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Clean-Air Cabs Are Coming

The Ford Crown Victoria: workhorse or dinosaur?

Under recommendations of a Taxi Commission working group, cabs brought into the fleet after July 1, 2008 would have to meet new emissions standards for greenhouse gases and companies would be allowed to charge an extra $7.50 a shift to help pay for the vehicles.
The commission is attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels. At that time, there were about 800 taxis on the street, compared to some 1,400 cabs today.
Mayor Gavin Newsom has called for the entire fleet to be composed of low-emissions vehicles by 2011. The proposed new rules would not fully achieve that goal, but would go a long way towards it.
The recommendations were discussed at a commission hearing on Oct. 23. The commission is expected soon to decide on emissions standards and a recommended gate increase to help pay for vehicles meeting the standards. The gate hike would have be approved by the Board of Supervisors.
United Taxicab Workers opposes the proposed gate increase of $7.50 a shift, as it would result in an undeserved windfall for companies. A $7.50 gate hike would produce close to $20,000 in additional revenues over the life of a cab, reducing the net company cost for a new Toyota Prius to a little over $3,000.
Cab companies argue that drivers will realize great savings in fuel costs from clean-air vehicles. But the supposed savings are illusory when the gas price increases of recent years are taken into consideration.
The commission will have to decide whether the compressed natural gas version of the Ford Crown Victoria will make the cut as a clean-air cab. Although CNG is a cleaner-burning fuel than gasoline, the Crown Vic’s low fuel mileage means it still produces a large amount of greenhouse gases.
Hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape would furnish much more than a 20 percent greenhouse gas reduction if they were the only cabs in the fleet. Although there is some dispute over the CNG Crown Vic’s emissions, it does not seem to meet the minimum standard.
The Crown Vic’s proponents argue that the vehicle provides advantages in comfort and safety, and that unlike gasoline, most CNG is domestically produced. On the other hand, many drivers dislike the CNG Crown Vics, preferring the gasoline version.
Ramp taxis would not be subject to the new rules, and test cars such as Chrysler products now being operated by DeSoto Cab might also be exempted.