New Yorks New Taxi

a1ex2001 · 4 May 2011 at 15:42

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13276404

First I was appaled that they are destroying the yellow cab icon with the inroduction of a mini van then I read the bit about the massive improvement in fuel economy this new breed will manage 25mpg and the mayor of New York thinks it's revolutionary!

Get in there quick for those toursit pictures of a New York Cab!

merlin · 4 May 2011 at 15:46

If they think 25mpg is ok then why not buy a fleet of Subaru Impreza's and really get the tourists in?

zetec452 · 4 May 2011 at 15:47

It is about time. The crown vics are terrible on petrol, but yet it is all the cabbies drive here. No wonder it costs a small fortune for a cab.

.

The new cab is very ugly but practical. I can't imagine Ford are too happy at losing out on the deal.

zetec452 · 4 May 2011 at 15:47

merlin said:
If they think 25mpg is ok then why not buy a fleet of Subaru Impreza's and really get the tourists in?

They are probably quoting 25 US MPG?

dwarf · 4 May 2011 at 15:51

merlin said:
If they think 25mpg is ok then why not buy a fleet of Subaru Impreza's and really get the tourists in?

SoliD · 4 May 2011 at 15:51

a1ex2001 said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13276404

First I was appaled that they are destroying the yellow cab icon with the inroduction of a mini van then I read the bit about the massive improvement in fuel economy this new breed will manage 25mpg and the mayor of New York thinks it's revolutionary!

Get in there quick for those toursit pictures of a New York Cab!

But are they talking about 25mpg through New Yorks traffic, which I would expect is a huge improvement over the existing Crown Vics. Remember it is constant stop start, certainly wouldn't manage anywhere near 25mpg in it in most cars I would suspect.

mikeyholt · 4 May 2011 at 15:52

I'll certainly miss the Crown Victorias and the Grand Marquis'.

I still think sedans are better for taxis.

a1ex2001 · 4 May 2011 at 15:52

JonRohan said:
They are probably quoting 25 US MPG?

Even then 30 mpg is hardly worth bragging about for an urban vehicle in this day and age.

PMKeates · 4 May 2011 at 15:58

It's a bit of a shame, really. It's an icon of the city that will be lost.

a1ex2001 said:
Even then 30 mpg is hardly worth bragging about for an urban vehicle in this day and age.

It's pretty good for a taxi, actually?

grudas · 4 May 2011 at 16:02

same as removing london cabs..

a1ex2001 · 4 May 2011 at 16:04

PMKeates said:
It's a bit of a shame, really. It's an icon of the city that will be lost.It's pretty good for a taxi, actually?

or in this case a mini van disguised as a taxi. For such a big contract it just seems totally underwhelming and not very ambitious at all, I'd be very disapointed if they swapped the London Cab for a generic mini van and used a manufacturers claim of 30 mpg as part of the justification.

neoboy · 4 May 2011 at 16:08

Sure old taxis were rather terrible with "gas" but these things are iconic.

a1ex2001 · 4 May 2011 at 16:20

neoboy said:
Sure old taxis were rather terrible with "gas" but these things are iconic.

I'm sure they could have got something that kept the iconic image and improved the 'gas' situation just as much without going for some horribly generic mini van.

woodpigeon4 · 4 May 2011 at 16:24

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged the Nissan NV200's boxy form evokes suburbia, but he said the yellow paint would give it the iconic New York touch."

No it won't, it looks stupid. Why not just do what we did with the black cabs and introduce new models that are similar in looks to the older ones, but more efficent? Removing crown vic style cabs will remove one of new york's most famous icons.

PMKeates · 4 May 2011 at 16:35

a1ex2001 said:
or in this case a mini van disguised as a taxi. For such a big contract it just seems totally underwhelming and not very ambitious at all, I'd be very disapointed if they swapped the London Cab for a generic mini van and used a manufacturers claim of 30 mpg as part of the justification.

I agree, I think it looks rubbish. There would have been a number of options for improving the Crown Vic's economy.

BUT, and this is a big BUT

There was virtually nothing that could be done in terms of making the Crown Vic or any other sedan handicap-friendly. We were fortunate in London that the black cab design is of proportions that make getting a wheelchair in possible. The Crown Vic simply isn't, hence why all of these are basically vans. The van shape also makes it easier for buggies, suitcases and whatever else people may be dragging with them.

The reality is that for New Yorkers the practicality of the cab is more important than the looks. They see them every day and really couldn't care less. Same for me and the black cab - in fact, I don't particularly like them, and wish they would all explode. They are crashy, noisy, uncomfortable and any mainstream-manufacturer car is a superior passenger experience. I <3 getting in to an Addison Lee S-MAX rather than a black cab.

woodpigeon4 said:
Removing crown vic style cabs will remove one of new york's most famous icons.

Reality is the Crown Vic isn't all that fit for purpose.

woodpigeon4 · 4 May 2011 at 16:50

PMKeates said:
I agree, I think it looks rubbish. There would have been a number of options for improving the Crown Vic's economy.

BUT, and this is a big BUT

There was virtually nothing that could be done in terms of making the Crown Vic or any other sedan handicap-friendly. We were fortunate in London that the black cab design is of proportions that make getting a wheelchair in possible. The Crown Vic simply isn't, hence why all of these are basically vans. The van shape also makes it easier for buggies, suitcases and whatever else people may be dragging with them.

The reality is that for New Yorkers the practicality of the cab is more important than the looks. They see them every day and really couldn't care less. Same for me and the black cab - in fact, I don't particularly like them, and wish they would all explode. They are crashy, noisy, uncomfortable and any mainstream-manufacturer car is a superior passenger experience. I <3 getting in to an Addison Lee S-MAX rather than a black cab.Reality is the Crown Vic isn't all that fit for purpose.

Doesn't a taxi service for disabled people exist in new york? I'm sure I saw something like that when I was there.

Dureth · 4 May 2011 at 18:33

The fact that a separate taxi service is required shows that the traditional vehicle is unsuitable. Surely when your looking for trade (people to take places) you want to be able to take anyone no matter what disability they may have. A fare is a fare after all.

woodpigeon4 · 4 May 2011 at 19:42

Dureth said:
The fact that a separate taxi service is required shows that the traditional vehicle is unsuitable. Surely when your looking for trade (people to take places) you want to be able to take anyone no matter what disability they may have. A fare is a fare after all.

I realise that, but I'm 99% sure the extra revenue created by tourists who want to travel in a traditional american cab is far in excess of the revenue created by disabled passengers. When I went there, I travelled in a crown vic, but would never have bothered if it was one of those.

SoliD · 4 May 2011 at 19:54

woodpigeon4 said:
I realise that, but I'm 99% sure the extra revenue created by tourists who want to travel in a traditional american cab is far in excess of the revenue created by disabled passengers. When I went there, I travelled in a crown vic, but would never have bothered if it was one of those.

Really? I just got in whatever one turned up there was so many different types, but I went in the middle of winter and getting in anything was a blessing.

griffo_001 · 4 May 2011 at 21:13

A couple of Texan Sheriffs departments are hoarding the last Crown Vic Pursuit cars as they come to the end of their life, they claim there is still nothing better for them :confused: