“The Taxi of Tomorrow” isn’t tough enough.
A taxi medallion leasing organization insists that the city’s one and only choice of vehicles for the future — the $29,000 Nissan NV2000 — won’t stand up to the wear and tear of what it describes as “the poorly maintained streets of New York.”
The city chose the minivan to be the five boroughs’ only yellow cab as of 2013 — under a 10-year, $1 billion contract with the manufacturer. Any medallion owner would be required to purchase one.
But the Queens-based Committee for Taxi Safety claims the NV200 “uses outmoded engineering, design and technology.” And the group has asked a Manhattan Supreme Court judge to declare the choice “arbitrary and capricious.”
The new taxis will feature built-in GPS, greater rider room and 25 miles-a-gallon fuel efficiency.