Autoblog

'AXI' dropped from NYC taxis

Jeff Sabatini — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Specialty, Design/Style

Oh, how we love "rebranding." From the stumblebums at The Gap to the desperate deckhands on the Microsoft Titanic, needlessly changing your logo is all the rage these days, so we shouldn't be surprised to see the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission join in on the fun by eliminating the word "taxi" from the city's cabs. That's right, while they'll still be yellow and hailing one will still prove challenging for out-of-towners, New York's taxis will now be identified by a yellow capital "T" in a black circle.

According to The New York Times, besides their "axi," cabs will also be losing their passenger door fare panel - the information will be displayed on the cab's video screen instead. The subtle shift in design is the result of New York's Taxi of Tomorrow program, in which the Nissan NV200 was picked to become the city's exclusive taxi vehicle, starting next year. The t-in-a-circle logo was created by Smart Design.

David S. Yassky, the Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman, responded to questions about whether people would be able to identify the new cabs by saying, "Even the greenest of greenhorns will know that it's a taxicab," according to the report.

'AXI' dropped from NYC taxis originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:59:00 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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Nissan shows New Yorkers the inside of its new taxi

Noah Joseph — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Nissan, Misc. Auto Shows, Specialty

If you lined up all the taxis in New York, they'd stretch all the way from Wall Street to Norwalk, Connecticut. They shuttle some 236 million passengers around the city every year - about 600,000 every day - and in the process, they travel the equivalent of 20,000 times around the world every year. Those are staggering numbers, to be sure, so when the city's taxi and limousine department put out the tender for its "Taxi of Tomorrow," it was an ambitious - and important - project.

Nissan's NV200 bid ended up getting the contract (although other manufacturers have since gained approval as well. We've already seen what the van-based shuttler will look like from the curb, but a taxi cab certainly isn't about exterior styling. Like a certain Arabian beggar in a Disney movie, it's what's inside that counts. And that's just what Nissan is demonstrating with a special exposition in New York.

Opening tomorrow on the pedestrian plaza across from the iconic Flatiron Building at Broadway and Fifth, Nissan's Taxi of Tomorrow Design Expo will showcase the full interior of the NV200 Taxi. The cab is accessed via sliding doors (for easier ingress and egress in the city's tight spaces), a panorama roof to let tourists enjoy the upwards view (real New Yorkers, of course, never look up), a flat floor, a large cargo area for luggage, USB charging outlet, easily cleanable surfaces and an air-filtration and climate-control system independent of the driver's.

Sounds to us like a nice place in which to cruise around the city, at least while all that stuff is still in working order. But don't take our word for it: check out the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look - including a nifty infographic on taxi usage in the city - and the details in the press release after the jump. Or if you're in the area, stop by the expo from Tuesday through Saturday of this week.

Continue reading Nissan shows New Yorkers the inside of its new taxi

Nissan shows New Yorkers the inside of its new taxi originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:30:00 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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Giugiaro Quaranta taxi concept picks up fares in Rome

Noah Joseph — Thu, 13 May 2010 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Europe, Specialty

Italdesign-Giugiaro Quaranta concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Hail a taxi in most American cities, and what are you likely to ride in? A Ford Crown Vic, maybe a minivan or an Escape Hybrid. But a few lucky residents of Rome had something decidedly more exotic recently when stoic carrozzeria Italdesign-Giugiaro outfitted its Quaranta concept with a meter, dome light and white paintjob to pull taxi duty around the Italian capital. Brave of them - have you ever tried navigating the overcrowded streets of Rome on anything larger than a Vespa? Good luck.

The Quaranta concept was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show to commemorate the design house's 40th anniversary. The exotic shape is powered by the Toyota Synergy Drive found in the Lexus RX400h, complete with 3.3-liter V6, electric motor and continuously variable transmission and supplemented by solar panels. Billed (at the time, at least) as the world's fastest hybrid, the Quaranta is said to be capable of shuttling its occupants - or paying fare, in this case - to sixty in 4.2 seconds. Now, to the Spanish Steps, double-time!

Gallery: Italdesign Giugiaro Quaranta Concept

[Source: The Sun via World Car Fans]

Giugiaro Quaranta taxi concept picks up fares in Rome originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 May 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen unveils electric Milano Taxi concept in Hanover

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Europe, Work, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Misc. Auto Shows, Electric

Volkswagen Milano Taxi concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Volkswagen is unveiling a new compact battery-powered taxi concept called the Milano at the Hanover Trade Show in Germany this week. The styling draws heavily on the Space Up! Blue concept that debuted at the 2007 LA Auto Show. One big difference, however, is that VW designers have eliminated the rear door on the driver's side so that passengers can only get in and out at the curb. The curb-side portal has likewise been expanded with a large forward-sliding door and the front passenger seat has given way to luggage space. The Milano Taxi concept also features a similar touch screen monitor setup to those already being used in some New York City cabs.

