A hackney or hackney carriage (also called a cab, black cab, hack or London taxi) is a carriage or car for hire.
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A Hackney carriage is more commonly known as a taxi. A hackney carriage is permitted to stand at a taxi rank or it can be hailed on the street or location that they are licensed to operate in. A licensed hackney carriage can undertake pre-booked journeys and do not need to work through a private hire operator.
Traditionally referred to as 'Hackney carriages', London's black cabs may be famous throughout the world for their colour and elegant old-fashioned chassis design but, essentially, they operate like and serve the same purpose as taxis anywhere else on the planet.
Black taxis & private hire - the differenceBlack taxis are purpose-built vehicles which can be any colour, not just black. Private hire vehicles cover a wide range of vehicles, including minicabs, chauffeur and executive cars and limousines.
Tipping taxi driversIt is polite to tip 10 to 15% of the taxi fare for black cabs and licensed minicabs in London. However, most people simply round up the fare to the nearest £1 and tell the driver to keep the change.
Yes, you can hail a London black taxi in the street and pay the driver in cash at the end of your journey. Most cabs also accept credit and debit cards now.
London taxi drivers are licensed and must have passed an extensive training course (the Knowledge). Unlike many other cities, the number of taxicab drivers in London is not limited.
You may be wondering how a cab driver, and cab company, make money. It does vary based on who owns the vehicle, how they have their business set up, and a variety of factors. But for the most part, a cab company owns the vehicle.
Hack is short for hackney (from the Middle English hakeney), which at one time described a horse of average size, used for regular riding—as distinct from stronger horses used for hauling or in war. Such horses were often let out for hire to pull a coach or cab.
5. Black cab. The famous London taxis are actually called 'hackney carriages' but in London we just call them 'black cabs/taxis'. London taxi drivers have to pass a special exam called the Knowledge to get their license so if you take a black cab, you can be sure the driver will know the way.