Checker taxi

Maurice Markin, a Chicago tailor, became the owner of the Markin Automobile Body company, which he received in payment of a debt of $ 15,000. Markin Automobile Body manufactured car bodies for Commonwealth Motors , which sold cars under the Mogul brand.

Soon, Commonwealth Motors was on the verge of bankruptcy, however, it had a contract for the supply of cars with Checker Taxi (a private taxi company from Chicago, which at that time had nothing to do with Markin). Markin decided to get a contract with Checker Taxi by combining his company Markin Automobile Body with Commonwealth Motors.

Inspired by John Hertz , who created the taxi company in Chicago in 1910 (later called the Yellow Cab Company ), Markin gradually began to buy up Checker Taxi in 1924, gaining full control of the company in 1937. Markin follows Hertz’s business plan by introducing uniform rates and uniforms for taxi drivers.

In the 1920s, fierce competition broke out between Markin and Hertz companies. The situation escalated after an incendiary bomb was thrown at Markin's house. Following this incident, Markin decides to relocate Checker Taxi to Kalamazoo , Michigan .

Checker Taxi became the first company to hire black drivers . Markin sold Checker Cab to Eret Loban Kord , but bought it back in 1936. Goertz sold his stake in Yellow Cab to Markin, who soon acquired one third of Parmalee, thus gaining control of both Parmalee and Yellow Cab.

In 1964, New York State accused Markin and Checker of violating antitrust laws . The charges were based on the fact that Markin owns the largest taxi company and a company producing cars, thereby hampering the purchase of taxi cars from other manufacturers.

The last Marathon cab was made in 1982, after which Checker stopped producing cars. The company began to produce parts for General Motors until January 2009, when it was declared bankruptcy ^[1] .