The Checker Taxi Stand

Manistique · Limo Driver Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 390

I was just watching a Sunday Morning program and there was a piece on Ford hybrid Escapes being used as cabs in NYC. They mentioned that they had to fight the taxi commission as the Escapes were not "specially built" for taxi service! I thought that this specially built requirement went out in the 1950's and was the beginning of the end of Checker's dominance in NYC? Anyway, they said that the Crown Vics are stretched 9 inches by Ford (part of the specially built requirement) for more room in the back seat. I never knew that. Is it true?

Chad · Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:33 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure about NYC's taxi rules -- I thought they'd done away with the purpose-built cab thing, too -- but Ford does offer a six-inch stretch option in its commercial Crown Vics.