On Tuesday night, the Design Trust for Public Space sponsored a panel discussion about the future of the New York taxi at the Museum of the City of New York. The trust was also the sponsor of Taxi 07, which issued policy proposals about the taxi industry in New York and displayed eight concept vehicles at the New York auto show in 2007.
The panel focused on a little publicized project called Taxi of Tomorrow, the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission’s effort to choose a single model of taxi for the next decade. Currently, about 16 different vehicle models are approved by the commission. The majority of taxis are still Ford Crown Victorias, but Ford plans to discontinue the model. The commission, according to its chief, David Yassky, wants a vehicle that is greener, more space efficient, more accessible and also iconic — serving as a visual symbol of the city. The new car would be established as the single approved model for a decade.
The panel discussion was moderated by Deborah Marton, executive director of the Design Trust. In addition to Mr. Yassky, the panel included Paul Herzan, chairman of the board of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum; Louis Infante, executive director of military and government markets for Ricardo Inc., which is advising the taxi commission; Cliff Adler, an independent taxi owner and veteran driver; Matthew Sapolin, commissioner of the mayor’s office for people with disabilities; and Ron Sherman, president of the Midtown Operating Corporation, which runs a fleet of more than 200 taxis.
According to Ms. Marton, the key goal of the Taxi of Tomorrow effort is to find a cleaner, more accessible cab, but also to find “an iconic design that will identify the taxi with New York city. No other city has done that.”
The plan is to replace current models with a single model for all 13,000 or so taxis over the next 10 years. The taxi commission issued a request for proposals in January, received entries in May and planned to announce a decision by the end of the year. It has not obligated itself to pick any of the proposals.
Entrants are not made public, but the Turkish company Karsan has discussed its entry. And the UniCab company provided handouts showing color pictures of its proposed taxis.
Nissan is also an entrant, insiders say, but Ford’s possible offering remains under wraps. Ford has previously shown a version of the Transit Connect outfitted as a taxi.
Mr. Herzan, who initiated Taxi 07, said he was interested in presenting the view of the passenger. “The New York taxi is a worldwide symbol of the city,” he said. “Taking your first taxi is a rite of passage.”
Mr. Sapolin, who is blind, said he would be pleased if future taxis emitted a characteristic chime, helping the visually impaired to distinguish them from other vehicles. Mr. Adler, the driver, expressed frustration with the design of partitions, especially in smaller hybrids.
Several panelists emphasized the rigors of taxi service in New York. The rear door of a taxi is slammed about 120 times a day, said Mr. Sherman. London taxis that served for a million miles there barely lasted 18 months in Manhattan.
Questions and comments came from the audience. People with disabilities emphasized the need for better access for wheelchairs and power chairs. Some drivers and owners were strident in their concerns about reliance on a single supplier of taxis and parts. They expressed concern that a recall or factory problem could effectively shut down the taxi fleet. This also bothers lenders who finance purchase of medallions, which sell for about $800,000.
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