I very rarely take taxicabs outside large cities. Most smaller metro areas in the US are so spread out, with little public transportation, that it would be very expensive and inconvenient to "cab it" everywhere. Here in Richmond, for example, many of our large corporations are located in the far west end, 20-25 miles from the airport which is east of the city. At $2.50 per mile for a metered cab, that's more expensive than a short-term rental car.