8 ms·

We call them Jitneys or Hacks here in the US. Very common means of transportation in poor areas, but an app makes the same concept hip I guess.

• fubu 12y ago
  In New York City "gipsy cab" is a common term for it.
• Evolved 12y ago
  "Hack" is a slang name for a taxi driver in general not necessarily a gypsy cab. Livery cab might be the term you're looking for.
  • pessimizer 12y ago
    Hack specifically refers to gypsy cabs in many places esp. Baltimore: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-09-15/news/0909150013_1_hack-cabs-guglielmi http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-09-15/news/0909150013_...
    • Evolved 12y ago
      It seems to be prevalent in Baltimore. I couldn't find the "many" places that hacks are common names for illegal cabs. Chicago, Philadelphia and NYC all use hack to refer to legally licensed cabs and they're all much larger cities/metropolitan areas than Baltimore. I think this is why it is much more common to use "hack" to describe a legitimate taxi driver. Thank you for your input.
      • ry0ohki 12y ago
        I am indeed from Baltimore, didn't know it was not widespread.
      • pessimizer 12y ago
        In the 1940s, absolutely. I haven't heard it said out loud except to describe a gypsy cab in my life (not including movies.) I have heard it used to describe the license. I understand that cab drivers have been called hacks, and that of course the term's origin is more general than its current usage. I hear "hack license" but I never hear "hack" as a verb except to refer to doing it illegally. edit: or as an anything but something before the word "license." You've heard a legitimate taxi driver called a hack lately?