A car fan from Burnaby, named Giovanni Porta has recently caused a sensation in the streets of Downtown Vancouver. His reasoning? He just got an old New York City taxi cab as his new ride. The 2011 Ford Crown Victoria used to be a common sight in New York City streets. But now it’s getting attention on the beautiful roads in British Columbia.
Porta’s trip with the Taxi of New York City and Vancouver started after he spent $5,000 US to buy a retired cab from someone on Facebook Marketplace in September. Not letting distance stop him, Porta started a long road trip. He drove from New York to Vancouver over five days in a row. During his journey, he also spent time exploring big cities along the way.
The Ford Crown Victoria, a part of the old taxi scene in New York City, holds an important place in Porta’s feelings as he calls it “a piece of history.” After 2018, this classic car was pulled out because New York City had very strict rules demanding aged vehicles to be sold every seven years. This rustic old Taxi has cool things like a working.
Porta is very committed to keeping the cab real. His care for fixing up the vehicle is careful and detailed. After spending two thousand dollars on repairs, he was able to fix things like a card machine for his credit cards. He also brought back features such as a screen to give driver information and original plates from the state of New York. His project always needs him to fix the TV in his car’s window. He wants this special trip to feel more like the past.
Mr. Porta said he is very happy with his car because it’s hard to find one in good shape like this. He pointed out how unusual such a special vehicle is. The NYC taxi is part of a famous group of four cars owned by Porta. Another car from the Vancouver Police Department was also in this collection.
People in Vancouver’s city center might think Porta’s old taxi can be rented, but this is wrong. Rather than working for money, he rides around just for fun. He gives free lifts to friends and family members. The funny meeting with the New York City cabs in Downtown Vancouver has made people be puzzled, and taxi drivers and walkers try to stop moving car because they think it’s a working cab.
Porta talked about how the taxi from New York City is really special because it’s in an unexpected place on the West Coast right now. He really stressed that this highlights a big difference between famous NYC cabs and normal traffic out here. While the old NYC taxi goes through Metro Vancouver, it shows how old cars have changed over time. It also represents different styles of cars and their history in British Columbia because people want something special there.
