equipped with a detailed roadmap of the area in which they work. There is also an increasing use of GPS driven navigational systems in wealthier countries. In London, despite the complex and haphazard road layout, such aids have only recently been employed by a small number of 'black cab' taxi (as opposed to minicab) drivers. Instead, they are required to undergo

6438-427: The day found the new engine to be easier on fuel than the flathead, and cars so equipped were able to shave nearly four seconds off the all-important 0-60 mph time. The redesigned six, known as the "Skybolt Six," was marketed by Studebaker extensively in 1961. Other engineering improvements that modernized the 1961 Larks included the introduction of cowl ventilation, suspended brake and clutch pedals (accompanied by

6549-644: The early 17th century. The first documented public hackney coach service for hire was in London in 1605. In 1625 carriages were made available for hire from innkeepers in London and the first taxi rank appeared on the Strand outside the Maypole Inn in 1636. In 1635 the Hackney Carriage Act was passed by Parliament to legalise horse-drawn carriages for hire. Coaches were hired out by innkeepers to merchants and visitors. A further "Ordinance for

6660-515: The early 1960s with the introduction of the Daytona . In the same way that the Cruiser had become the top-of-the-line four-door for 1961, the new Daytona replaced the Regal as the top-trim convertible and hardtop, although Regal versions of these body styles remained available. All four-door sedans for 1962 moved to the Cruiser's 113 in (2,900 mm) wheelbase body. However, the Cruiser remained

6771-484: The environment, there have been solar powered taxicabs. On 20 April 2008, a "solar taxi tour" was launched that aimed to tour 15 countries in 18 months in a solar taxi that can reach speeds of 90 km/h with zero emission. The aim of the tour was to spread knowledge about environmental protection. Most taxi companies have some sort of livery on the vehicle, depending on the type of taxi (taxi, cab, private hire, chauffeur), country, region and operator. Most places allow

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6882-507: The fire officer in charge, knowing the 40 ambulances he requested were unlikely to be available, requested the Taxi Owners Association to transport the injured to the nearby Birmingham Accident Hospital and Birmingham General Hospital . Taxi services are typically provided by automobiles , but in some countries various human-powered vehicles , (such as the rickshaw or pedicab ) and animal-powered vehicles (such as

6993-503: The first cities to introduce hybrids for taxi service in 2005, with a fleet of 15 Ford Escape Hybrids , and by 2009 the original Escape Hybrids were retired after 480,000 km (300,000 mi) per vehicle. In 2007 the city approved the Clean Air Taxi Grant Program in order to encourage cab companies to purchase alternative fuel vehicles , by providing incentives of US$ 2,000 per new alternative fuel vehicle on

7104-438: The formerly "hi-line" Regal models demoted to Studebaker's base model when the 1963 cars were introduced. Regals were simple badged as "Lark" and received a thin stainless steel trim piece that extended from the tip of the front fender to the end of the rear fender. While the interiors were plain, they were far from spartan. The Regal line shared the newly introduced padded dash, with vanity, with its higher priced sister models, and

7215-490: The front. Each taxi carried five soldiers, four in the back and one next to the driver. Only the back lights of the taxis were lit; the drivers were instructed to follow the lights of the taxi ahead. The Germans were surprised and were pushed back by the French and British armies. Most of the taxis were demobilized on 8 September but some remained longer to carry the wounded and refugees. The taxis, following city regulations, dutifully ran their meters. The French treasury reimbursed

7326-926: The future, and will hopefully soon extend to other cities as older models get rotated out of the bigger cities and into smaller markets. Modifications of existing minivans such as the Mercedes Vito London Taxi and the Nissan NV200 have been introduced as a stopgap measures to fill the need for alternative products, however their acceptance by drivers is yet to be seen. In recent years, some companies have been adding specially modified vehicles capable of transporting wheelchair -using passengers to their fleets. Such taxicabs are variously called accessible taxis, wheelchair- or wheelchair-accessible taxicabs, modified taxicabs, or "maxicabs". Wheelchair taxicabs are most often specially modified vans or minivans . Wheelchair-using passengers are loaded, with

7437-426: The help of the driver, via a lift or, more commonly, a ramp, at the rear of the vehicle. This feature is however a subject for concern amongst Licensing Authorities who feel that the wheelchair passenger could not easily exit the vehicle in the event of accident damage to the rear door. The latest generation of accessible taxis features side loading with emergency egress possible from either of the 2 side doors as well as

