A Conversation-Friendly Taxi Concept
August 2, 2010
William Wachtel, a lawyer active in New York’s transportation world, has helped design a taxi that he believes can rival the London cab in aesthetic and comprehensive utility
Could an oblong, souped-up minivan be the next iconic New York City taxicab?
That is the quest of William Wachtel, a partner in the law firm of Wachtel & Masyr and an occasional player in the city’s transportation world. He has experience operating commuter ferries, but his focus has now swung from the water to the streets.
His chance at shaping the urban landscape has come with the “Taxi of Tomorrow” contest sponsored by the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, which is seeking a new design for the iconic yellow cab. The commission invited car companies to submit designs for a built-from-the-ground-up New York City taxi, and the winner gets an exclusive contract for a decade.
In cooperation with Karsan, a Turkish manufacturer that builds for Peugeot, Mr. Wachtel helped design a taxi that he believes can rival the London cab (not to mention the long-lamented New York checker) in distinctive aesthetic and comprehensive utility.
“The time has come for there to be a light-duty urban transit vehicle embracing the concept of uniformity that the London cab has presented for decades,” Mr. Wachtel said.
The Ford Crown Victoria has played the role of yellow cab for decades, making up more than half of the current fleet. But Ford is discontinuing the car next year, and concerns about stricter requirements for higher emissions standards mean the gas guzzler may no longer conform to the city’s standards.
The contest may also provide the city with its best chance at mandating a more environmentally friendly taxicab. Last week, a federal appeals judge rejected the Bloomberg administration’s attempt to mandate fuel economy standards among city taxis.
Mr. Wachtel’s design includes a large passenger space with seats arranged conversation-style: three facing forward and a fourth facing back. There is space to fit a wheelchair (or a stroller) and a ramp that extends to the street, part of the components that make the vehicle compliant with the American With Disabilities Act.
The car could also include a rooftop solar panel and a voice recognition system that would translate a cabbie’s words into text on a screen to assist deaf passengers, Mr. Wachtel said.
There are a number of competitors in the taxi contest, and the commission will not announce the winner for several months. Other entries include the Ford Transit Connect, another minivan-style car that includes large picture windows, and other models by rival manufacturers that include some of the Karsan model’s features, including the reverse seating.
Source; http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/ ... i-concept/ - The New York Times
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