Terry Moakley, Chair of the Taxis for All Campaign says, "I just returned from the official unveiling of the Standard Taxi in Seattle (see attached story and their expanded website at www.standardtaxi.com). People—disabled and otherwise—are going to love the ease of use of this taxi."

URL for this article:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/285743_taxi20.html

By DEBERA CARLTON HARRELL
Wednesday, September 20, 2006

The parked prototype of a 21st-century taxi -- boxy-shaped and bright as a marigold -- awaited Seattle cabdrivers Tuesday as they lined up at a downtown hotel.

They couldn't help themselves. While waiting for passengers, cabbies took turns hopping out of their familiar sedans and stepping -- literally -- into the future. Without hitting their heads.

It may look like a cross between a fully loaded Herbie and the Magic School Bus, but the so-called Standard Taxi could change cab rides forever.

Featuring high "ceilings," driver security shields, interchangeable parts, easy access for the disabled, and ample luggage and legroom, the cab has had rave reviews from taxi-company owners, drivers, passenger advocates and industry regulators attending the International Association of Transportation Regulators Conference this week at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel.

The roominess is striking, many said. Standard Taxi is to an ordinary taxi what walk-in closets are to crawl spaces. Curious onlookers stood upright Tuesday as they stepped into the vehicle, choosing from four passengers seats, arranged around extra floor space for wheelchairs or strollers.

"I'm ready to drive it any time," said Hadi Nagi, a Seattle Yellow Cab driver, noting it would make his job easier.

"I check everything. It has enough space and is comfortable. It is a good deal, a really good idea," he said.

Mel McDonald, director of the city of Seattle's Revenue and Consumer Affairs Department, which enforces taxi regulations, said he cannot endorse or predict the purchase of any product, but said such a "multipurpose taxi" could fill a need in the city, which has a 642-cab fleet (842 in King County), many of which are former police cars.

"This vehicle solves all the needs of the taxicab riding public; it's an all-in-one vehicle," McDonald said.

McDonald said the city recently had licensed eight smaller vehicles for a King County pilot project aimed at determining whether smaller taxis can meet local needs while achieving better gas mileage and lowering pollution-causing emissions. The project is to be launched in the next few weeks, he said.

The idea for the Standard Taxi came about by listening to taxi-fleet owners and drivers nationwide, said David Bjerke, chief engineer for Standard Taxi and president of Triad, a Madison Heights, Michigan, vehicle engineering firm. The prototype reflects their advice on everything from flooring to better gas mileage (about 15 miles per gallon versus six to 10 mpg of most taxis), he said.

For example, the boxy shape draws answers a request for larger trunks for luggage plus a spare tire.

"It wasn't designed to look like a Corvette," said Marc Klein, president of Standard Taxi's Vehicle Production Group. "It's designed for function, to do a job."

Accommodating riders with disabilities was one job not getting done by many taxis, said John Lazar, president of Luxor Cabs in San Francisco, who added converted vans to his fleet after his own mother became disabled. He said of the 75 ADA-compliant (Americans with Disabilities Act) vehicles in this fleet, "50 percent at any time are broken down because of cracked frames, cracked axles, the liftgate gets damaged or other problems. Shocks go, and people in wheelchairs bang their heads on the roofs."

Sitting inside the Standard Taxi, an impressed Lazar said he'd buy some once they start rolling off the production line -- sometime next year.

"This car's been designed from the floor up," he said. "Durability is key, and this product is a winner."

Lazar added that the cost of the cab was reasonable -- about $25,000. Because of gas, maintenance and other savings, it would not result in price increases for customers, he said.

Although the car is designed for anyone to ride in, disabled passengers were particularly keen on it.

"I like that I don't have to duck when I get in; the major problem with most taxis is getting in," said Kent Hehr of Calgary, Alberta, who drove his motorized wheelchair up a retractable ramp and into the prototype.

		Photo by Gilbert W. Arias
	The cab features ample luggage, head- and legroom. It also gets better gas mileage than today's taxis.

		Photo by Gilbert W. Arias
	Seattle cabbie Amandeep Singh checks out the driver's side of a prototype taxi Tuesday made by Standard Taxi. With Singh is Cabe Morphew of Standard Taxi.

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