Ford Transit Connect Taxi…Huh?!

April 30, 2010 by Matt Keegan

When it comes to automotive beauty contests the Ford Transit Connect is nowhere to be found. The little van is plain, even somewhat ugly and not something you’d want to show off to the neighbors. But what the TC lacks in the beauty department it wins in the practicality department, thanks to its compact layout, fuel efficient nature and ease of use.

Boston Taxi

So it wasn’t much of a surprise to me when I learned today that the city of Boston has approved the TC to serve as a taxi in that city. Boston regulates which types of vehicles can be used on its streets and has endorsed the TC. That works out good for the city because the TC is 30 percent more fuel efficient than the typical taxi cab and with Ford offering engine prep packages, running the TC on compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas will be possible (see photos below).

Boston now becomes the first municipality in America to authorize the Ford Transit Connect for taxi use. Beantown has been using the Ford Crown Victoria extensively for years, but that aged full-sized model is slated to be retired next year. The taxi TC will serve most customer’s needs as its rear seat compartment features room for three with plenty of storage area behind it.

Important Upgrades

The taxi TC Ford is marketing includes some notable upgrades. Says Ford Chief Engineer Rob Stevens, “We moved the rear seat back three inches, added a grab handle for passengers to get in and out of the vehicle, and we installed a ventilation unit to heat and cool the second row. We also added vinyl seats, which taxi operators said they wanted because of their durability.”

In 2009, Ford showed off a concept taxi TC to taxi fleet owners and operators across America, soliciting feedback from them to make changes per their needs. Those refinements led to Boston approving the Ford Transit Connect a vehicle that will join the Escape Hybrid and outgoing Ford Crown Victoria in the Ford taxi fleet.