Formalized horse-drawn taxi services range back to
1640. However, taxicab companies came to flourish around
the world in the early 20th century after the introduction of
the automobile. The taximeter was invented in the late 1940s,
at the same time that two-way radios facilitated the operation
of taxi services and combined the individual taxicab into
cooperated units with the advantage of being able to communicate
with and serve customers more efficiently. The
next major innovation occurred in the 1980s with electronic
communication and payment systems. The officially recognized
and certified taxi services improved not only the
mobility for tourists, but also provided reliable and safe transportation.