Cabby

For the Checker Cab-based taxi from previous GTA games, see Cabbie.

File:Cabby-GTA4-front.jpg

A Cabby in GTA IV (Rear quarter view, with different accessories).

The Schyster Cabby is one of three yellow taxi models in Grand Theft Auto IV, based on the in-game non-commercial Vapid Minivan.

Design

Like the Minivan, the Cabby resembles a fourth generation Dodge Caravan or Chrysler Voyager; for comparison, most real-life New York City Taxi minivans use the Honda Odyssey most commonly, and also the Chevrolet Venture, Ford Freestar, and Toyota Sienna as their base (however Caravans and Voyagers are used seldom). However, with NYC Taxi, the Caravan and Voyagers are still occasionally used.

While the vehicle bears a Schyster badge, rather than that of Vapid, the rear of the vehicle reads on the left side Minivan Cabby, and on the right side Limited Vapid designed. The Cabby differs from the Minivan only in braking and suspension, as described below, and in its taxi fleet markings. There is some minor cosmetic variation among Cabbys, including a variety of roof-mounted taxi signs, and the presence or absence of stickers, scuff bars, and black trimming above the sideskirts. The Cabby also features a wheelchair accessibility lift on the rear bumper; however, it is non-functional in-game.

Performance

The Cabby, based on the Minivan, retains the same 24V V6, 4 speed gearbox and RWD layout, leading to slow acceleration and a poor top speed. The suspension has been slightly upgraded to cope with Algonquin's rough roads, and, accordingly, the Cabby handles much better than the Minivan. The brakes have also had a slight upgrade, giving the Cabby a shorter stopping distance. ABS brakes are still standard. Accident deformation and engine build quality remain acceptable.

Hailing a cab

A new feature introduced in GTA IV is the ability to hail cabs. Niko can whistle for a cab (provided he is not wanted by the police), take a seat in the back, and be driven anywhere in the city for a fee. Upon entering the taxi, the player can use a terminal within the vehicle to direct the driver to various preset landmarks (safehouses, mission starting locations, recreational facilities such as bowling alleys or the Helitours depot, etc); the player can also direct the driver to any waypoint they set, and during some missions, the player can take a taxi to (stationary) mission markers. The taxi fare is determined by distance, and whether the player used the 'hurry' option (which allows the driver to drive aggressively and ignore road rules) or 'trip-skip' option (where the journey is omitted entirely, the game resuming as the cab pulls up at its location). If Niko acts aggressively or receives a wanted level while riding in a taxi, the driver will stop the car and run away in fear.

In GTA IV, cabs that already have passengers won't normally stop when hailed, but if caught, they can still be used. Niko will pull the passenger out of the back seat and hop in. Passengers do not retaliate, and there is no Wanted penalty or reaction from the driver.

Niko can get free cab rides from Roman Bellic after the player has earned his respect (Roman will call to inform Niko once the service is available). Selecting "Car Services" from Roman's address-book entry in the Cell Phone will initiate a call to Roman, and he will dispatch one of his cabs to Niko's location. In the beginning of the game, Roman's taxis are customised dark grey Esperantos (see Roman's Taxi), but as his fortunes rise, his company switches to using dark grey Cavalcades.

Trivia

• The three default radio stations in the Cabby are Integrity 2.0, WKTT Radio and PLR.
• The Cabby shares a very slimiar rim design as the Vauxhall version of the Opel Corsa Mk5 & 6. However, this is properly a coincidence, as the Cabby bears no other slimiar features to the Corsa.

Locations

Unlike the two other Taxi models in GTA IV, the Schyster Cabby is only seen driving throughout Algonquin and is rarely found in Broker, Dukes, Bohan, or Alderney.

See also

• Taxi
• London Cab
• Taxi Xpress
• Cabbie