Unlike other cabs riding in the streets of European cities, Adams models in London were equipped by taximeter, a fare register or, simply put, a counter. It is this device that later gave birth to the name of vehicles featuring chequered design. Some people say that Taxis was the surname of a person who organized chargeable transportation of mail across Europe in the 15th century. However, the private carrier historical and etymologic dictionary does not confirm it. Anyway, the idea of measuring covered distance in terms of money came about in ancient Rome. Some carts were equipped with a bronze bowl attached to the axle, and a stone would fall into it after every 100 stadiums covered. Thus it would be logical to consider the bowl used in the time of Caligula and conquest of Carthage the first taximeter.
