Just like the Statue of Liberty, the yellow taxi-cabs of New York are an icon of

the city and even the USA. There are thousands of yellow taxi-cabs in New York City
and millions of people use them yearly.
The New York yellow taxi-cabs are the only vehicles in the city that can pick up
passengers from the street. When a pedestrian wants to take one they ‘hail’ one by
raising their arm and ‘flagging it down’. The cabs have three lights on the roof.
When the cab is empty and available the centre light is on. When no lights are on
the cab has a passenger and when the off-duty light is on the cab is off-duty. Each
taxi cab has several drivers who work 8 hours a day each and the cabs are in
service almost non-stop 365 days a year.
The yellow taxi-cabs are a great way to get from place to place and are not very
expensive. They bring passengers right to their doorstep and you don’t have to
wait in queues for one. The average fare for a ride is about $6 and passengers who
are happy with the service usually give the driver a tip.
New Yorkers both love and hate their yellow cabs because they are cheap and
convenient, but they often cause traffic jams and make noise. For good or bad, they
are truly a part of the life and culture of the city and are here to stay.