• The Mandarin term “德士” is the transliteration of the English term “taxi”.
• Engine-driven taxis emerged in Singapore as early as the 1920s, and the 1930s saw the rise of Yellow Top taxis. To avoid disputes between passengers and taxi drivers over fares, all taxis in Singapore were required to install fare meters from 1953 onwards.

The National Taxi Association and taxi operators will jointly make a proposal to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to explore creative ideas to allow taxi drivers to provide delivery services. (Shin Min Daily News, 2/8/2017)

出租车 (Mainland China), 出租汽车 (Mainland China), 的士 (Mainland China, Hong Kong), 计程车 (Mainland China, Taiwan)

In the 1950s and 1960s, “pirate taxis” plagued the industry. These illegal cars for hire, commonly known as “霸王车” in Mandarin, touted their services at the expense of their licensed counterparts. It was not until the 1970s that the Government introduced a series of measures to clamp down on them.