Yellow fever

New York is searching for a new taxi to replace the famous yellow cab, but, as MarkVenables discovers, replacing an icon is no simple task. The most common taxi plying its trade on the city's streets is the Ford Crown Victoria, also a favourite of the New York Police department, but there are a total of 16 models that comprise the current taxi fleet, from nine manufacturers. None of the vehicles currently approved as taxis were originally designed for the role; they all needed modifications by third party garages to conform to TLCs taxi specifications. With models becoming outdated and no clear direction for future purchasing, New York Mayor Michael R Bloomberg stepped in to kick off the 'Taxi of Tomorrow' programme. Its stated aim was to upgrade the existing fleet to better meet the needs of all stakeholders. That taxi needs to be designed for drivers, for passengers, for New Yorkers, and for all the city's visitors. That's the goal and that's what this article is trying to find. But it has to be all things: it needs to be safe, it needs to be comfortable to the driver and the passenger, it needs to be affordable.