7548-434: The interior color or were two-toned with white as the upper and lower color. Also, cars without clocks had a blank plate in the instrument cluster which read "Studebaker Corporation" on South Bend cars and "Studebaker of Canada" on Hamilton cars. Studebaker-Packard Corporation The Studebaker-Packard Corporation is the entity created in 1954 by the purchase of the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana , by

7659-468: The journal Atmospheric Environment in January 2006, showed that the level of pollution that Londoners are exposed to differs according to the mode of transport that they use. When in the back seat of a taxicab people were exposed the most, while walking exposing people to the lowest amount of pollution. In Australia, nearly all taxis run on LPG , as well as the growing fleet of hybrids . Argentina and

7770-414: The late Forties and early Fifties. These cars can be distinguished from their lesser four-door counterparts by the 1959-60-style roofline and operational vent windows in the rear doors, while other sedans used one-piece glass in the rear doors. A new option, a canvas-covered folding sunroof dubbed the "Skytop" was introduced as an extra-cost feature for sedans and the two-door hardtop. A mild restyling, too,

7881-459: The late-1940s introduction of the all-steel body. Dealers found that while buyers were curious in the sliding roof of the Wagonaire, many were hesitant to consider them seriously. When combined with reports of water leakage that many of the early models experienced, management deemed that a less exotic fixed roof wagon was needed. These were added at mid year. Elsewhere in the lineup, the Cruiser

7992-517: The leaders of UAW Local 5, which represented Studebaker's assembly workers, the decision was made to close the South Bend plant and continue production at the company's small Canadian factory in Hamilton, Ontario , which could, it was believed, be operated at a profit. The closure of the South Bend plant was announced on December 9, 1963, and the final Lark-type car, a Bordeaux Red 1964 Daytona two-door hardtop (originally intended for shipment to

8103-434: The main cities of Brazil have large fleets of taxis running on natural gas . Many Brazilian taxis are flexible-fuel vehicles running on sugarcane ethanol , and some are equipped to run on either natural gas or as a flex-fuel. At least two Brazilian car makers sell these type of bi-fuel vehicles . Malaysia and Singapore have many of their taxicabs running on compressed natural gas (CNG). San Francisco became one of

8214-584: The market, caused other problems for Studebaker. Most of the Big Three dealers who had signed on with the independent when the Lark debuted dropped the smaller company under pressure from the Detroit manufacturers once the new cars broke cover. Those who did not drop Studebaker outright often put more effort to selling their other product lines. The Italian Studebaker importer commissioned two-door and four-door redesigns from Francis Lombardi and Pietro Frua respectively. These were first shown in November 1960, at

8325-415: The marketing of such apps over the potential mass of Taxi users. Taxi fares are set by the state and city where they are permitted to operate. The fare includes the 'drop', a set amount that is tallied for getting into the taxi plus the 'per kilometer' rate as has been set by the city. The taxi meters track time as well as distance in an average taxi fare. In the United States, a nut is industry slang for

8436-400: The meaning of a convertible car . The taxicabs of Paris were equipped with the first meters beginning on 9 March 1898. They were originally called taxamètres , then renamed taximètres on 17 October 1904. Harry Nathaniel Allen of The New York Taxicab Company, who imported the first 600 gas-powered New York City taxicabs from France in 1907, borrowed the word "taxicab" from London, where

8547-473: The more popular of the two available wagons from Studebaker. A taxicab version of the Lark, originally called the "Econ-O-Miler," was built on the station wagon's longer 113 in (2,900 mm) wheelbase. The extra 4.5 in (110 mm) of wheelbase translated into extra rear seat legroom, which was important in the taxi trade. For 1959 and 1960, Larks were available with either an L-head (flathead) 170 cu in (2.8 L) six-cylinder engine or

8658-475: The new Wagonaire to the continuing convertible and hardtop. A new Custom trim level, which used side trim similar to that used on the 1962 Daytonas, stepped into the Regal's former place. Daytonas received new side trim that started as a narrow molding on the front fenders and widened toward the rear. The basic design of this trim was shared with the Cruiser. With the elimination of the Deluxe Lark, this left

