Taxi! The History of NYC’s Iconic Yellow Cabs

The history of New York City’s iconic yellow cabs is traced through their cultural role and the transition away from the last Crown Victoria taxi fleets. The article notes that, about two years earlier, the final holdouts for the Crown Victoria taxicab stopped operating, ending medallions tied to the classic model and making way for “the taxi of tomorrow.” It describes how the yellow Ford taxi has long appeared across popular culture, including TV shows such as Seinfeld and Law & Order, and became a recognizable backdrop in New York stories. The replacement plan, according to the article, involved minivans from Ford, Nissan, and Chrysler, though it argues that a yellow Toyota Sienna would not fit movie-set expectations. The piece cites the timing as “two years ago,” positioning the change as a major shift in NYC’s street identity.