Ask the Car People.SM


Good Taxis - READ ONLY

67 messages,  Last post on Feb 11, 2010 at 10:20 AM

You are in the Automotive News & Views-Archives Forum.

What is this discussion about? Car Comparisons

Messages Page 7 of 7

#58 of 67 Re: Taxi Drivers (gagrice) [andre1969] by fezo

Jan 16, 2009 (1:23 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (Jan 16, 2009 12:58 pm)
Last time I was in one was in China in 2002. Volkawagen Jetta. The driver had a seat belt. The passengers didn't!

#59 of 67 Re: Taxi Drivers (gagrice) [fezo] by gagrice

Jan 16, 2009 (11:31 pm)

Replying to: fezo (Jan 16, 2009 1:23 pm)
I'm trying to remember my last cab ride. It was probably in Xtapa or Mazatlan. They have all small cramped taxis like the Prius. I prefer and usually go in a shuttle van. By far my preference. Unlike some people I will not ask someone to ride in the back of a vehicle I own that I would not ride in. Usually first place I sit is in the back seat. If it is cramped not a chance I would buy the vehicle. When you are charging the customer their comfort should be considered before your own personal preference or cost to do business. I understand why they use the Prius in Canada. I think most people would if they know many Canadians.

#60 of 67 I am 5'6" by andys120

Jan 17, 2009 (3:09 pm)

and as an ex-NYer have ridden in the back of cabs hundreds of times, the cramped back seats of the CVs always made me long for the days of those roomy checkers
 
Of course, the armored partition found in most NYC cabs doesn't do a thing for leg room but I once rode back-to-back in a CV with no partition and then an Impala.
The Chevy was way more roomy in back.
 
Supposedly the Taxi Fleets preferred less roomy RWDs for reasons of lower maintainence and longevity but now I see FWD vans, particularly Siennas catching on as cabs everywhere.
 
If Mayor Bloomberg has his way the entire fleet will go hybrid in a few years. I wonder how owners will feel about replacing those battery packs.

#61 of 67 Re: I am 5'6" [andys120] by fezo

Jan 17, 2009 (3:46 pm)

Replying to: andys120 (Jan 17, 2009 3:09 pm)
I'm an inch shorter than you and am amazed at how cramped a back seat can be. What the heck do tall people do?

#62 of 67 Re: I am 5'6" (andys120) by hpmctorque

Jan 17, 2009 (4:02 pm)

"...I once rode back-to-back in a CV with no partition and then an Impala. The Chevy was way more roomy in back."
 
The RWD Impala may indeed have had more rear seat legroom than the Crown Vic, as you observed, but without knowing how the respective drivers' front seats were adjusted your single experience doesn't prove that the Impalas were roomier.

#63 of 67 Re: I am 5'6" (andys120) [hpmctorque] by gagrice

Jan 17, 2009 (4:08 pm)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Jan 17, 2009 4:02 pm)
I'm over 6 foot and thought the CV was roomy in the back seat. Though I have not seen one with a partition. Most of the time I have just jumped in the front seat, here in San Diego or in Anchorage.

#64 of 67 Checker is still around by steve_ HOST

Jan 21, 2009 (11:41 am)

Who knew? They haven't made a cab since '82 however.
 
And the rest of the company may not be around much longer:
 
Checker Motors Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
 

#65 of 67 Re: Checker is still around [steve_] by fezo

Jan 21, 2009 (11:50 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Jan 21, 2009 11:41 am)
I never would have guessed that though I do remember that some vestige of Studebaker still existed at least into the 80s...
 
I see they mention the Checker Taxi in the same sentence as the London Taxis. I wonder what ever happened to the plan that would have brought the London cabs to the US? Like Checkers they are roomy as all get out.

#66 of 67 Ford Transit by hpmctorque

Feb 11, 2010 (9:20 am)

Ford is displaying a Transit taxi at the Chicago Auto Show. This vehicle makes sense as a taxi, since it's roomy (including excellent head room), yet space efficient. This taxi version can be equipped to run on compressed natural gas or propane, in addition to, presumably, gasoline.
 
With the Crown Vic scheduled to go out of production soon, the Transit could make an excellent replacement as a taxi.

#67 of 67 Re: Ford Transit [hpmctorque] by steve_ HOST

Feb 11, 2010 (10:20 am)

Replying to: hpmctorque (Feb 11, 2010 9:20 am)
Here's a pic:
 

 
More pics.

Messages Page 7 of 7

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement