Minsk taxi: history and contemporaneity

The Agency “Minsk Taxi” solemnly has celebrated become round date – Hundred of years of its noble activity. It’s more exact date of the holiday - an August 20. Truth, this most day was signified as first car accident on Minsk streets too. Six-sittings passenger "Mercedes", belonged to minchanin Ivan Fedorov, during first trip slammed into in telegraph pole on street Podgornaya, in that place, where this street steeply comes down to Svisloch-river (presently, this quarter str. Marks between str.Krasnoarmeyskaya and Ya. Kupala). One of the passenger of the car died. So the debut of Minsk Taxi turned out to be extremely unlucky.

However, this has not repulsed the enterprising auto-owners from tempting idea. Known that at January 1913 in Minsk was two taxi-cars - "Ford", belonged to E.R.ARANOVICH, and "Mercedes", belonged to Neusyhin and Ciperovich. Parking for taxi was placed beside entry in Aleksandrovskiy garden, near by town theatre.

The First stop taxi.

Already six taxis went on Minsk in 1916-th - german "Opel" and "Mercedes", french "Darrak" and american "Ford" and "Oldsmobil".

Taxi remained exotic thing in soviet Minsk for a long time. Coachmans remained much habitly - as far back as 1930-m their numbered more than one hundred. However known that in the same year two stops existed in city for taxi - beside buildings of the railway station and beside former hotel "Europe". According to state tariff 1925, the rate for trip was equal 50 kopecks/versta (1 versta = 1,06678 km, 1 english mile = 1,609 km).

The June 30 1934 Mingorsovet (Minsk City Soviet) has got from plant-producer 5 newcomers taxi GAS-A - a soviet variant of american "Ford-But". It was five-sittings phaeton with 40-strong engine, simple and unpretentious machine. From usual "GAS" taxi differed only bulky box of the taximeter, located near by driver. Stop for machines were created on railway station, area of the Liberty, beside Park of the Culture and Rest and on area of SHmidt. However in realities taxi have begun to leave on line only two years after.

The uniform tariff was installed In 1936 for taxi on the whole USSR: 80 kopecks/kilometer at day time; 1 rouble 20 kopecks/kilometer - at day time for city and at night time (within city and for city); 6 roubles - a hour of the idle time. As to machines themselves, that February 20 1938 in Minsk on change outdated "GAS" arrived 20 cars GAZ-M1 (in vernacular "M-ka"), however taxi of them become only five - rest "ed" on different governmental address. Except them, in city was also three enormous taxis-limousine ZIS-101 (we shall compare to Moscow: in same year 2740 taksi-"emok" and 55 ZIS). No change from usual machines, with the exclusion of taximeter and flag with inscription "Taxi is free", they had not (so "M-ki's" with band "taxi" on board, shown in tv-serial "Master and Margarita" - a fantasy of the stage manager). The Conditions of the trip, in differ of opened GAS-А, in "M-ki" and ZISs were much more comfortly. Single stop in city took seats on area of the Liberty, in that place, where she is found presently.

In 1947 in Minsk was created bus-taximotors park, from which March 16 1954-th stood out taximotors. It took seats on the base of 1-st bus park on Dachniy avenue (now str. Mayakovskiy). Director was a former officer-armorer Trofim Platonovich DUBINA. Three taxi-cars whole were in 1947-th in Minsk.

After War (more exactly, in 1948-th) to main functions taxi in USSR have alterred by sawing to storied "Victory" GAZ-M20. Taksi-"Victory" differed from usual machines by colour (the white top, gray bottom; in the second half 50-th their have begun to dye in colour miscellaneous), band “checkers” on basket, dermont by upholstery of the sittings and "green light".

The Taxi "Victory" on Stalin avenue.

Since 1957 radio stations ARS-2 appeared on machine that allowed the driver quickly to with traffic manager and execute an order whole for 5-10 minutes. Number taxi was indicated On back wall of the basket. Taxi-cars "Victory" was released 37 492 pieces. The Kilometer of the journey in Minsk in "victory"-car after money reform 1947 cost the one and a half rouble. Apropos, this on 50 kopecks cherish, than in other large city USSR.

