Ford Transit Connect Taxi approved for NYC cab duty
Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Ford
New York City's post-Crown-Victoria future is becoming clearer. It was nearly a year ago that the selection of the future NYC yellow taxi was narrowed to three: the Nissan NV200, Ford Transit Connect Taxi and the Turkish entry, the Karsan V1. And although the Karsan was the people's choice, the Nissan NV200 was chosen as the official livery chariot for the next ten years.
Interestingly, even though the NV200 has 'official' status, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) can approve other vehicles for the fleet, and that's just what they've gone and done with the Transit Connect Taxi. That means that taxi companies can choose to add the yellow, 2.0-liter gas-powered van to their stables if they choose (and presumably their upcoming CNG and EV models as well). The approval opens another door to the Transit's by-the-mile transit victories, joining to Boston, Philadelphia and Orlando and California. Also of note is that it joins another Ford product that received the nod in New York - the Taurus.
There's a press release after the jump with more information. No word on whether the folks from Turkey can expect similar news anytime soon.
Continue reading Ford Transit Connect Taxi approved for NYC cab duty
Ford Transit Connect Taxi approved for NYC cab duty originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsCab Cannonball? Men take taxi ride from New York to Los Angeles [w/video]
Filed under: SUV, Etc., Videos, Ford, Specialty
Men take taxi ride from New York to Los Angeles - Click above to watch the video after the jump
We've taken a couple crazy cab rides in our lifetime, but we've never paid up for a ride that took us from New York to Los Angeles. John Belitsky and his buddy Dan Wuebben have done the deed, though, with cabbie Mohammed Alam providing the yellow Ford Escape taxi. The cost? $5,000. The media attention from paying a cabbie five grand to take you cross country? Priceless.
If you're thinking that this sounds like the script to a movie, Belitsky is probably thinking the same thing. CNN reports that the investment banker and son of a cab driver is heading to Hollywood to pitch the story as a movie idea, adding "we're going to take it to some movie people when we get there and see what happens."
We're all for a good (and we stress "good") road trip movie, but we're more impressed with the fact that Belitsky was able to convince a cab driver to take the fare in the first place. The traveling pair reportedly asked more than a few cabbies if they were up for the journey, but only Alam was interested in risking the hefty fare. But even at $5,000, Belitsky got off easy on the trip. We're guessing the trip would have cost at least three times as much if the meter were actually running, and the cab driver still had to get his Escape all the way back to the Big Apple.
Hit the jump to watch a WBIR video report about the trio's momentous road trip.
[Source: CNN]
Continue reading Cab Cannonball? Men take taxi ride from New York to Los Angeles [w/video]
Cab Cannonball? Men take taxi ride from New York to Los Angeles [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSurprise! New York cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids
Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Work, Ford
If it weren't for the somewhat obsessive and frankly narrow-minded love by taxi drivers and police officers for the body-on-frame Ford Crown Victoria, we'd imagine the old Panther platform would have been put out to pasture a very long time ago. As it stands, though, New York cabbies especially seem hell-bent on keeping it around on life support as long as possible.
Interestingly, though, a report from USA Today suggests that cab drivers make more money when operating a Crown Vic than any other automobile, and that supposedly includes hybrids. According to John Shaban, a 27-year-old cab driver, "I don't like the hybrids... Mechanics charge an arm and a leg for them."
Could it be that customers inherently prefer the Crown Vic? Shaban believes so, saying, "People wait for the Crown Vic because it's roomier. They're more likely to get in." Regardless, that's all set to change soon as Ford finally discontinues its long-running rear-wheel-drive people mover. It's expected to be replaced with - you guessed it - a hybrid or some other fuel efficient alternative.
[Source: USA Today | Image: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty]
Surprise! New York cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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