Like the production electric vehicles that Volkswagen will start building from 2013, the Milano Taxi uses lithium ion batteries. A 45 kilowatt-hour pack is mounted in the floor and provides a claimed 186-mile driving range on the EU driving cycle. The Milano Taxi is purely a concept at this point, but since it appears to be based on Volkswagen's "New Small Family" of low- and zero-emissions vehicles, we wouldn't be surprised to see the German automaker put a similar vehicle into production as an easy way to get more electric vehicles into the field a few years from now. High-res shots below, press release after the jump.

Gallery: Volkswagen Milano Taxi concept

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen unveils electric Milano Taxi concept in Hanover

Volkswagen unveils electric Milano Taxi concept in Hanover originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: cabbie takes fares on a 6,500km taxi ride around Western Australia

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:21:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Work, Australia

To clarify, he's not taking just one fare, but a bunch of fares from all around the world. The purpose is The Extraordinary Taxi Ride, set up by the state of Western Australia's tourism office to promote what many consider a rather remote region of the world. Out of 460 cabbies who applied for the job, Bunbury, Western Australia taxi driver Doug Slater was the one chosen by the Internet masses, and so he will be trekking fares from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Germany through about 4,000 miles of WA glory.

Although the trip started with a dead battery, things appear to be moving nicely now. You can check out a video of Slater after the jump, or follow the progress at the Extraordinary Taxi Ride site. Good luck to all involved, and good on ya, Doug-o...

Sources: News.com.au, Extraordinary Taxi Ride]

Continue reading Report: cabbie takes fares on a 6,500km taxi ride around Western Australia

Report: cabbie takes fares on a 6,500km taxi ride around Western Australia originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: AM General-built taxi cab gets restyled before production

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Work, Hummer, Specialty

In an oddly compelling little piece of timing, two new American companies are working on taxi designs just after Checker Motors, the most famous of all bespoke taxicab companies, has filed for bankruptcy. We've seen the Standard Taxi before, but it has apparently been restyled a bit after cab owners complained about the initial concept's dowdy appearance. It's a slight improvement by the looks of things, though we certainly wouldn't call the machine attractive.

It's what's under the skin that counts, though, and the Standard Taxi looks to implement a number of features that should improve the lives of both its driver and passengers. Like the MetroKing concept that we looked at a couple of months back, this vehicle is based on running gear from General Motors and features a low load floor and easy wheelchair access along with easily replaceable body panels. Production of the Standard Taxi is scheduled for 2010 at AM General's assembly plant in Mishawaka, Indiana.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy Shots: AM General-built taxi cab gets restyled before production originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MetroKing, America's first domestically-made taxi since Checker?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Work, Chevrolet, GM

Click on the image above for a gallery of MetroKing's new taxi

Although the two events seemingly have nothing to do with each other, a new company called MetroKing has sprung up that hopes of manufacturing cabs in America just as former taxi maker Checker has filed for bankruptcy.

Starting with the underpinnings from a two-wheel drive Chevrolet Colorado Chassis Cab Work Truck, MetroKing replaces the pickup bed with a passenger compartment of its own design that features room for six occupants. The company points out that their design is fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, being wheelchair accessible through a unique side access ramp. Interestingly, luggage rides alongside the driver on a dedicated tray, there is no passenger seating next to the driver. Thankfully, air conditioning is standard for the passenger compartment.

MetroKing offers its cab with either General Motors' 185-horsepower 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine or the larger 3.7L inline-five with 242-horsepower. In either case, both are mated to a standard four-speed automatic transmission.

We're not sure we care for the vehicle's London taxi-meets-cable-guy-truck aesthetics, but it's hard to argue with the potential versatility here. If nothing else, we like that the vehicle is built in the U.S. (Ford's Crown Victoria is built in Canada), and it has some nifty features, including a rear passenger compartment that can be removed as a single unit and refurbished for further use after its donor vehicle has been worn out. As veteran cab passengers, that sounds like a welcome development to us. Thanks for the tip, Michael!

Gallery: MetroKing taxi

[Source: MetroKing]

MetroKing, America's first domestically-made taxi since Checker? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AM General to produce Standard Taxi cabs?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:06:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, SUV, Plants/Manufacturing, Hummer, Military, Specialty

It sure ain't pretty, though beauty, in this case, is likely in the eye of the beholder. A few years back, a new take on the taxi was provided by Standard Taxi, a company based in Troy, Michigan. The design for the purpose-built people hauler uses GM running gear and is able to haul four passengers in relative comfort. We hadn't heard a peep from the company until today when we learned that Standard is now working on negotiations with AM General to build the vehicle in its plant in Mishawaka, Indiana, where AM General builds the Hummer H2 SUV and SUT. So far, no announcements have been made regarding whether or not the plant would continue working full-time in the face of lagging Hummer sales, though we imagine that plenty of excess capacity is available. According to AM General, the deal would in no way impact the assembly of military Hummer models.

We can't say whether a production version of the Standard Taxi would feature the pushrod 4.3-liter V6 that the concept had underhood, though there are plenty of options from the GM parts-bin from which to pilfer. A Standard Taxi equipped with GM's 2-Mode hybrid system could prove to be extremely well-suited for taxi duty in some of the world's toughest environments.

[Source: Hummer Guy]

AM General to produce Standard Taxi cabs? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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