HUMMER Turning to the Taxi Cab?

With all the uncertainty surrounding GM's HUMMER division, manufacturing partner AM General is looking for business to fill its Mishawaka, Ind., plant. And that business could include producing taxi cabs, if a report from HUMMERGuy's Web site is correct.

VPG Autos is in negotiations with AM General to build a new taxi cab in the factory, which produces the H2 and could begin producing cabs next year, if VPG's financing comes through. It may not lead to new jobs at the factory but could keep the plant operating at higher capacity through the current sales freefall at HUMMER--and through any change in control that might come as GM reevaluates the value of the brand.

The HUMMER plant where H2s are built has made commercial vehicles before; other than military vehicles, the AM General facilities have also produced mail trucks in the past.