City Taxis - Timeline as name disappears after four decades and millions of cab journeys across Sheffield
and live on Freeview channel 276
With a 43-year history and more than 2,000 drivers, City Taxis is one of Sheffield’s most recognisable companies.
Or it was, for the firm has changed its name to Veezu after a buy-out that heralded a new owner and a new era for the cab company.
Here, we go back to where it all began.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad1980 - City Taxis launches with 34 cars and a paper booking system
1988 - Partners with Sheffield City Council to do school runs - some 10m to date
1990 - Two-way radio introduced, “anybody Wincobank?”
1996 - Appointed by Yorkshire Ambulance Service. Completes 2m journeys for them
2003 - Buys City Cars, Alpha Taxis and Regency Cars to create 180-strong fleet with headquarters on City Road
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad2004 - Grows to 250 cars and 25 staff and moves to larger premises at 912 City Road
2005 - Arnie Singh joins as a telephonist. Eventually becomes managing director
2012 - Uber taxi app launches in UK, shakes up the market
2014 - City launches booking app and moves to larger premises on Bold Street, Attercliffe, where it is based today
2015 - Merges with Mercury and fleet grows to 1,400
2016 - Goes on expansion spree to challenge the rise of Uber and 'protect jobs'. Buys A1 and opens first office in Barnsley. Buys Club Taxis and launches office in Chesterfield. Buys Ace Taxis, Barnsley’s second biggest firm in July.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad2019 - Launches electric vehicle trial and City Grab delivery app, to take on Deliveroo. Announces £50m plans to roll out 1,500 electric cars
2021 - Launches City Connect offering chauffeur and executive travel
2023 - Bought by Veezu Group which as 10,000 drivers. Drops terms ‘driver and ‘customer’ as legal challenge looms from self-employed drivers demanding compensation over holiday pay and minimum wage
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.