Crown Victoria No Longer Queen in NYC?
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission is considering turning a cold shoulder to its longstanding workhorse, the Crown Victoria.
The Commission announced that it is shopping for a new generation to add stagger into its fleet of 13,000 yellow cars according to Automotive News.
Chairman Matthew Daus told Automotive News that they had talked to automakers at the NAIAS in hopes of finding someone to make the “utopian
Comments
Boogster
Next-gen taxis SHOULD be Dodge Chargers. Because you will not be late for your destination. And, I also think that NYC will bring more Toyota Siennas like the ones on Discovery Channel's Cash Cab.
Paul In Jersey
It's funny isn't it? The regulating government agency wants fuel economy, when it's the cab drivers paying the bills. If the market could bear a boutique-built cab, then it would have done so long ago. Which it did. They were made by the Checker company.
Maybe the cab commissioner is hoping that Tata will save the day.
dante
I was thinking Checker as well. They could buy those British cabs, but I know NYC is trying to move to hybrids. Whatever they pick, a stop/start feature would make a big difference. Might be tough with an automatic.
Scratch
Boogster, a Formula 1 race car won't get you to the airport any faster than a Crown Vic in NYC traffic.
klarens
the british cabs are the best with one exception.they are running with diesel. which is more economical than gas but still not what the cab commission wants.
the new cab need to be light vehicule a small sedan or minivan, with small engine 1.6l...... a civic hybrid is a good choice for me
mbslrm
There is nothing in the market that is better than the Crown Victoria for taxis.
I'm guessing they will get a "custom-purpose-built vehicle".
And for hybrids, I would recommend a Tahoe (too big/too expensive on gas) or an Escape. A Prius is too small.
Jesda
Arent these Crown Vic cabs mostly retired cop cars? How do they expect cabbies to afford anything else?
Mark M
The cabs are generally bought new, they aren't "retired cop cars" though they do have many of the same factory modifications that those do.
The popularity and utter dominance of the Crown Vic in that service has very little to do with the upfront cost of the car. There are cars that are cheaper to begin with that would be suitable. It has everything to do with MAINTENANCE.
The average NYC Cab is driving around with HALF-A-MILLION MILES on it, many far more than that. Most will get more miles in 1 month than the average person gets in a full year. Dependability is number one, and the Crown Vic has delivered for decades. Perhaps more importantly, when it does break (as anything working that hard and long will do), all major components can be replaced in, quite literally, minutes and can be found dirt-cheap. Almost any problem can be fixed in less time than a driver is on lunch, right down to swapping out the rear-end. In just a shift's time everything from the engine back can be replaced.
It's going to be damned hard to find something that will beat that. I certainly understand the commision's desire to replace all those cabs with something more fuel-efficient and environmentally-sound. But their plans to force the change as rapidly as they are is likely going to make consumer prices skyrocket as maintenance costs trickle down.
DDL
You'd think the commission could just buy the Panther platform from Ford, factory and all. They then could continue to make CVs and TCs with an agreement to strip any "Ford" label from the cars - possibly give them a revised body specifically suited for livery duty. Ford is selling everything else these days.
BruceinCary
You get what ya pay for. CV's are dirt cheap & really sh1t taxis, uncomfortable to get into and really inefficient space wise. They may be tough but are a first rate embarresment to any overseas tourist. Ford Escape Hybrid makes so much more sense, as world a London Cab w/ Hybrid motor.
Bruce
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David Sokol
Gentlemen,
I owned and operated yellow cabs in New York for a number of years. The Ford Crown Victoria and the late and lamented Chevrolet Impala are the only vehicles that can deal with 14 shifts per week driven by as many as 12 different drivers averaging 180 miles per shift. Fuel is not the issue. Maintaing the vehicle and the ability to be put back together (body on frame) after an accident are the issues.
I want to see a Toyota Previa or Highlander hybrid after 250 k miles.
06YellowGT
Did you guys know that Ford developed an extended length Crown Victoria body EXCLUSIVELY for the NYC taxi market? Even across the river in New Jersey, they have to use the standard length cabs. The vehicle is stretched behind the B-pillar for additional room for passengers.
Also, agree with the others... it's not all about fuel economy... durability and servicability are the top factors.
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