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Nissan's NY taxi deal faces court obstacles

Jeffrey N. Ross — Sat, 25 May 2013 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Work, Nissan, Specialty

Nissan scored a big win for itself when the NV200 was named New York City's Taxi of Tomorrow, but the compact van has been under attack ever since. The latest setback for Nissan comes from the New York Supreme Court, which has reportedly ruled the deal between NYC and Nissan is "null, void and unenforceable" since the NV200 is not a hybrid - one of the key parts of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg Taxi of Tomorrow plan.

The NV200 Taxi launches this October. Although Nissan says it is bringing a hybrid version of the van to market in 2015, the New York Supreme Court ruled against Nissan, which opens the door for taxi companies in NYC to drive non-Nissan hybrid vehicles. Despite this setback, it doesn't sound like this ruling will affect the NV200 becoming the official taxi of NYC as a part of the 10-year contract worth an estimated $1 billion.

Nissan's NY taxi deal faces court obstacles originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYC about to get 2,000 more taxis... does it need them?

Chris Tutor — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 17:33:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Work, Earnings/Financials

New York City is looking to add 2,000 more taxis to its streets, which should help transportation-challenged pedestrians hail a cab quicker. Or will it?

NPR asked transport economist Charles Komanoff his opinion of the plan and his take isn't so positive. Sure, he says, 2,000 more cabs should make it easier to get a ride, but more cars means more traffic. And not just more traffic, but more constant traffic. While private cars eventually reach their destinations and park, taxis take up precious road space 24 hours a day. That slows down all traffic including buses, cars, other taxis, etc.

Komanoff estimates the city's traffic would move at least 12-percent slower. You'll be able to catch a cab about 60 seconds faster, but take more time than before to reach your destination. His figures show the slowdown could cost the city about $500 million a year in lost time. Which kinda negates the one-time $1 billion the city expects to make from auctioning the 2,000 new cab licenses.

But the plan to add more cabs is being held up by a lawsuit. Not by residents afraid of getting around town slower, but by the cabbies themselves. More cabs equals more competition.

In the video below, Komanoff gives a brief and interesting history of traffic in New York City.

Continue reading NYC about to get 2,000 more taxis... does it need them?

NYC about to get 2,000 more taxis... does it need them? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Aug 2012 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

Noah Joseph — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Work

Yellow cabs are synonymous with New York. It doesn't matter if it's an old Ford Crown Victoria, an even older Checker Cab or the new Nissan NV200: paint it that deep yellow and put a dome light on it, and you're looking at a New York taxicab. But the Big Apple is about to get a new type of taxi, painted a different color altogether.

We're talking about the new Boro Taxi which the city's Taxi & Limousine Commission has just launched. Targeted at New York's outer boroughs - Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (as well as Northern Manhattan) - the Boro Taxis can take just about any vehicle you'd expect to see in yellow (including the NV200), painted a bright shade of "apple green" (that looks like matte lime to our eyes) and put them on the streets of the outer boroughs exclusively where it's notoriously difficult to hail a cab.

The color was apparently chosen to stand out from existing vehicles on New York City roads, including private automobiles (because who would paint their own car that color?), police and emergency vehicles and traditional yellow cabs. The first 6,000 of the 18,000 permits will be issued by the commission starting in June. So the next time you're looking to hail a ride in New York anywhere but Manhattan, look for this shade of green and raise your hand.

Continue reading New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 May 2012 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VPG Autos MV-1 Taxi will leave the light on for you

Chris Paukert — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:03:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Truck, Work, Design/Style, MISC

The streets of Gotham are about to look a lot different. After being inundated with legions of bulky Ford Crown Victoria and the occasional Toyota Sienna or Prius for years, New York City's hack pool is slated to get a fresh crop of yellow ugly thanks to its "Taxi of Tomorrow" program.

Chief among those vehicles figures to be the Nissan NV200 Taxi, also unveiled at this week's New York Auto Show, but the Japanese automaker isn't the sole manufacturer to be in the good graces of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. The 2013 MV-1 seen here has also gained approval, and its maker, the snappily named Vehicle Production Group, notes that this is the first purpose-built vehicle to gain the board's approval since the Checker Cab.

And not only is the MV-1 purpose-built for taxi duty, it was designed with the Americans with Disabilities Act in mind - the square-rigged design is built around a 56-inch by 36-inch door for wheelchair access, and VPG will fit MV-1s with either manual or power ramps as requested. The American-made, body-on-frame MV-1 will also be available powered by Compressed Natural Gas.

It remains to be seen how many taxi companies are eager to buy vehicles from a startup automaker, but VPG says it has approval for up to 13,000 units. We imagine much of the MV-1's success will come down to pricing and reliability, as well as acceptance of the vehicle's unusual appearance. Of course, Nissan's new NV doesn't look like it will be contending for any design laurels, either...

