19 March 2009

another taxi post

I just used google 'blog search' for hybrid taxis. New York famously had a rule for taxi's to get a certain fuel economy. This resulted in a bunch of hybrids being put into taxi service. I am unclear, but hybrids may have been specifically required. The link in the title above is to a small article talking about the safety of the Escape hybrid contrasted with the Crown Vic. The big Vic is indeed a very safe car and New York has a special stretched version using the Town Car wheelbase. New York cabs have barriers between the driver and knife wielding crack heads in the back seat. There is no room for this stuff in a short Escape.

A stretched Escape? Good idea but would Ford do it? Not just for taxi's and not enough power for police use, which is the largest purchaser of fleet cars. A hybrid Crown Vic? They'd never do that, they are trying to cancel the car altogether even tho it is the largest selling passenger car in Florida. They want the police to get used to a front drive package.

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