[sid_lath]

white indicas and omnis with yellow number-plates are a common sight in bangalore
also white qualis is used extensively by bpo/call-centre companys for their employees

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]I've been around in those fabulous Mercedes taxis when I visited Germany.. amazing experience and theyre excellently maintained too

Ditto in france. Awesome. And Bloody expensive.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]


Rtech, dont look so far...just look at our neighbouring Bangladesh...they got Corolla's & other top-end cars as taxis. And they have made them hi-tech service..all the cabs are being centrally controlled/tracked by cab operations offices..so as a passenger, if you need one, just call them and they will tell you precisely when your cab wud reach your door to pick u up!! And if there's a jam in your route the driver wud know that earlier hand (again thru the central control) and wud suggest you alternate shortest route.

Countries that dont have a local automotive manufacturing industry are very very liberal with imports. Ditto for Pakistan.

The Indian auto industry on the other hand has gigantic levels of local R&D and manufacturing!

GTO

[normally_crazy]

indica and indigo are good choices . the indica already on the bombay-pune route.

forget the marutis....i wud suggest that the taxi unions buy all the 2nd hand ceilo's , fit them with the lpg/cng kits and voila we have some really good taxis...

i wudnt mind a versa though provided mul improves the build quality.

hey for that even the qualis mite work as taxis stationed at major train stations and airports..

cheers

[ravi_28_8]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]indica and indigo are good choices . the indica already on the bombay-pune route.

forget the marutis....i wud suggest that the taxi unions buy all the 2nd hand ceilo's , fit them with the lpg/cng kits and voila we have some really good taxis...

[Aditya]

Indica and Indigo are the best choices. Let's hope our cabbies maintain their diesel engines properly.
Oh yes, most importantly, let's hope we see more educated and responsible driving from our cabbies.

[GTO]

With the growing popularity of CNG, it is not imperative for Taxis to be diesel powered.

GTO

[arijit]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]
With the growing popularity of CNG, it is not imperative for Taxis to be diesel powered.
GTO

CNG is still a distant dream for Eastern states & not because of any political reason but because govts(both central/state) are yet to figure out the best & cheapest possible way to get the gas here. The pipeline for it is proving to be too costly to get an effect like western & northern states in terms of low costs for fuel and getting it transported by road/rail, is impossible looking at the volume!
Anyway people here are now thinking abt LPG & even few autos have started running on them(& wht a welcome break it is driving next/behind them....in terms of noise ofcourse..other problems remaining as it is)

Arijit

[shravan316]

I think Indigo too....but Dippy i dont mind the odd Ferrari taxi!!

[navin]

what about the proposed tata rs. 100,000 car? parts should be cheap. tata cars are rugged if not elegant.

[Stratos]

Hey many of u must have noticed.... Tata has given many INDIGO GLEs to the POLICE in mumbai!!

[amit]

Noone mentioned what i had in mind - how about the station wagons?
Fiat SIena 1.7D- I m pretty sure Fiat must have the older versions still in stock which they will happily dispose off as taxis

Opel Corsa Swing - the same situation like Fiat Siena.

Tata Indigo sedan and marina (When it's launched)

The only problem is doing this will instantly kill whatever estate market is left in India. As it is, ppl don't look at SW's as status symbols as they do with sedans and it's a pity. Shame to see the fantastic Palio Adventure languish like it's doing in sales.
Maruti Versa could a good option.
and how come we forgot our good old ambassador?

[lamborghini]

the siena weekend would make a good choice like amit said.
as would the fiat uno diesel as a small car.
maybe if fiat launches the unturbo 1.7ltr d endine as was in the uno and plonls it in the palio or weekend or even the petra.
these cars will last a lifetime and are comfortable and safe.
tata cars are rugged but breakdown quite fast and that will be a minus point to the cabbies.
maybe if they were given more exp. cars , the will drive more carefully as they have to pay damages from their own pockets

[navin]

any prosective car must satisfy 3 conditions:
1. Cheap to buy
2. Cheaper to maintain
3. Very low emmisions read as (CNG or Battery or Hybrid)

I am very sure that if we put our minds to it the guys at Mahindra or Tata with a bit of help from the boys at VJTI or IIT could develop such a car.

All this requires is an incentive from the Govt. to do so. That could mean tax breaks on R&D, assurance of quick phasing out of older vehicles, these cars could be reserved for only taxi usage and be offered with lower or 0% duties and taxes, and/or govt purchase assurances (for example a luxury version could be made on teh same platform to replace the White Ambassador that is used by bureaucrats today).

[ravi_28_8]

apart from hybred, lpg and cng the cabs should have some speeds and pickups to be reduced. i regularly see these cab moving around like snakes. they just need an inch extra place to go trou. lot of dents and scratches r found on them. the drivers dont care at all for the car. esp u can see these call center and bpo's pick and drop cabs in this situvation. they driving spped is not a prob but they drive very rash.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by navin

any prosective car must satisfy 3 conditions:
1. Cheap to buy
2. Cheaper to maintain
3. Very low emissions (read as CNG or Battery or Hybrid)

And a taxi has traditionally served as a station wagon, a vehicle to carry long-distance passengers to/from the railway station/airport, with their luggage.
So it has to have a large dikky and maybe an overhead luggage rack ("carrier" as locally known).

Along with the Tata Indigo, What about Fiat Petra to replace the Bombay Taxi?

Speaking of the Fiat Uno, a three-box version actually existed. It was called the Fiat Duna (Fiat Prêmio in Brazil).


Like Indians and North Americans, Latin Americans traditionally love sedans more than hatchbacks. In Argentina the 1987 Fiat four-door Duna, was was largely used as a taxi, with CNG engines. Between 1990-1996, it was the most sold car in the market.

In a 25,000 km reliability test, a 1.5 litre 82 bhp Fiat Duna SCV, on the Rafaela's Speedway did a total time of over 170 hours with an average speed of 146 km/h.

Eventually the Duna and Duna Weekend were replaced by the Fiat Siena/Petra and the Fiat Palio Weekend.

Fiat India could cheaply redo a CNG Duna in India exclusively for taxi and cool-cab use.

Ram