Black car service in New York City grew out of the corporate car services that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s to serve banks, law firms, media companies and other businesses. Instead of hailing yellow cabs, companies set up accounts with car services that dispatched black sedans — for decades mostly Lincoln Town Cars — on voucher billing. The city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) came to license these operations as “black car” bases, distinct from yellow taxis and neighborhood livery services. The industry later evolved with the end of the Town Car, the arrival of app-based ride-hail and today’s premium chauffeured services.

At a glance
Origins Corporate car services, 1970s–1980s
Signature vehicle Black Lincoln Town Car (until 2011)
Billing Corporate accounts and vouchers rather than cash
Regulator NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission
Today Pre-booked sedans and SUVs, including app-dispatched

Why corporate car services grew

In the 1970s, New York’s yellow cabs were hard to find at night and in bad weather, and businesses wanted reliable transportation for employees working late, traveling to airports and meeting clients. Car services offered pre-arranged pickups, account billing and more consistent vehicles and drivers.

The black car identity

To distinguish themselves from yellow taxis and neighborhood car services, corporate fleets used black luxury sedans, and “black car” became both a description and a category. Read why black cars are black.

TLC licensing

The TLC regulates for-hire vehicles through licensed bases. Black car bases are generally those whose work comes mainly from corporate accounts and non-cash payment. Drivers and vehicles must be TLC-licensed. Read the history of the NYC TLC and the Black Car Fund.

The Town Car era

For roughly 30 years, the Lincoln Town Car was the default black car — durable, roomy and inexpensive to run. When production ended in 2011, fleets moved to the Lincoln MKT, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Suburban and premium European sedans. Read the Lincoln Town Car NYC livery era.

The app revolution

Uber began in 2010 in San Francisco as a service for booking black cars through a smartphone app, and it entered New York by registering as a black car base. App-based services transformed the for-hire market. Read Uber’s black car origins.

Black car service today

Today, pre-booked black car service focuses on reliability and experience: fixed quotes, flight tracking, professional chauffeurs and premium vehicles. It serves both New York City and the surrounding region, including New Jersey. Read what is a black car service and see our airport transfer service.