Brought to you by Park It! NYC

NYC’s Taxi of Tomorrow is here! Well, the prototype is, at least. We went down to 23rd St & Broadway last week to check it out. There are some nifty new features and a few things that still have to be figured out for the new NYC taxi made by Nissan.

New Features Include:

• No Hump on the floor so the person in middle will actually get to sit with his/her legs together, if that’s what is wanted.
• Glass Will Separate the passengers from the driver, and the driver will be able to hear you.
• Climate Control that works.
• Legroom of up to 2 feet from the front of the passenger seat to the back of the driver’s seat.
• Charging Stations will be available all passengers. Right now the outlets are in the back of the driver’s seat.

• Intercom so you can talk with the driver.
• Skylight in the roof to let in some light, let you see all the tall buildings, and figure out how hard it’s raining.
• Baggage Area can handle 4 normal sized suitcases comfortably.
• Passenger Seat goes to the floor so there isn’t any open space beneath the seat. No more losing things in the dark and crawling around the bottom of the NYC taxi in search!
  

Margot Tohn inside the NYC Taxi prototype. Lots of leg room!

How will passengers pay? Right now the glass divider is one solid piece, so we’re sure the taxis will have a way for people to pay with cash and get receipts from the driver.

Where will notices be posted? Things like the Taxi Medallion info, driver’s license number, Passenger Bill of Rights.

Wheelchair Accessibility. They’re still working on a version to accommodate wheelchairs. Features including sliding doors, low step-in height, grab bars, and an entry step are being designed to improve access for people with mobility limitations.

More info here.

Margot Tohn of Park It spends her day coming up with ways to make driving, parking and walking in NYC easier. Check out her musings at www.parkitnyc.com.