Both terms are often used interchangeably, with no significant difference in their basic service. The choice between calling it a taxi or a cab is largely a matter of regional or colloquial preference, as they fulfill the same function of providing on-demand transportation services to individuals.”
Key Takeaways
- A taxi is a licensed vehicle that can be hailed on the street or through a dispatch service, while a cab is any vehicle used for hire.
- Taxis are owned by a company or individual, while anyone can own cabs.
- Taxis are more expensive than cabs due to their regulated fares and higher quality standards.
Taxi vs Cab
A taxi can be taken from the street or the road. A specific company can provide a taxi service. Taxis can be of the same color and design. Licenses are strictly checked and followed in a taxi service. A cab needs to be booked. Anyone can own a cab. Cabs can have different colors. There are no strict rules related to a license in a cab service.
Taxis refer to the method of transportation used for travelling from one place to another that can be easily hired by hailing from street sides.
Cabs refer to the method of transportation used for travelling from one place to another that can be easily hired by pre-booking them using different methods.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Taxi | Cab |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Refers to a vehicle for hire that transports passengers to their destination for a fare. | Same as Taxi. |
| Origin | Comes from “taximeter,” the instrument that measures distance to calculate fare. | Comes from “cabriolet,” a light, horse-drawn carriage. |
| Usage | Both terms are widely used interchangeably in most English dialects. | “Cab” might be considered slightly older-fashioned compared to “taxi.” |
What is Taxi?
A taxi refers to a method of transportation used for getting from one place to another. Taxis are a very common type of transportation.
A person can easily get a taxi by hailing or waving them at any of the sides of the street. They are cars of a distinguished color.
All of these things depend on the rules, regulations, and restrictions of different regions and countries. For example, in Mumbai, India, taxis are painted in the colors ‘Black and White’.
Generally, the taxi driver requirements are not very complicated or difficult. To become a legally operating taxi driver, the individual needs to pass specific examinations and tests.
What is Cab?
Cabs are very much similar to taxis. Cabs, too, refer to a method of transportation used for getting from one place to another. And are a common method of transportation too.
There are several different agencies that provide the facility of cabs. Any individual in need of a cab needs to call the agency to book a cab.
Earlier cabs were booked by calling different agencies. There are different apps for the purpose of booking a cab, wherein you need to type in your pickup and drop locations and times, and your car will be there.
Main Differences Between Taxi and Cab
- Taxis can be hired from the street side. Whereas cabs can be hired only by pre-booking.
- The licensing rules and regulations for taxis are more strict in comparison with cabs.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X15300627
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-30973-1_17
Last Updated : 08 March, 2024
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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