[Wavy Davy]

Did I see one in San Francisco last week or did my eyes deceive me?

I would be interested to hear of any taxi services using the Prius and how they fare? (Pardon the pun.

I've heard of one service in Boston. Any with websites??

Thanks

 

[Wavy Davy]

This from an "Online Wisdom Monger"

Has anyone seen one yet? All I sem to see are the same old Yellow Cabs...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. "PC Eco cabs. "


Doubt if you will either. The reduced fuel expense does not justify the higher vehicle cost. The smaller size just doesn't make the most efficient taxi cab. When independent owner operaters are paying the tab and the owner operater is just a step above poverty the eco system takes a back back seat. Individuals aren't going to pay a higher fare just to save a half gallon of gas. It isn't going to happen.
Tom Rose


This was a post on an Entrepreneur's Web Site...

Any challenges to his statement about saving half a gallon???

David

 

[tjl]

Did I see one in San Francisco last week or did my eyes deceive me?

I would be interested to hear of any taxi services using the Prius and how they fare? (Pardon the pun.

Yes, I've seen a Prius taxi in San Francisco. But most taxis are Crown Victorias (often CNG versions).

 

[mrv]

Boston scheduled car service:
http://www.planettran.com/

NYC scheduled car service:
http://www.ozocar.com/

London scheduled car service:
http://www.greentomatocars.com/

ZipCar (carsharing service) has several Prius, Rav4 EVs, and others: http://www.zipcar.com/

While at the airport I've seen several different taxi companies using Prius at Vancouver, BC. In NYC, if you pay attention long enough, you can find the yellow cabs of Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander Hybrids, Ford Escape Hybrids, and to my bewilderment a Lexus RX400h ...

 

[Phish Phood]

My BF's trip to Palo Alto via San Jose Airport he took a cabbie to work.. he had to wait a few minutes as the taxi queue was empty and sure enough he ended up with a Prius taxi

 

[Tideland Prius]

Did I see one in San Francisco last week or did my eyes deceive me?

I would be interested to hear of any taxi services using the Prius and how they fare? (Pardon the pun.

I've heard of one service in Boston. Any with websites??

Thanks

Oh I've seen plenty.. too many, in fact. Around here, the following companies have Prius cabs (at least, those that I"ve seen)

Yellow Cab, Black Top Cabs, Richmond Taxi, Coquitlam Taxi, Delta Sunshine, Surdell, Newton Whalley, Whistler Taxi, North Shore Taxi, Bonny, McLure's.

Yellow cabs has about 38 I think. There are also Camry Hybrid cabs appearing.

 

[Dave07Prius]

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Seen on Robson Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada in Feb 2005...

 

[Phish Phood]

Re: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Seen on Robson Street in Vancouver, BC, Canada in Feb 2005...

It's yellow! <Oohs and aahs>

 

[JayGoldstein]

Cab companies here are switching from the traditional full-size car (mainly the Ford Crown Vic) to the Prius as fast as they can. The last I heard, there were about 60 Prius cabs in the city.

My wife and I have been recording the cab number of the Prius taxis we see. We've spotted 41 of them so far.

 

[Dave07Prius]

Cab companies here are switching from the traditional full-size car (mainly the Ford Crown Vic) to the Prius as fast as they can. The last I heard, there were about 60 Prius cabs in the city.

My wife and I have been recording the cab number of the Prius taxis we see. We've spotted 41 of them so far.

The Prius is the VW Beetle of the 21st century. It is reliable, well built, smart, and looks a little strange but it grows on you. I love the fact that taxi cab companies are buying it. The back seat is very spacious and less clausterphobic feeling than a Ford Crown Vic.

Dave

 

[JayGoldstein]

I love the fact that taxi cab companies are buying it. The back seat is very spacious and less clausterphobic feeling than a Ford Crown Vic.Dave

The Winnipeg Taxi Cab Board rejected the use of the Honda Civic Hybrid as a taxi because it doesn't have sufficient cargo capacity.

 

[hyperion]

I love my Prius but when my wife and I get to the curb at the airport with our bags I'de walk by a dozen to get to a full sized sedan or van to get downtown.
Like "oil" and "tires" I guess, and just "personal."

 

[redwein]

We did an experiment. My Prius easily holds more luggage than my father's Jaguar S-Type. Granted the S-Type isn't the largest car available but it is pretty big and the Prius was pretty impressive in it's luggage carrying capabilities.

 

[mrv]

I saw my first Camry Hybrid yellow taxicab today! It looks so different compared to the normal Ford Crown Victorias that make up the sedan marketshare of the taxis around here...

If only Toyota would release one of their hybrid minivans (they have the Estima and Alphard in Japan) over here! I'm certain that the taxi drivers would snap them up, taking the place of the Dodge Caravan/Honda Odyssey/Toyota Sienna minivan taxis that show up every so often... (The only SUV taxis I see are hybrids...)

It was also nice to see one of the newly redesigned Civic Hybrids with the NYC Parks Dept. logo on it - seems that they're still buying more hybrids, then (lots of Classic Prius and Civic Hybrids and CNG vehicles about).

 

[David Beale]

There was a news story on Discovery a month ago or so that said the New York Taxi Commission has to approve the vehicle before it can be used as a taxi in NYC. They indicated the commission had approved the small Ford Hybrid SUV and that's why you see them. I don't think they have approved the Prius. If you saw a Hycam then I guess they have been approved. That's funny, because the Prius has more luggage space and about the same pass. room.

 

[mrv]

actually, I've seen several Prius taxicabs in NYC, see one of my prior posts in this thread.

NYC taxi specifications (note the different requirements for hybrids):
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/downloads/pdf/specrules.pdf
and the approved list of 2006/2007 vehicles are:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/news/ind06_09.shtml

• 
  2006 Ford Crown Victoria – Stretch
  2006 Ford Escape – Hybrid
  2006 Honda Accord – Hybrid
  2006 Honda Civic – Hybrid
  2006 Lexus RX400H – Hybrid
  2006 Mercury Mariner - Hybrid
  2007 Saturn VUE Green Line – Hybrid
  2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid
  2006 Toyota Highlander – Hybrid
  2006 Toyota Prius – Hybrid
  2006 Toyota Sienna CE

although some other vehicles can be on the road, with the proper approval letter.

 

[Tideland Prius]

I saw my first Camry Hybrid yellow taxicab today! It looks so different compared to the normal Ford Crown Victorias that make up the sedan marketshare of the taxis around here...

If only Toyota would release one of their hybrid minivans (they have the Estima and Alphard in Japan) over here! I'm certain that the taxi drivers would snap them up, taking the place of the Dodge Caravan/Honda Odyssey/Toyota Sienna minivan taxis that show up every so often... (The only SUV taxis I see are hybrids...)

It was also nice to see one of the newly redesigned Civic Hybrids with the NYC Parks Dept. logo on it - seems that they're still buying more hybrids, then (lots of Classic Prius and Civic Hybrids and CNG vehicles about).

No SUV taxis here. Just Pontiac Trans Sport / Montanas as disabled-capability taxis. There are at least 2 TCH cabs here.

 

[idahlberg]

I took a Prius taxi home from the Burbank airport a while back. Luck of the draw. Haven't seen many around, but I don't see that many taxis in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles)

 

[woody87]

re

We have one that picks up people from our apartment complex(Toledo, Ohio area). I usually see it a few times a week. Part of the company logo is the hybrid green leaf car on the sides of the car.