8769-529: The new cars were generally positive. One of the more-popular automotive magazines of the day even got to help build the car they would test. Gene Booth , the editor of Car Life magazine, went to South Bend and assisted in building a Daytona hardtop with the full R4 Super Performance Package. This car ended up being the only Studebaker equipped from the factory with the optional R4 engine (304 cu in (5.0 L), with two four-barrel {four-choke} carburetors ). Despite styling changes, innovative models like

8880-435: The new cars. Despite the strike, which halted production for 38 days, the company sold over 90,000, far more than had been sold in 1961. For 1963, Stevens again restyled the Lark. The dated wrap-around windshield was eliminated and the entire "greenhouse" was lightened via the use of thinner door and roof pillars. Doing away with the thick framing that had been a much-criticized feature of Studebaker's bodies since 1953 imparted

8991-478: The new look and reduced by a considerable amount the cost of tooling. The new look debuted along with the company's plan to phase out the Lark name entirely. The lowest-priced models were renamed Challenger (replacing the 1963-1/2 Standard), while the Commander name (which had last made an appearance in the Studebaker lineup on the last full-size cars in 1958) replaced the Regal trim level. The Daytona series added

9102-462: The only four-door with rear-door vent windows. Two-door models gained a half-inch in wheelbase, up from 108.5" to 109". The only model that was deleted from the 1962 lineup was the Deluxe series two-door wagon, which had slipped in popularity since the four-door wagon's debut in 1960. However, some leftover 1961-model two-door wagon bodies were fitted with the new 1962 front clips. This was done to fill

9213-481: The past, new options were added for the 1963 model year. Naturally aspirated "R1" and supercharged "R2" 289 V8s from the Avanti were made available. Buyers choosing those engines late in the model year could also order a "Super Performance Package", which added a host of high-performance options aimed at making the cars not only go faster, but handle better. Cars equipped with the package were called "Super Larks". Though

9324-658: The pick-up and drop-off locations are decided by the service provider, not by the customers, although demand responsive transport and share taxis provide a hybrid bus/taxi mode. There are four distinct forms of taxicab, which can be identified by slightly differing terms in different countries: Although types of vehicles and methods of regulation, hiring, dispatching, and negotiating payment differ significantly from country to country, many common characteristics exist. Disputes over whether ridesharing companies should be regulated as taxicabs resulted in some jurisdictions creating new regulations for these services. The word taxicab

9435-411: The rear. The wheelchair is secured using various systems, commonly including some type of belt and clip combination, or wheel locks. Some wheelchair taxicabs are capable of transporting only one wheelchair-using passenger at a time, and can usually accommodate 4 to 6 additional non-disabled passengers. Wheelchair taxicabs are part of the regular fleet in most cases, and so are not reserved exclusively for

9546-442: The right-hand "hole" in the gauge cluster, was moved to the center position, with the optional clock or tachometer placed on the right. For 1966, McKinnon's Chevrolet-licensed 140 hp (104 kW) 230 cu in (3.8 L) inline-six engine became an option for automatics, and later for manuals as well. The purpose-built Marshal model in three body styles was marketed to police departments. Brochures claimed that "130 mph

9657-421: The size of the taxis, so that large- and small-capacity cabs line up separately. The taxi at the front of the line is due (barring unusual circumstances) for the next fare. Passengers also commonly call a central dispatch office for taxis. In some jurisdictions, private hire vehicles can only be hired from the dispatch office, and must be assigned each fare by the office by radio or phone. Picking up passengers off

9768-528: The street in these areas can lead to suspension or revocation of the driver's taxi license, or even prosecution. Other areas may have a mix of the two systems, where drivers may respond to radio calls and also pick up street fares. Passengers may also hire taxicabs via mobile apps . While not directly involving the call center, the taxis are still monitored by the dispatcher through GPS tracking. Many taxicab companies, including Gett , Easy Taxi , and GrabTaxi provide mobile apps . The activity of taxi fleets

9879-482: The sudden death of Mason in 1954 (succeeded by George W. Romney ) and disputes over parts-sharing arrangements between the companies doomed any chance of completing the proposed merger. This failure to combine the companies effectively sealed the fates of all four, though American Motors survived until its own buyout by Chrysler in 1987. Packard executives soon discovered that Studebaker had been less than forthcoming in all of its financial and sales records. The situation

