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SF's Yellow Cab blames lawsuits, Uber and Lyft for bankruptcy
San Francisco's Yellow Cab Co-op has filed for bankruptcy, a few weeks after the first reports came out that it was on the verge of doing so. According to San Francisco Examiner, the biggest taxi company in the city blamed two things in the documents it submitted: 1.) lawsuits and 2.) ride-sharing services. Yellow Cab President Pamela Martinez wrote that the Co-op is self-insured unlike other cab companies. "On a short term basis, the ability to self-insure resulted in lower operating costs," the document read. "However, self-insurance exposed Yellow Cab to risks of catastrophic losses, which ultimately occurred."
Uber cars now outnumber yellow cabs in New York City
You may see yellow taxis as virtually synonymous with New York City transportation, but you might have to reconsider that image before too long. New Taxi and Limousine Commission data shows that Uber cars now outnumber cabs on NYC streets, with 14,088 black and luxury vehicles versus 13,587 taxis. It's not hard to see why the ridesharing service has grown so quickly since its arrival in 2011, mind you. Uber drivers can earn much more in the right circumstances, and they don't have to worry about fixed schedules, complicated licensing or cheapskates who don't pay. This milestone probably won't thrill city officials, who are worried that Uber is both depriving them of tax revenue (since drivers don't need medallion licenses) and playing fast and loose with regulations. However, it's doubtful that there's any going back now -- Uber is huge enough in New York that commuters would notice if it went away. [Image credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images]
Nissan NV200 Taxi of Tomorrow hands-on (video)
It is, admittedly, difficult to get too excited about a ride in a taxi. Taxis tend to smell, their drivers tend to be rather abrupt in their piloting style and there's a good chance you won't be able to find one when you really need it. Nissan's "Taxi of Tomorrow," then, is hardly the most alluring concept car on display at the New York International Auto Show, but it is, however, the one you're most likely to actually get to take a ride in. It's also a huge advance compared to the rather tired 'ol Crown Vic. Join us after the break for an exploration of why.
Digital Dispatch's TLC SmartCab GPS taxi solution
The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission is currently in the process of mandating a technological update for all yellow cabs -- even if the drivers may not like it. Some of the upgrades are starting to hit the fleet, and the specific tech that is being used has been shown. For the driver, there's the Vector 530 Driver Information Monitor which includes GPS and functionality for automatically logging journeys; and for the passenger there's the iView 8000 Passenger Information Monitor which comes with a large-ish touchscreen monitor that displays a real-time map of the cab's location, fare information, as well as video content such as news. Probably the most useful feature is the ability for a passenger to swipe their credit card on the machine to pay for the fare: that's right, no more fumbling in your pocket for change. The TLC SmartCab setup was designed by Digital Dispatch and should already be in around 200 cabs. By the end of the year, all the cabs in the fleet should be updated and every cab journey will be basked in the blue glow of a GPS enabled status LCD.[Via Coolhunting]
Advanced taxi prototypes to be demoed at New York car show
The humble yellow cab hasn't changed a whole lot over the years, but now that new, greener methods for powering cars are starting to verge on mainstream acceptance, prototypes for reforming the city vehicles are starting to appear. At the New York International Automobile Show next month, the Taxi 07 project will be exhibiting a group of these prototypes which include Hybrid Technologies's lithium-ion battery powered taxi, a taxi based around the Kia Rondo crossover vehicle design, and "The Standard Taxi" which can accommodate wheelchairs, motorized scooters, and baby strollers. Alongside these designs will be the "World's Fastest Taxi", a hydrogen powered car that can produce 1,000 horsepower and hit 200MPH, and a "high rider" Crown Victoria cab with raised ground clearance and large wheels. All these and more will be showing at the exhibition, where our green colleagues over at Autoblog Green will be there to document all the yellow action.
