How New York’s Famous Checker Marathon Became One of the Toughest Cars Ever Built

The boxy yellow cab that became synonymous with New York City was never known for sleek styling. But the Checker Marathon, which first appeared on American streets decades ago and remained in service into the late 1990s, built a reputation as one of the toughest and most reliable automobiles in U.S. history.

The story of Checker Motors begins with Morris Markin, an immigrant from the Russian Empire. Born in Smolensk in 1893 into a large Jewish family, Markin arrived in the United States in 1912 with little money and hopes for a better life.

After starting out as a tailor in Chicago, he eventually purchased the shop where he worked. During World War I, a lucrative government contract to produce uniforms for the U.S. Army made him wealthy enough to pursue a new venture.

In 1921, Markin loaned $15,000—roughly equivalent to more than $260,000 today—to his acquaintance Abe Lomberg, who operated a small taxi-building and repair business. When Lomberg failed to repay the debt, Markin took ownership of the company. His business methods were often described as ruthless, reflecting the rough climate of Chicago at the time. After surviving an assassination attempt, Markin decided to move operations to neighboring Michigan.

By the mid-1920s, Checker was producing between 3,500 and 4,000 vehicles annually at its factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Markin also expanded into the taxi business itself, acquiring fleets in Illinois, Michigan and New York. In 1922, he purchased the assets of Handley-Knight and began building purpose-designed cabs under the Checker name. The arrangement created a unique business model, with Markin serving as both automaker and owner of a major taxi network.

The Great Depression dealt a severe blow to the company. Facing financial difficulties, Markin sold Checker Motors to industrialist Errett Cord. But when Cord's empire ran into trouble in the mid-1930s, Markin seized the opportunity to buy his company back at a steep discount.

Around the same time, Checker introduced the Model A, designed by famed stylist Raymond Dietrich. Its unusual proportions and towering roofline were so unconventional that newspapers quickly nicknamed it the “Ugly Duckling.”

Beneath the quirky exterior, however, was a highly practical and exceptionally durable machine. The Model A featured a spacious body and a dependable 226-cubic-inch Continental inline-six producing 85 horsepower. That rugged flathead engine would remain a hallmark of Checker vehicles for the next quarter century.

Production of the Model A was cut short when the United States entered World War II and Checker, like many American manufacturers, shifted to military contracts.

The company returned to automobile production in 1947 with the new Checker A2. While the mechanical package changed little, the styling became more conservative, adopting design cues similar to contemporary Pontiac models. That approach helped lay the foundation for what would eventually become one of America's most recognizable and long-lasting taxi fleets.