9990-422: The time the Lark was conceived, Studebaker-Packard Corporation was under a management contract with Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Company . Studebaker-Packard had been losing money for a few years when company president Harold E. Churchill came up with the idea of abandoning the full-size car market in favor of building a new compact car that he hoped would save the company. The Lark was ingeniously designed around

10101-590: The total fare of 70,012 francs. The military impact of the soldiers moved by taxi was small in the huge scale of the Battle of the Marne, but the effect on French morale was enormous; it became the symbol of the solidarity between the French army and citizens. It was also the first recorded large-scale use of motorized infantry in battle. The Birmingham pub bombings on 21 November 1974, which killed 21 people and injured 182, presented emergency services with unprecedented peacetime demands. According to eyewitness accounts,

10212-463: The two-door sedan carried a base price of only US$ 1,935. This price was very competitive with other companies' small- and mid-sized cars. On the engineering front, disc brakes made by Bendix (first offered on the Avanti) were made available; at $ 97.95, they were a good value and greatly improved the cars' stopping power. In the engine lineup, in addition to the existing six-cylinder and V8 engines of

10323-560: The unique attributes of the city often make the vehicles built to fit those requirements ubiquitous to its livery fleets, and often becomes an iconic image of the city itself. Although New York City 's efforts to implement new regulations has stumbled in its efforts to mandate both a hybrid and wheelchair-accessible vehicle, London and Tokyo 's efforts have yielded unique vehicles such the LEVC TX and Toyota JPN Taxi that meet and exceed modern emissions and accessibility requirements for

10434-490: The use of wheelchair users. They are often used by non-disabled people who need to transport luggage, small items of furniture, animals, and other items. Because of this, and since only a small percentage of the average fleet is modified, wheelchair users must often wait for significantly longer periods when calling for a cab, and flagging a modified taxicab on the street is much more difficult. London's taxis have been fully accessible since January 2000, with all taxis fitted with

10545-458: The vehicles after a few years of service, which requires the cars to be well equipped and kept in good condition. Cities like London and Tokyo have implemented specific regulations like London's Conditions of Fitness that dictate size, fuel efficiency, emissions, and accessibility standards far stricter than that for private vehicles. Much like the NY Checker cabs of the 60s–80s,

10656-426: The vinyl interior for some exterior colors featured three colors and textures of vinyl, but with less tufting. Buyers could also option a Regal with any of the engine and transmission choices found in the higher priced models. In mid-1963, Studebaker introduced the Standard series, a totally stripped line of Larks in the vein of the 1957-58 Scotsman , bumping the Regal up a notch in the model hierarchy. While it — like

10767-671: The word was in use by early 1907. A popular but erroneous account holds that the vehicles were named after Franz von Taxis from the house of Thurn and Taxis , a 16th-century postmaster for Philip of Burgundy , and his nephew Johann Baptiste von Taxis, General Postmaster for the Holy Roman Empire . Both instituted fast and reliable postal services (conveying letters, with some post routes transporting people) across Europe. Their surname derives from their 13th-century ancestor Omodeo Tasso . Horse-drawn for-hire hackney carriage services began operating in both Paris and London in

10878-460: Was abandoned. The New Zealand Taxi Federation is the national advocacy group for taxi companies within New Zealand. Most experienced taxi drivers who have been working in the same city or region for a while would be expected to know the most important streets and places where their customers request to go. However, to aid the process of manual navigation and the taxi driver's memory (and

10989-488: Was abetted by the addition of the 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8 from the Hawk family sports car as an option, although this was mainly for Larks intended for police pursuit packages. The bigger news, as far as the general public was concerned, involved the six-cylinder engine. Studebaker's engineers had long known that their little flathead mill, which dated in its basic form to 1939, was falling farther and farther behind

11100-424: Was carried out were picked up by Curtiss, Packard production in Detroit was stopped and all remaining automotive efforts were shifted to South Bend. The Packards (for 1957 and 1958) were essentially Studebaker Presidents with a redesigned Front Clip using Packard Parts and redesigned interior and tail of the car also using Packard Parts. The vehicles were referred to as "Packardbakers". The final Packard rolled off

