The Black Cab and The Knowledge

When most people think of Tachographs, they think about their two most obvious implications. One is their use in lorrys and trucks, and the other is their use in taxis.

The UK has long been synonymous with the “Hackney Carriage”, or Black cab. While usually associated with London, they are actually spread up and down the country. They have been moving people around for decades, but there is more going on with them than meets the eye.

The TX4 is the current iteration of the black cab, first being rolled out by the London Taxi Company in 2007. It’s style roots harken all the way back to it’s ancestor, the Austin FX3, first put into production in 1949. Between these cars, there has only been 3 other updates to the original. Considering the speed car companies turf out new models now, this level of reservedness is uncommon.

The cars themselves, mechanically at least, aren’t anything special. But they are built to specifications that very few other cars are subjected to. For example, in order to pass the taxi equivalent of an MOT, said to be 3 times stricter than the standard test, a taxi must –

• Have tires that will last at least a year (until the next test) or they will fail
• Have a turning circle of 25ft, to deal with the narrow streets of the capital
• Have enough room in the back to accommodate for bowler hats
• Be accessible for wheelchair users

Most taxis are driver owned and ran, so they are essentially businesses all to themselves. But all London cab drivers must pass the infamous test, known as “The Knowledge”, in order to become a licenced taxi driver.

Would-be cab drivers are required to learn a number of routes within a 6 mile radius of Charing Cross station, and must be able to navigate to anywhere within this radius without the use of a map, a satnav or outside help. The training, usually done on scooters with clipboards attached to the handlebars, give the driver an innate knowledge of London and it’s various attractions.The test takes on average 3 years of training, and 12 attempts, to pass. It was first introduced in 1865, and has only changed to accommodate the increased number of streets in the 100+ years since its inception.

So in a trade that hasn’t updated it’s test or it’s vehicles much in the past century, what could the future bring? Well there are five hydrogen fueled TX4s currently in operation in the capital, first introduced to ferry visiting dignitaries to and from the London Olympic Games in 2012. They have a range of 250 miles, and can be refueled, usually at the hydrogen refueling station at Heathrow airport, in 5 minutes. Usually a stubborn brand, the London Taxi Company now seem willing to embrace new technologies, and that may lead to them updating their model more than once every 20 years!

Image credits: Wikipedia.org