COMMERCE AND COLOR

Question:
In 1915, John Hertz learned that yellow is the color most easily seen at long distances by the human eye. So when he started his taxi company, he had the cabs all painted yellow– the Yellow Cab Company. In what US city did he start Yellow Cab?

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Answer:
Chicago.

Color choice was only one of Hertz's accomplishments as a cab company owner. He convinced the City of Chicago to invest in traffic lights by installing his own on Michigan Avenue between Randolph and 12th Streets. The resulting improvement in traffic conditions sold the city on expanding this traffic light system. To show its appreciation Chicago reimbursed Hertz for the costs of the lights he had installed.

John Hertz remained in charge of Yellow Cab until 1929 when he left the cab business to start another new venture in the rental car industry. When Hertz left he also took the color yellow which remains a part of the Hertz Rent-a Car logo.