11211-518: Was carried out. Non-Cruiser sedans and the two-door hardtop received a squared-off roofline, and a new front end design gave the Lark a broader grille and the availability of quad headlamps (as standard equipment on Regal and Cruiser models, optional on Deluxes). Although the styling was modified, engineering enhancements were the big news for 1961, as the Larks received a performance boost. Studebaker advertised as "the compact with Performability," and this

11322-468: Was considerably more dire than Nance and his team were led to believe; Studebaker's break-even point was an unreachable 282,000 cars at a time when the company had barely sold 82,000 cars in 1954. Furthering the new company's problems was the loss of about 30% of Studebaker's dealer network by 1956. Studebaker-Packard tried a company reorganization in which Studebaker took the part of the volume and commercial car and truck seller from South Bend while Packard

11433-440: Was fitted in the glove box compartment on most models. Just in case anyone would forget that Studebaker's glove box contained the vanity feature, the fronts were adorned with the word "Vanity" in golden script. Aside from the Avanti , the biggest product news for Studebaker in 1963 was the introduction of the novel sliding-roof Wagonaire . Designed by Stevens, the Wagonaire was perhaps the greatest advance in station wagons since

11544-425: Was given heavy promotion as a sensibly sized luxury car. The brochures referred to it as "America's First and Only Limousette." To separate it from the Lark, Studebaker eliminated the "Lark" lettering from the front fenders and added fancier side trim. Inside, buyers could choose luxurious broadcloth upholstery, lending credence to Studebaker's luxury push for the Cruiser. The Daytona line was expanded for 1963, adding

11655-528: Was one of the organizers of the first Yellow Taxicab Company in New York. Electric battery-powered taxis became available at the end of the 19th century. In London, Walter Bersey designed a fleet of such cabs and introduced them to the streets of London on 19 August 1897. They were soon nicknamed 'Hummingbirds' due to the idiosyncratic humming noise they made. In the same year in New York City,

11766-683: Was presumably right, dealer resistance against the Clipper as a new entry in the intermediate field was big. Dealers complained that the only thing that allowed them to sell Clippers was the prestige, though declining, of the Packard name on the car itself. Following a disastrous sales year in 1956, Nance resigned and Studebaker-Packard entered a management agreement with the Curtiss-Wright Corporation . Curtiss, led by Roy T. Hurley, insisted on major changes. All of Studebaker-Packard's defense contracts and plants where defense work

11877-482: Was that the combined Studebaker-Packard company would join a combined Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company in an all-new four-marque American Motors Corporation . Had the complicated set of combinations gone through as planned, the new company would have immediately surpassed the Chrysler Corporation to become the third of America's " Big Three " automobile manufacturers. However,

11988-574: Was the Commander Special, which combined the low-priced Commander two-door sedan with the interior of the sporty Daytona. A good value for the money, it proved mildly popular and would serve as the basis for another model in 1965. Under the hood, all of the R-series engines were discontinued, although R-series engines continued to be assembled and sold by Paxton Products until 1967 when the necessary parts were no longer available. Engines for

12099-791: Was the impetus for the Blackburn Riots . The modern taximeter was invented and perfected by a trio of German inventors; Wilhelm Friedrich Nedler, Ferdinand Dencker and Friedrich Wilhelm Gustav Bruhn . The Daimler Victoria—the world's first motorized-powered taximeter-cab—was built by Gottlieb Daimler in 1897 and began operating in Stuttgart in June 1897. Gasoline-powered taxicabs began operating in Paris in 1899, in London in 1903, and in New York in 1907. The New York taxicabs were initially imported from France by Harry N. Allen, owner of

12210-413: Was the most mainstream looking Studebakers since 1946. The Hawk-like grille of 1962-63 gave way to a full-width, stamped aluminum grille and squared-off headlamp surrounds. Stevens flattened the hood, roofline and trunklid, and reworked the tail panel to incorporate new horizontal taillamps and backup lamps, all the while ingeniously retaining the sculpted quarter panels introduced in 1962, which still suited

12321-473: Was to re-occupy the luxury market - one of Nance's targets since he took over Packard's presidency in 1952. The gap in between was filled by a new make, the Clipper . Technically, it was a lighter Packard, built in Detroit alongside the senior cars. The next generation of cars would have to be concentrated on one location, and there was a detailed program for sharing as much sheet metal as possible. Although Nance

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