VPG Autos MV-1 Taxi will leave the light on for you originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Nissan NV200 Taxi brings convenience, comfort, safety and homeliness to Gotham

Michael Harley — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Etc., Nissan, Specialty

Attendees at the New York Auto Show are getting their first hands-on look at the all-new 2014 Nissan NV200, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission's choice to replace much of its taxi fleet beginning in late 2013. "The Nissan NV 200 unveiled today will be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient taxi the City has ever had," said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at a pre-show event last night. "New York City cabs have always been iconic, and now they will set a new standard. The 600,000 passengers who use taxis to get around every day deserve the cutting-edge technology and top-of-the-line safety features that this model delivers."

The compact front-wheel drive yellow vans, fitted with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder for fuel efficiency, are loaded with features designed to keep four passengers and the driver on the other side of the partition smiling. Grab handles and sliding doors ease entry while a transparent roof panel and independently controlled rear air conditioning allows paying fares a comfortable, panoramic view of the city. Throw in mobile charging stations, antimicrobial upholstery and active carbon headliner to absorb odors, and an amusingly named "low annoyance horn" and Nissan just may have a winner on its hands - assuming cab companies and their fares embrace the rather frumpy looking things.

Nissan will build its 2014 NV200 Taxi in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Base price, with all planned standard features, will be approximately $29,700.

Continue reading 2014 Nissan NV200 Taxi brings convenience, comfort, safety and homeliness to Gotham

2014 Nissan NV200 Taxi brings convenience, comfort, safety and homeliness to Gotham originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Transit Connect Taxi approved for NYC cab duty

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:31:00 EST

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.

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Nissan wins bid to be next New York City taxi *UPDATE

Zach Bowman — Tue, 03 May 2011 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Etc., Government/Legal, Work, Nissan

Nissan NV200 Taxi - Click above for high-res image

We now know what the future of the New York City taxi will look like. According to Reuters, the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission has awarded Nissan a 10-year contract to produce the vehicles. The Japanese automaker beat out both Ford and a Turkish automaker to cinch the deal worth more than $1 billion. Nissan will be responsible for building one single vehicle to replace the 16 models that are currently authorized to ferry New York City residents around the Big Apple. The company's design was based on the NV200, and the minivan is expected to begin arriving on the job in early 2013.

Reuters reports that Turkish company Karsan Otomotive was an early favorite thanks to its unique handicap-accessible design and full-panel glass roof. The automaker had also planned to assemble the vehicles in Brooklyn with union labor. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to make an official announcement later today.

*Update: Nissan's official press release has been added after the jump.

Continue reading Nissan wins bid to be next New York City taxi *UPDATE

Nissan wins bid to be next New York City taxi *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 May 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turkish firm Karsan pledges to build NY taxi in Brooklyn

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing

Karsan V1 New York City Taxi - Click above for high-res image gallery

Three manufacturers remain in the running to be the chosen supplier for New York's "Taxi of Tomorrow": Ford, Nissan and Turkish firm Karsan. In an informal poll conducted by the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission - the same body that will be deciding which of the three gets the milk and roses - New Yorkers chose the Karsan. Now Karsan wants to make the Commission's job even easier by promising to build its taxi in Brooklyn if it's chosen.

Previously, all three makers said they'd be building their vehicles overseas (the Transit Connect is built in Turkey, the Nissan NV200 in Japan). Perhaps sensing a huge opportunity to bring the four-year process to an end, last month Karsan turned tack and said it would build the V1 at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, in Brooklyn's waterfront Sunset Park complex, creating up to 800 jobs. It might not only be about getting ahead with the public, however: the powertrain for the Karsan V1 comes from Chrysler, in Michigan.

What the Karsan lacks in looks it makes up for in its powerplant modularity, handicapped accessibility, and expansive glass roof. Karsan has said a Sunset Park factory would cost $100 million, a pittance in light of the billion-dollar contract it's trying to win and being the yellow-cab-of-record in movies for the foreseeable future. Thanks for the tip, Julio!

Gallery: Karsan V1 New York City Taxi concept

[Source: New York Daily News]

Turkish firm Karsan pledges to build NY taxi in Brooklyn originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cab Cannonball? Men take taxi ride from New York to Los Angeles [w/video]

Chris Shunk — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:01:00 EST

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.

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Surprise! New York cabbies prefer Crown Vics to hybrids

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:59:00 EST

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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Ford Escape Hybrid taxis demonstrate durability on New York streets

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:05:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Crossover, Ford

One of the concerns people have about hybrid vehicles is the durability of the complex drivetrains. Ford is helping to put some of that concern to rest. Less than two years ago a fleet of eighteen Escape Hybrids joined the ranks of New York City taxis. In that short span of time each one of them has now completed over 175,000 miles of service and saved an estimated $250,000 in fuel costs. If a vehicle can survive the constant stop and go traffic of New York city streets while accumulating the same mileage as an average driver collects in 11 years, it's probably doing okay.

Check Ford's press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford Escape Hybrid taxis demonstrate durability on New York streets

Ford Escape Hybrid taxis demonstrate durability on New York streets originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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