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It is often believed that successful cities depend on efficient public transportation working in conjunction with other sustainable travel options. Among the sustainable travel options, local taxi services tops the list. It is an individual, mostly door-to-door micro transit service, offered to the extremely busy public of the city predominantly at a local level. By the very nature of their service, a local taxi is an essential part of urban mobility puzzle. The Evolution of the Industry The industry has a long history and has been around since the 1600's when the horse and buggy were used to transport individuals in Paris. Mainly, taxis were invented to provide easy travel solutions to the working class people who either had limited transportation options or a need to ride in style without having to drive it themselves. Although the concept of the taxi originated in the 1600s, it wasn't until the later 1800 and early 1900 that the trend carried over to the US and other countries. However, majorly the trend gained ground only after the mass development of the automobile sector and when people started to see an opportunity to loan-out automobiles to create competition for the horse and buggy industry, in which they ultimately succeeded. An interesting fact is that the first local taxi that came in the market was battery-operated, in which the batteries weighed around 800 pounds. Need for Local Taxi Services Taxi transportation is important not only because of its last mile service provision facility, but it also forms the complementary public transportation and an alternative to private cars. Further, keeping in mind the busy lifestyles of people and increased traffic on the road, Taxi transportation also provides the missing link between mass public transport and end-destination. Today, no metropolis can be imagined without a taxi system. Though personal minibus vehicles are always considered as the best mode for the point-to-point connectivity as they provide comfort and flexibility, they come with the hassle of ownership cost, congestion, toll fees, non-availability of parking and high parking fees. This is not the case with the local minibus with driver. Hence, the service has a lot of scope in the market since it meets the day-to-day transportation needs of the customers. There are companies which allow its users to book the local minibus taxis through their website and mobile application and help solve their transportation and commuting need to a large extent. The system has evolved beyond imagination. People can book a cab anytime of the day, any place and that too in a jiffy, using their smart phones. Mobile Apps have revolutionized the way taxi services are being consumed.
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