New York approves Ford, Nissan vehicles as taxis

DEE-ANN DURBIN Seattle Post-Intelligencer 07/21/2011 19:14

New York City has approved the Ford Taurus sedan and Ford Transit Connect van for use as taxis for the next two years, allowing the carmaker to keep a foothold in the New York cab market even as it phases out the Crown Victoria sedan.

The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission approved the vehicles Thursday. The commission also approved the Nissan Altima sedan and is expected to approve the Chevrolet Impala next week.

It's a small victory for Ford Motor Co., which was passed over this spring when New York named a minivan from Nissan Motor Co. as its official taxi. The aging Ford Crown Victoria currently makes up the bulk of New York's 13,200-cab fleet, but it's going out of production later this year.

The Nissan NV200 will still be the city's official taxi starting in the fall of 2013. At that point, any taxi owner replacing a cab must purchase the $29,000 NV200, a four-passenger minivan with sliding doors. The NV200 will be the city's official cab for a decade.

But until 2013, taxi companies will be allowed to buy the Altima, Transit Connect, Taurus and any other cars that meet the city's requirements as they replace Crown Victorias and other older cabs.

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