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Taxi 07's goal was to facilitate innovative new cab designs and
propose improvements to the technologies, regulations, and public
spaces that support the taxi system. Implementation of these
improvements was pursued through
three related program initiatives: design excellence, a taxi system report, and public awareness.
The program culminated
in a series of events and
publications in early 2007,
the hundredth anniversary
of New York City's first
gas-powered taxi.
The Design Trust remains actively involved in the effort to improve NYC's taxi system and vehicle. As a direct result of our Taxi 07 program, the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission launched the Taxi of Tomorrow program in early 2008 to pursue the creation of a new iconic taxi for New York City. A Request for Information (RFI) was released to automakers in February 2008. |
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Project Update:
Several key recommendations made by the Design Trust in our 2007 publication Taxi 07: Roads Forward are being adopted by the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission: additional service training for drivers (p.87, Roads Forward), rideshare fares (p. 108), and group-ride locations (p.131). In our Taxi 07 Exhibit at the NY International Auto Show, we debuted several full-scale vehicle prototypes, including a collaboration by Kia, Smart Design, Antenna Design and Birsel + Seck (featured above). This vehicle was full of innovative designs, including a roof light that displays the cab's destination - another key design strategy that the TLC will be piloting in the fall.
Read more about the recommendations, download a copy of Roads Forward (8mb PDF), and see more of the innovative designs on view in the Taxi 07 Exhibit. |
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| Taxi
07: Design Excellence |
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The
Taxi 07 Exhibit, presented by Standard Taxi, premiered at the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, April 6-15, 2007.
The exhibit demonstrated unequivocally that the yellow cab can and should stand for our city's commitment to sustainability, accessibility and good design.
View selected press coverage about the Taxi 07 Exhibit. Download the exhibit press release.
Exhibit highlights included:
• alternative-fuel taxis
• wheelchair accessible taxis
• 21st century taxi stands
• improved roof lights and partitions
• improved passenger compartments
• a film portrait of NYC taxi drivers
• 2 historic checker cabs
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All
exhibit
participants were required to address five
of Taxi 07's ten design challenges, which
include a roof light with improved legibility;
a partition with passenger services; integral
child seats; skylight; hybrid or alternate-fuel
engines; wheelchair accessibility; and
alternatives to the four-passenger sedan.
Read moreabout the exhibit. To see daily photos of the exhibit being built, visit the Design Trust blog.
Exhibition design, consultation and experience provided by Imagination, USA Inc. Lighting design by Nathalie Rozot with James Long. Exhibit construction donated by Richter + Ratner, with help from Highrise Hoisting & Scaffolding, Inc. The opening night, invitation-only party was presented by Target.
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| Taxi
07: System Report |
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The
Design Trust, in partnership with the New
York City Taxi & Limousine Commission
(TLC), published a taxi system report called Taxi 07: Roads Forward in December 2007. This publication provides the City of New York with the first long-term plan for improving the taxi system.
The primary authors of this publication are six Design Trust fellows, an outstanding interdisciplinary team that includes urban planners, information designers, economists, and transportation experts: Rachel Abrams, Sylvia Harris, Adam Millard-Ball,
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Eric Rothman, Anisha Sawhney, and Rachel Weinberger. Chelsea Mauldin, former Deputy Director of the Design Trust for Public Space, was the project manager.
Taxi 07: Roads Forward was designed by mgmt. design, with contributions from graphic artist Jason Little and photographer Stewart Simons. Publication sponsors are: Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Inc.;New York Community Trust; J.M. Kaplan Fund; and HR&A Advisors, Inc. |
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| Taxi 07: Public Awareness |
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In celebration of the cab's centennial, Taxi 07 organized a series of public events and educational programs that stimulated debate on how to improve the cab for its next 100 years.
Many of the Taxi 07 programs took place during "NYC Taxi Week" (April 6-15, 2007), including a program about the taxi centennial on the PBS series "New York Voices" on April 13, and a month-long taxi film series at the IFC Center. On April 4th, the Empire State Building was lit in honor of the centennial and Taxi 07. |
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Deborah Marton, the Design Trust's Executive Director, discussed Taxi 07 on WNYC's The Leonard Lopate Show, Thursday, March 27 at 1pm.
The first public event was held on Thursday, January 18, 2007 at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. "Transforming an Icon," a panel discussion, explored how the city's top designers are approaching the challenge of improving an icon such as the NYC taxicab.Read more about this event.
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