New York City cabbies don’t care for hybrids, love their Crown Vics

Posted: Jul 29, 2010
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If you took a walk around New York City any day of the week, you’re bound to see either a Toyota Prius Taxi, a Ford Escape Hybrid Taxi or a Nissan Altima Hybrid Taxi – they are starting to become more and more apparent in an ocean filled with yellow Ford Crown Victoria cabbies.

While New York City plans to get rid of the Crown Vic off the streets by 2014, taxi drivers still love their big yellow Ford sedan. Why? It’s the only taxi that grabs the attention of hailers. Not only that, taxi drivers say that they are the most reliable and makes them the most money every shift.

At the end of 2010, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission is expected to announce the results of its Taxi of Tomorrow competition and the winner will become the city’s only taxi. That means, by 2014, the Commission will begin replacing the 16 current taxi variants, including the Crown Vic, with one, fuel-efficient or alternative energy model.

Of course another reason to the Crown Vic’s demise will be that FoMoCo won’t be producing it anymore (we’re thinking of the Ford Transit Connect Taxi and Taurus in our heads right now).

- By: Omar Rana

Source: DriveOn


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  • karankshah

    I think torque might have a little something to do with it too.

  • Firekyro

    Those cabbies are crazy. There is no way a crown vic would yield a higher profit over another model of taxi. Its just another classic example of how people fear the unknown. Which for them is something other than a crown vic. I mean im a ford fan but c'mon, my Prius has a HUGE amount of rear seat leg room. Id prefer a Prius taxi over a crown vic hands down.

  • Alex_brylev

    I wish whoever is responsible for designing those crown-vic seats will drive one of those cabs in hell for eternity and into infinity in the invisible cab with the off-duty sign he didn’t know was on.