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Cabbies Can Pay $51,000 For Fancy New Mercedes Taxis
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Apr 26, 2011
Modified Apr 26, 2011
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Photo from Flickr user GlennQNYC
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Apr 26, 2011
Modified Apr 26, 2011
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You know what the city needs more of? Fancy cabs! if you're not into the idea of a luxury motorcycle taxi service, try cruising town in high style in one of the city's newly-approved Mercedes-Benz taxis instead. Well, if you can find one.
The Taxi and Limousine Commission recently added the $51,000 Mercedes E350 BlueTec sedan to its list of approved vehicles that cabbies, who are required to buy a new ride every three to five years, can choose from. But with such a steep price tag, most hacks, who make about $49,000 a year, simply can't afford such a slick new ride. The most popular models for cabbies today are the Ford Escape Hybrid, Toyota Sienna minivans, and our personal favorite, the luxurious-feeling, always-classy Crown Victoria, whose production was recently halted due to an engine shortage.
Cabbie Khan Iqbal told the Daily News, "No way, man," when asked if he would take a Mercedes over his current Crown Vic. "I already paid 50 bucks for gas today. Maybe Mayor Bloomberg can afford to drive a Mercedes cab." No word yet on whether the spiffy new cabs will still feature perpetually annoying Taxi TV.
Tagged
cab
luxury ride
Mercedes Benz
taxi
taxi cab
tlc
transportation
Jamie Feldmar
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