New York City Cabs Go Green
When one is exploring the bustling streets of New York City, they can’t help but notice the distinguishable yellow cabs amidst the sea of automobiles on the road. The standard yellow cab that makes up 90% of the NYC taxi fleet is the Ford Crown Victoria. This model may be a classic but with 14 mpg, it doesn’t keep up with the escalating need for fuel efficiency.
The changing times and pressure from environmentalists is forcing Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to inflict change; he just proposed a new plan that will slowly replace the yellow cab fleet with hybrid variations over the next five years. Under this new plan any new cab must get 25 mpg or better as of October of 2008; the next year that number is bumped up to 30mpg. Using hybrids will not only surpass this guideline fuel economy but according to Mayor Bloomberg, will also have the same effect as permanently removing 32,000 passenger vehicles from the road; an all hybrid New York City Hybrid taxi fleet would cut carbon dioxide emissions by 215,000 metric tons a year!
There have been minor efforts to improve the green friendliness of the taxi system; over the last two years, the city has added around 375 new hybrid vehicles to the fleet, making there be around 1,300 hybrid taxi models on the Big Apple streets. However, there are 13,000 cabs on the street and with the Crown Victoria making up such a large portion of this number, environmental costs are only to be expected.
Taxi drivers aren’t too upset about this transition; the Taxi & Limousine Commission estimates that a hybrid cab saves a driver $6,500 a year. This is more money in their pocket!
Some automakers that are expected to offer their NYC hybrid taxi models include Nissan North, GM and Ford motors. Expect to see, not hear, these hybrids soon!
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