Abstract
One form of public transport- the taxicab- offers the quality and flexibility of service which even those of limited means find well worth the price. As a consequence, fleet taxicabs serve almost 40% more passengers than all U.S. rapid transit systems and about 60% as many passengers as all bus transit systems. Removal of archaic and restrictive regulations governing the number and use of taxicabs in major U.S. cities would promote more effective and widespread use of this, the only form of public transit that still operates- at a profit- without public subsidy.