Karsan, which reached the finals of the New York taxi tender alongside Ford and Nissan and became the favorite of Americans in the surveys, gained another important advantage.
A bill submitted to the New York City Council, requiring taxis to be redesigned for disabled passengers starting in 2014, has been approved. Council member Micah Kellner, who introduced the bill, stated that future taxis in New York should either have ramps or a system that allows wheelchairs to easily enter the vehicle.
This decision by the New York City government has made Karsan's taxi project the most likely candidate in the tender, which is expected to conclude this month. This is because, among the three finalist models, only Karsan's V1 project is designed for people with disabilities. Ford's Transit Connect model, produced in Gölcük, and Nissan's vehicle do not include a system for disabled citizens.
