Van to Taxi conversions, safety?

Tipsy Mac

Was coming home through traffic today and was looking as you do at different traffic passing me, I spotted a few Toyota Hiace and Fiat Scudo Taxis, now both of these started off life as vans from the manufacturer and were converted when they arrived in Ireland. What I am wondering is from a safety point of view how they are actually legal, they have no crumple zones for the passenger/cargo area and they have not went through any EU test whatsoever for vehicle safety to be carrying passengers yet in Ireland we let them go around for the sole purpose of carrying passengers :rolleyes:

bushy...

There is a factory made "minibus version" , surely they would have passed ? You'd probably be better off in one of those than in one of these though : http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1616576

Wishbone Ash

I think you will need to do a bit more intensive thinking when sitting in traffic Tipsy Mac. All SPSVs are required to undergo an NCT each year http://www.ncts.ie/spsvsuitabilitytestrequirements.pdf to ascertain their suitability as a taxi.

www.parfit.ie are the company which carry out most of these conversions and I'm sure they do a reasonable job.

Tipsy Mac

Wishbone Ash wrote:

I think you will need to do a bit more intensive thinking when sitting in traffic Tipsy Mac. All SPSVs are required to undergo an NCT each year http://www.ncts.ie/spsvsuitabilitytestrequirements.pdf to ascertain their suitability as a taxi.

www.parfit.ie are the company which carry out most of these conversions and I'm sure they do a reasonable job.

Yes I appreciate the NCT but it doesn't test how the vehicles would perform in a collision, having a seat belt is no good if it crumples like a sardine can in a collision. If you compare them to something like the VW Carevelle which was designed and built as a passenger vehicle there is a huge difference.

peasant

emmm....
The VW Caravalle is nothing but a Transporter with windows and seats ...from the factory.

Same as the Scudo or Hiace van with windows.
It is just that the latter two are not normally sold as passenger vehicles in Ireland. But you can go into any other european country and order a passenger Scudo from your dealer (you can order one in Ireland as well ...you just have to wait that bit longer). It is therefore safe to assume that they passed all EU passenger car safety regulations.

bazz26

Afaik Toyota have always sold the Hiace minibus in Ireland offically and it was straight from the factory.

Wishbone Ash

bazz26 wrote:

Afaik Toyota have always sold the Hiace minibus in Ireland offically and it was straight from the factory.

Most minibuses are available to buy factory made but it's usually much cheaper to buy a van and convert. The Ford Transit is particularly expensive to buy in minibus format.

zilog_jones

Some of the Hiace taxis around are the Japanese import Hiace Regius, which are factory built.

bazz26

Wishbone Ash wrote:

Most minibuses are available to buy factory made but it's usually much cheaper to buy a van and convert. The Ford Transit is particularly expensive to buy in minibus format.

Very true but if I were buying one to use as a public service vehicle like a taxi I would want to make sure that the work done is top notch from both a quality and safety aspect.

I know that there are a few companies that do a top professional job alright but they are not cheap either.

lm7

I drive a fiat scudo taxi in Dublin on a daily basis. The scudo taxi is a wheelchair taxi. Ech year I have to be tested by the nct taxi section, they go though it with a fine tooth comb. I watched as they thumped hell out of the suspension with a machine. Each year I also have to have an engineers report for the wheelchair ramps. It is also up to the driver to make sure his car is safe. There are inforcers who can stop and check the car out.

Tipsy Mac

lm7 wrote:

I drive a fiat scudo taxi in Dublin on a daily basis. The scudo taxi is a wheelchair taxi. Ech year I have to be tested by the nct taxi section, they go though it with a fine tooth comb. I watched as they thumped hell out of the suspension with a machine. Each year I also have to have an engineers report for the wheelchair ramps. It is also up to the driver to make sure his car is safe. There are inforcers who can stop and check the car out.

Again, my point is that the vehicle has not been tested as to how it will perform in a crash, checking the seat belts doesn't say how it will perform when it's in a crash.

overdriver

lm7 wrote:

I drive a fiat scudo taxi in Dublin on a daily basis.

GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN!!!!

alias no.9

Tipsy Mac wrote:

they have no crumple zones for the passenger/cargo area

Where in particular do you beleive there should be a crumple zone and what benefits do you believe it would bring?