Yellow Cabs Going Green…

So, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided that the city’s fleet of 13,000 taxi cabs will have to go green within the next five years.

I know what you’re thinking: “How could I possibly have a problem with that, right?”
Oh, I’ve got one. (Added emphasis follows…)

The government does not own the city’s yellow cabs, but sells licenses to individual drivers and operators, who must purchase their own vehicles that meet the specifications of the Taxi and Limousine Commission. The agency serves as the regulating and licensing authority for all vehicles per hire in the city.

So, the city of New York doesn’t own the cabs and, if you want to be a hack in the Big Apple, you have to go out and buy a hybrid on your own dime.
It’s not just about that. These vehicles are more expensive before required customization. Their mileage savings are typically overstated, as is their cost savings. There isn’t any even any comprehensive crash test data available to know if these vehicles are as safe as typical passenger vehicles with internal combustion engines. (Not all hybrids have crash test ratings.) It’s a vehicle with two separate and complete engines, both of which are gonna cost a pretty penny to fix and maintain. There’s also the consideration of the hybrid batteries. What exactly happens to those when you need a new one? How much does it cost you in special fees to dispose of it and how much are the new ones?
Doesn’t that seem like cab fares might go up if the costs involved with owning and operating the vehicles increase? I’m just sayin’…
The other thing that surprises me is that New York City jumped to hybrids. They didn’t…say…look toward a different Federally-approved fuel for vehicles that has been around for 60 years: LPG (Liquid Propane Gas).
That’s right, the same fuel you grill hamburgers and hot dogs with could run a vehicle and it’d do it much cleaner. It might not get the same mpg as gasoline, but what would? There are taxi cabs right now in Las Vegas that are using LPG and you’d never know the difference if you didn’t see the label on the car.
I get what Bloomberg is trying to do: he’s trying to take into account that whole unproven “global warming” thing and look like a hero in the process. I just wish he hadn’t jumped to hybrids right off the bat since the tecnnology is so new and the rewards may not really be all that significant. What Bloomberg should have done was mandate that NYC’s taxis move to some kind of eco-friendly solution and let the cab owners decide what was best for their business.
This is a total knee-jerk reaction and the people getting a ride in New York City will be the ones who pay in the end.
William Smith
ConservativeBlogger.com