About Taxi Of Tomorrow

The Taxi of Tomorrow concept dates back to 2005. It was originated by the Design Trust for Public Space, in cooperation with Parsons The New School for Design. These organizations believed that taking a cab is a quintessential New York City experience, but one that could and must be vastly improved.

In May of that year, the Design Trust and Parsons held a series of workshops, which were attended by taxi owners, drivers, planners, designers, medallion holders, artists, and representatives of city agencies (including the Taxi & Limousine Commission). The assembled participants discussed everything from trends in taxi design to the ideal passenger experience. From these workshops arose a set of preliminary designs and proposals that laid the groundwork for the ultimate New York City taxi.

By December 2009, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the Taxi of Tomorrow competition. Auto manufacturers and designers were invited to submit their best proposals for an environmentally friendly, accessible, purpose-built vehicle to serve a the New York City taxi.

In November 2010, Mayor Bloomberg announced the three finalists in the Taxi of Tomorrow competition. The winning design is expected to replace the current hodgepodge fleet of sedans and hybrid sport utility vehicles with a single, iconic New York City taxi for the next decade.

All three designs feature a tall roof and wide doors, familiar to taxi riders in London, and a generously sized backseat area with far more legroom than the cramped hybrid cars currently on the streets. The Karsan entry, however, is the only one of the three finalists that paid special attention to the TLC’s request for a unique, iconic design and full ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliance. 

The public has been invited to participate by visiting the website www.nyc.gov, where they can view each entry, voice their opinion and vote for their favorite design. An announcement of the winning design is expected early in 2011. The company that receives the bid will have exclusive selling rights to the New York City taxi market for a ten year period.