click to enlarge Chicken-Fried News: Cab death
Ingvard Ashby

There are few businesses and buildings left in Oklahoma City from the 1930s, thanks to overeager city planners during urban renewal. The latest venerable loss for the city was not by way of bulldozer, but rather with the unlocking of a cell phone.

After 75 years in business, Yellow Cab Co. of Oklahoma abruptly announced its closure March 24 with a statement on its website and left employees to find out they were out of jobs with a sign on the door.

For most people, traditional taxicabs have been replaced by ride-sharing mobile phone apps like Uber and Lyft. Chicken-Fried News says good riddance to Yellow Cab. Who needs bonded drivers that have gone through a thorough background check when a teacher working a side hustle can drive you around?

We find that it is much safer to get from point A to point B when we have got a driver that is worried about paying for health care or is still tired from their day job because it means the passenger has to stay alert as well. What is better than one set of eyes on the road? How about two?

Yellow Cab Co. began operations in Oklahoma City in 1930, and it might as well still have been operating by horse-drawn carriage as far as we’re concerned. What do you mean I have to call to get a ride? Our anxiety is too high to have unnecessary phone interactions, especially when you can book through an app.

We welcome the future because it’s inevitable that Uber and Lyft will one day use autonomous vehicles and we can get back to not having to pay attention while we’re in the car.

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