The advent of Taxi Cabs in the State of Queensland began about thirty years before the turn of the century. This of course was long before motorised vehicles; in fact, horse drawn taxis had been used in Europe in the early 1800's. Australia adopted the use of them once cities were established, and in the case of Queensland, Brisbane introduced the first horse drawn taxis, which plied through out the city area. These also included Hansom Cabs, a more elaborate type with a closed in cabin for the passengers, having two small front doors and glass windows and their driver sitting high at the back. This type of vehicle was a standard type used in England. Its use was confined mainly for upper class people; such as Luxury motor vehicles which are operated as hire cars nowadays.

It is interesting to note that Hansom Cabs were still being used in Brisbane until 1935, and were emanating from a rank outside the Supreme Court in George Street.

Motor vehicle taxis were introduced into Australia not long after they were put into service in Great Britain and Europe.

FIRST MOTORISED TAXIS

In 1906, Sydney inaugurated motorised taxicabs, followed soon after by the other states including Queensland, in approximately, 1907.

The taxis of the period including a variety of types, with tourers and sedans, the latter were mainly French built Renaults, which were designed as taxis, not unlike the Hansom Cabs. Brisbane had a number of them that plied from the ranks outside Parliament House in Alice Street, and The Supreme Court in George Street. As applied to the Hansom Cabs, the Renaults catered mainly for gentlemen of standing, including Judges, Barristers and other notables. The drivers wore uniforms with leggings, the same as those worn by chauffeurs of horse drawn carriages.

It is worth mentioning at this stage, that each large taxi company had telephones installed in a steel box type cover at city and suburban ranks, direct to the switch control rooms in the city.

Although motor vehicle taxis were being used at the time, horse drawn taxis continued in use in Brisbane until the early 1920's, however, only a few. The country towns still had them a little longer.

The progress through the years included many types of tourers from the 1910 era until the late 1920's, with British and American cars predominating. Makes featured such names as Buick, Dodge, Talbot, Vauxhall, Saxon, Ford, Chandler, Studebaker, Chevrolet, Hupmobile, Whippet Oldsmobile, Marmon, Pontiac, Hudson, Oakland, Erskine, Rugby, Essex and Chrysler.

Sedans were added during the late 1920's and included similar makes of vehicles.

This was the case with all cars being imported into Australia until World War II began. The American cars proved more suitable to Australian motoring conditions especially for taxi work.

General Motors Corporation built thousands in Australia, as did the other American companies including Ford and Chrysler.

Prior to a taxi company being formed in Queensland, owners of taxis simply had signs on the vehicles indicating "For Hire" painted on the side, front and rear.

Prior to 1924, all taxis plied for hire without a means of recording the mileage, other than the driver himself calculating the fare according to how far he drove his passengers. There was a fare scale, however, the driver could charge whatever he thought was nearest to the amount specified. This no doubt, brought about the introduction of meters.

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