DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
New York City officials on Thursday approved Ford Motor Co.'s
(F) Transit Connect models for use among the metropolis' roughly
13,000-strong yellow cab fleet.
The nod came after Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration in
May picked Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. (NSANY, 7201.TO)
over Ford for its Taxi of Tomorrow competition. Nissan had
submitted a version of the NV200, a small van previously
unavailable in the United States.
The first Nissan cabs aren't expected to hit the road until the
end of 2013, but the choice was still controversial. Owners of big
taxi fleets have said they don't want to be stuck using only one
model, so the city is meanwhile approving other cars that meet its
interim specifications.
The city's Taxi and Limousine Commission on Thursday approved
the Transit Connect, which is already in use in Boston, Chicago and
Philadelphia, along with Ford's better-known Taurus model.
"With the phase-out of the Crown Victoria, another vehicle needs
to fill the gap...between now and then," commission spokesman Allan
Fromberg said, referring to Ford's iconic older model. "That
doesn't mean all the other cabs have to be junked" when the new
standards come into effect, he added.
Ford has so far sold more than 100 Transit Connect models, which
the company dubs "the Taxi of Today," after its first shipment to
Boston last December.
"For decades, Ford has been synonymous with New York City taxis,
and we are pleased residents and tourists now will benefit from our
next-generation vehicle," Ford Americas President Mark Fields
said.
The automaker also offers engine prep packages that allow owners
to modify the cars to run on natural gas or compressed propane.
-By Drew FitzGerald, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2909;
Andrew.FitzGerald@dowjones.com