• Karsan
  

  * Specifically designed as passenger vehicle for urban use
  * No retrofitting or adaptation of standard passenger cars or vans
  * Entire roof of the vehicle made of plexi-glass, allowing unobstructed passenger views of New York’s skyscrapers
  * Flexible seating for up to five passengers, with comfortable, roomy seats
  * Additional cabin space for strollers, luggage or shopping bags
  * Purpose-build, accessible—fully 100% ADA-complaint
  * Illuminated wheelchair ramp on both sides of vehicle
  * Space in vehicle for wheelchair maneuverability
  * Specialized handrails and restraint systems
  * Wide doors open to 90 degrees
  * Keyboard/screen communications for the hearing impaired
  * Braille displays for the visually impaired
  * Space designed specifically for the comfort of guide dogs and other service animals
  * WiFi capabilities, Internet access
  * Flexibility for the most sustainable engine mode available
  * Ease of switching one engine to another:

  o Operation with a gasoline engine
  o OR a compressed natural gas (CNG) engine
  o OR a gas-electric hybrid engine
  o OR an all electric engine (within the product life cycle)

• Nissan Public

  Nissan’s entry is a compact van that offers the most passenger space of the three, and is based on their NV200 model that was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009. It is a heavy duty minivan, will probably have an all-electric version available in the near future. It is hard to find information online about specific disability provisions, but there is no mention at all of a wheelchair ramp or lift.

• Ford Transit Connect

  
  Ford’s design is based on the Transit Connect van, which is available in the U.S. and was named 2010 North American Truck of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Aside from the advantages of a vehicle that is already in production and available domestically, Ford have released both compressed natural gas and all-electric versions of the vehicle complete with extra leg room, an information and entertainment system in the back for passengers, and a fare-tracking system.
  * This vehicle is not completely wheelchair accessible; although there is certainly room inside for a wheelchair to fit the wheelchair user will not be able to embark and disembark independently. It appears to have no other special disability accommodations.

These posters are in a handy size for laminating and using in presentations regarding our accessible, sustainable UniCab Design.

Click to download poster-size versions of these image

Chris Burrell, founder and director of UniCo Design Co (UniCo) along with the team for the UniCab TAXI OF TOMORROW design, has beaten all odds and is one of small number of submissions competing in the New York Taxi & Limousine Commission’s quest to find the “The Taxi of Tomorrow”.

The project is a unique opportunity to explore upgrades to the existing NYC taxi fleet by learning about possibilities for a more appropriate vehicle that reflects the needs of its diverse stakeholders – passengers, drivers, owners and NYC residents. The RFI seeks to gauge the various options available to bring a new model medallion yellow taxicab to New York City in the near future.

Among the requirements envisioned for the new model taxicab are:

• meets highest safety standards
• superior passenger experience
• superior driver comfort and amenities
• appropriate purchase price and on-going maintenance and repair costs
• smaller environmental footprint (lower emissions and improved fuel economy)
• smaller physical footprint (with more useable interior room)
• universal accessibility for all users with a goal of meeting ADA guidelines, (wheelchair accessible), and
• iconic design that will identify the new taxi with New York City

Up until now, Chris Burrell has led a small dedicated team of vehicle designers engineers, ergonomic transport specialists, economists, access consultants and concerned citizens (most of them with one form or another of a disability) to get to this point on the world stage

The submission, in part, highlighted the following points:

1. We can partner with a strong American auto OEM to build, deliver on time at an affordable price to the required standards.
2. It will be substantially built in the USA.
3. Our design is innovative and makes a break from the past and will evolve to take advantage of new technology now available.
4. The design has evolved over the past 10 years driven by a passion & extensive stakeholder consultation to produce a universal purpose designed taxi vehicle.
5. The name UNiCAB says it all.
6. We will be able to meet the the phase-in rate of 200 vehicles per month.
7. We will meet the Oct 2013 first delivery date.
8. We will partner with the TLC as requested in the RFP and propose a participative / collaborative ownership.
9. More New Yorkers will want to ride in the UNiCAB and raise the morale of taxi drivers and patrons.
10. Therein exists the possibility of transforming the whole industry and the publics perception to multi-ride.
11. We have the capability to raise the funds to complete the project.

The eyes of the world will be focusing on the outcome..

Jacob Francis Baldwin, “gifted” with the condition of Cerebral Palsy Athetosis, had an eclectic range of personal experiences and professional skills.

Qualified as a rehabilitation Councillor [the first person with a classified disability in Australia to graduate] and Trainer, his knowledge and experience spanned over 30 years in a professional capacity in the Disability Industry.

Jacob was respectfully known as an ideas man with follow through plus. He was known throughout the nation for his determination and commitment to people with classified disabilities by travelling around Australia in an electric wheelchair demonstrating to the public that it’s Ability that counts. Jacob lived on the Far North Coast of N.S.W. Australia.

He ran a Training Agency and was an International motivation speaker. Jacob was a recipient of the 2000 Australian Achiever Award. In his spare time Jacob found great joy in assisting others to achieve their potentials. His leisure interests were chess, reading, writing, cooking, people watching, meditation, performing poetry and travelling.

From Jacob’s list of many “Firsts”:

• First to graduate as a Rehabilitation Counsellor with a classified disability in Australia
• First person with a classified disability to work in the field of Community Welfare in NSW AUSTRALIA
• Established first government funded consumer information resources centre for disability in Australia
• Foundation member of the N.S.W. Disability Council
• Major starring role in ABC Television Logie winning documentary series A MATTER OF CHANCE
• First Person classified as disabled to gain Senior position in NSW Government
• Instigated Byron Bay Access Commitee on North Coast NSW Australia
• First person ever to drive Around Australia in a Powerchair. (battery powered wheelchair – it took him 4 years)
• Co founded Artreach. NSW disability Arts organisation
• First to promote ability on a National scale in Australia

Jacob was a tireless advocate for innovative access solutions for people with disabilities. The many people who knew and admired Jacob will sorely miss him.

If you want to use one of our images on your website please link to one of our images on Flickr.

Thank you for your understanding.

Medium resolution

Suitable for viewing on the web or computer presentations

• PDF summary of our proposal
  Download
• PDF diagrams of accessibility features and recharge station system
  Download
• Pack of 6 medium resolution images (1024 pixels width .jpgs)
  Download

High resolution

Suitable for printing out for display (this link will take you to a download link on a different server)

• ⇓ Posters, diagrams and images

This website is still a work in progress, but we hope that the slideshow images on the front page and our downloads will help you see what our UniCab Taxi of Tomorrow has to offer to New York, through harnessing design and technology to enhance accessibility and address ecological concerns in this hugely popular form of transport.

Please follow us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with the latest updates as we work through our proposal with the transport officials in NYC.