Why does Chicago have such a shabby TAXI fleet? (Pana: calculated, gated)

[aragx6]

Yes, I too have had a few surly drivers or ones who try to take the longest route somewhere -- I've had them in every city I've traveled by cab in really!

But that's totally different than the topic at hand.

And bluem3hatch? A 1990 Crown Vic looks like this:


Now how often do you really see a cab that old? Seriously.

[quigboto]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Yes, I too have had a few surly drivers or ones who try to take the longest route somewhere -- I've had them in every city I've traveled by cab in really!

But that's totally different than the topic at hand.

And bluem3hatch? A 1990 Crown Vic looks like this:


Now how often do you really see a cab that old? Seriously.

In the movies.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by aragx6

And bluem3hatch? A 1990 Crown Vic looks like this:


Now how often do you really see a cab that old? Seriously.

Ouch.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Yes, I too have had a few surly drivers or ones who try to take the longest route somewhere -- I've had them in every city I've traveled by cab in really!

But that's totally different than the topic at hand.

And bluem3hatch? A 1990 Crown Vic looks like this:

Now how often do you really see a cab that old? Seriously.

Except in small cities, cabs don't last twenty years just due to the amount of miles put on them.

It seems to me that a good number of the Crown Vics in taxi fleets are old Police Interceptors from the suburban police fleets.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

Except in small cities, cabs don't last twenty years just due to the amount of miles put on them.

It seems to me that a good number of the Crown Vics in taxi fleets are old Police Interceptors from the suburban police fleets.

They buy 'em at the Mount Prospect police auctions.

[Dport7674]

'Run down' is probably the worse I can say about my experience in Chicago cabs.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Drover

They buy 'em at the Mount Prospect police auctions.

Agreed - been there a dozen times. All those cars are generally three years old and some as old as five years.

[bostonguy1960]

OP here...

Surprised to see such vehement defense of the Chicago cab fleet. True, most people are not in the taxi long enough to have complaints on hybrid or modern cabs vs. older cabs. And the cheaper cab rate in Chicago makes it palatable, I guess. I admit that if presented with a Chicago cab over a more modern Boaston one, I'd choose yours as long as I could save $5-$10 on one of the longer trips.

But certainly, I get the occasional nice comment about the nice hybrid cab I rent.

The hybrids allow for nice A/C in the back seat area (its own vent attached to the partition); I don't miss customers complaining about poor or no A/C in those older Crown Vics, partly because the air only emanated from the driver's area and not also in the back of the car.

I also don't miss breaking down several times a year in those older cabs. So far with the hybrid for the past 18 months or so: no breakdowns.

I'm sure a spouse or parent would take comfort in knowing their loved one is in a newer cab if travelling for 15-20 miles on a highway in a strange city.

I simply did not see any hybrids at O'Hara, on the highways or in the city. Our hybrids have a wide green stripe along each side of the passenger's door along with a "Boston Clean Air Cab' logo sticker over the stripe. If Chicago has hybrids, I didn't spot any, or they didn't sport a green stripe identifying them.

In Cambridge, Mass., acroos the river, their fleet is unimpressive; however, a couple cabs are hybrids, sponsored by a Whole Foods Market ad on the top of the cab. Seems like a fitting advertiser.

I realize some posters think me petty and silly. After all, shouldn't we be more worried about the condition of our airplanes, not so much the cabs? Yes, but it's an observation I needed to express after my visit. Just like any of you would have a stronger opinion than I about fellow nurses, bartenders or teachers.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

I simply did not see any hybrids at O'Hara...

...I realize some posters think me petty and silly...

Get the name of our main airport right or be gone. Thanks.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

OP here...

Surprised to see such vehement defense of the Chicago cab fleet. True, most people are not in the taxi long enough to have complaints on hybrid or modern cabs vs. older cabs. And the cheaper cab rate in Chicago makes it palatable, I guess. I admit that if presented with a Chicago cab over a more modern Boaston one, I'd choose yours as long as I could save $5-$10 on one of the longer trips.

But certainly, I get the occasional nice comment about the nice hybrid cab I rent.

The hybrids allow for nice A/C in the back seat area (its own vent attached to the partition); I don't miss customers complaining about poor or no A/C in those older Crown Vics, partly because the air only emanated from the driver's area and not also in the back of the car.

I also don't miss breaking down several times a year in those older cabs. So far with the hybrid for the past 18 months or so: no breakdowns.

I'm sure a spouse or parent would take comfort in knowing their loved one is in a newer cab if travelling for 15-20 miles on a highway in a strange city.

I simply did not see any hybrids at O'Hara, on the highways or in the city. Our hybrids have a wide green stripe along each side of the passenger's door along with a "Boston Clean Air Cab' logo sticker over the stripe. If Chicago has hybrids, I didn't spot any, or they didn't sport a green stripe identifying them.

In Cambridge, Mass., acroos the river, their fleet is unimpressive; however, a couple cabs are hybrids, sponsored by a Whole Foods Market ad on the top of the cab. Seems like a fitting advertiser.

I realize some posters think me petty and silly. After all, shouldn't we be more worried about the condition of our airplanes, not so much the cabs? Yes, but it's an observation I needed to express after my visit. Just like any of you would have a stronger opinion than I about fellow nurses, bartenders or teachers.

Some of our cabs are hybrids, with Escape hybrids being the most common and Camry hybrids not too far behind. You'll occasionally even see a Prius cab. If you saw an Escape or a Camry, there's a good chance you a hybrid cab and didn't know it; there's nothing big and loud on them that says "LOOK AT ME -- I'M A HYBRID CAB!"

Most cabs with dividers have an air hose running from an A/C vent back to the passenger area. Between that and the partition window being open 99% of the time I've never had an issue with insufficient climate control.