1994 The longest taxi ride
Taxicab driver Jeremy Levine returned to London, England, from a round-trip journey to Cape Town, South Africa, on this day. Passengers Mark Aylett and Carlos Aresse paid 40,000 pounds, or approximately $65,000, for the 21,691-mile trip, setting a world record for the longest known taxicab ride. The route, through Eastern Europe, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and down into Africa, was recently adopted by the Historic Endurance Rallying Organization for their London to Cape Town Classic Reliability Trial. The race, held for the first time in 1998, is a competitive event for all types of classic and historic cars made before 1978. Divided into six age categories, from vintage to '70s, the event challenges racers to brave demanding terrain and conditions as they witness some of the most dramatic and breathtaking scenery in the world.