At the beginning initially 50-th in Minsk appeared and "elite" taxi - a ZIMs and ZIS-110. Cost of the journey in them was two roubles for kilometer (but in Moscow, for instance, - an one and a half rouble. From usual, the governmental machines ZIM and ZIS-taxi differed by light-gray colour (black-coloured machines appeared later), dermontin upholstery of the sittings instead of velour and, certainly, inflicted in factory condition "checkers"-picture. In 1961 Minsk taxi-park was divided into two, and all ZIMs and ZISes were going to separate branch. Regrettably, fate of these beautiful machines turned out to be unenviable: on measure of the wear-out their wrote off and cut on metal.

In Minsk of 1950-th taxi possible was cause on telephone 2-08-20. Parking the machines were found on the following address: station, hotel "Belarus", GUM, movie-theatre "Victory", Komarovskie forks, Jubilee area, Storozhevka, park CHelyuskincev, Round area. Big popularity beside townsfolk used and cargo taxi. Cost of the journey in they were equal two roubles for kilometer. By The Cargo taxies-car in Minsk were GAZ-51 and ZIS-150, which basket were equiped with high board and pew for passenger. The Top of the booth lorry put on make up in red colour, but on doors were inflicted white "checkers"-logo.

Approximately with 1959-th "Victories", ZIMs and ZISes actively displaced the new machine-taxi - GAZ-21 "Volga". It turned out to be worthy heiress "victories", completely dominated on street USSR on length 60-th and even is presently valued by drivers much high. Rent of the journey in "volga" before January 1961 was 1 rouble, but after money reform - 10 kopecks/kilometer. Volgi"-taxi were painted in colour miscellaneous - from black to light-green, however them, as a rule, possible was easy distinguish in car flow on red roof, because of what they have got the nickname "red hoods". First so dyed taxi after heavy repair, but afterwards red roof became official "form" "volg"-taxi. In feature films "Lucky man", the hero which arrives in Minsk at summer 1969-th, is fine seen that whole Privokzalinaya area is forced only taksi-"red hoods".

The New generation of "volga"-cars, GAZ-24-01, came up for Minsk at the beginning initially 1970-th. Colour for taxi was chose brightly-yellow, orange torch appeared on roof with black "checkers". Later, as from second half 1980-th, "volgi"-taxi-cars appeared of the miscellaneous of the colour, from white to black, but in following decennial event state taximotors enterprises returned to bright colour scheme - present "volga" are painted in dark-yellow colour, close to orange. "Volga" continue to remain "official" Minsk machine-taxi in spite of the fact that they all time suffer change - a model GAZ-24-10 appeared in 1986-th ( differed from previous by black plastic facing the radiator and thumb handle, with bumper disappeared "fangs"), in 1993-rd - GAZ-31029, and in 1998-th - GAZ-3110. However, is not excluded that days "volg"-taxi are over, since at December 2005 production of the passenger cars on Gorikovskii plant was convolute.

Taxi-cars "Volga" are on Lenin avenue.

On length 1970-th and 1980-th taxi used big popularity in Minsk. Truth, springtime 1975 journey has ed from 10 to 20 kopecks/kilometer (idle time - 2 roubles at hour), but in 1983-rd - to 40 kopecks /kilometer, but don't care these price were wholly available usual person. For instance, in 1957-th average trip dispensed in 10 roubles sometime, on length 60-th - a rouble with triviality, but in 1976-th - two roubles with triviality. Not surprising that on stop taxi were formed up enormous queue not machines, as presently, but clients, impatiently awaiting free taxi.

"Realignment" and decay USSR have inflicted on taxi heavy blow - a price have jumped in groups of ten and hundreds times, amount trip grew shorter before minimums. The Quotient taxi and taxi from another countries came up for Minske for the first time with prerevolutionary timeses. However gradually, by the end of 1990-th, taxi of our city coped with crisis and is now presented by whole gamma of the services, whose telephones already become for Minsk-people accustomed - 001, 006, 007, 052, 057, 084. State companies works too (061 and 081). However, on the whole visibility, "golden timeses" of 1970-th, when taxi used and oldman, and yangman, already is not returned - usually on stop possible to observe long "tails" taxi, longing for in expectation of clients. Presently on Minsk streets it's possible to meet the taxi whichever marks - from traditional yellow "Volga" to enormous jeep "Nissan" and minivan "Kraysler".

Even aging "Volga" GAZ-21 met one time. But most of all second-hand cars 15-20-year old from another countries. The Taxi can be most miscellaneous colour, but with 2003 all Minsk taxis carry on board yellow band with black "checkers"-logo.

Since 2007 all of taxi-machines has yellow number.