Comments on: Hybrid Taxi Fleets: Why Not — Now? http://citiwire.net/post/1761/ Our mission... to reflect a new narrative for 21st century cities and regions. Leaving behind the 20th century pattern of cheap energy, endless automobility, burgeoning suburbs, threatened inner cities. To a challenge-packed 21st century: energy prices headed north, perilous carbon emissions, deepening have-have not divisions, excruciating social problems and deep challenges in education. But a time of exciting promise, too. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:18:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: AA Taxi St Louis http://citiwire.net/post/1761/comment-page-1/#comment-1403 AA Taxi St Louis Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:11:37 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1761#comment-1403 Before the "alternative fuel" vehicles can enter the market, all of minivans would have to be prohibited to be used as taxis. You can not compete with minivans when you can only carry 2-3 people. Minivans are bad for taxi business. First, the drivers of minivans load too many passengers into their taxis and put the owner of the cab company at risk because usually, only 5-6 people are insured in the van. What about the other 2-4 people? What if a terrible accident happens? If they would prohibit minivans from being used as taxis, that would increase the taxi business and would allow for smaller vehicles to be used as cabs. They would still be competing with cars like Ford Crown Vic and Ford Flex that can carry 6 passengers, but if you will force a separator and limit the ride to 3 passengers max, then pretty much any car can compete with a Crown Vic. Before the “alternative fuel” vehicles can enter the market, all of minivans would have to be prohibited to be used as taxis. You can not compete with minivans when you can only carry 2-3 people. Minivans are bad for taxi business.

First, the drivers of minivans load too many passengers into their taxis and put the owner of the cab company at risk because usually, only 5-6 people are insured in the van. What about the other 2-4 people? What if a terrible accident happens?

If they would prohibit minivans from being used as taxis, that would increase the taxi business and would allow for smaller vehicles to be used as cabs. They would still be competing with cars like Ford Crown Vic and Ford Flex that can carry 6 passengers, but if you will force a separator and limit the ride to 3 passengers max, then pretty much any car can compete with a Crown Vic.

]]> By: Bill Barker http://citiwire.net/post/1761/comment-page-1/#comment-1167 Bill Barker Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:05:05 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1761#comment-1167 A few years ago, the City of San Antonio issued allowed two permits for hybrid taxis to replace a single permit for a conventional auto. As a practical matter, some taxis have lifts on them to handle wheelchair-bound passengers and a hybrid vehicle was not available at the time. Prius taxis are so common that the City is now considering just requiring some sort of alternative fuel for all cabs. A few years ago, the City of San Antonio issued allowed two permits for hybrid taxis to replace a single permit for a conventional auto. As a practical matter, some taxis have lifts on them to handle wheelchair-bound passengers and a hybrid vehicle was not available at the time. Prius taxis are so common that the City is now considering just requiring some sort of alternative fuel for all cabs.

]]> By: Neal Peirce http://citiwire.net/post/1761/comment-page-1/#comment-1166 Neal Peirce Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:37:11 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1761#comment-1166 Comment received from Robert M. Parry, AICP, Director of Planning and Economic Development, City of Westlake, Ohio: Neal: Saw your article in Nation's Cities Weekly. As an owner of a Toyota Prius since 2003 I don’t know why more cities and cabbies are not using hybrids. They really pay off when sitting in traffic or at a light when my engine turns off. I happened to be in Seattle and rented the latest version which was significantly larger and had lots of power to peel away from the light (if one needed to) and only used 2 gallons of gas for the 100 miles I drove. Sweet. Comment received from Robert M. Parry, AICP,
Director of Planning and Economic Development, City of Westlake, Ohio:

Neal: Saw your article in Nation’s Cities Weekly. As an owner of a Toyota Prius since 2003 I don’t know why more cities and cabbies are not using hybrids. They really pay off when sitting in traffic or at a light when my engine turns off. I happened to be in Seattle and rented the latest version which was significantly larger and had lots of power to peel away from the light (if one needed to) and only used 2 gallons of gas for the 100 miles I drove. Sweet.

]]> By: David Parvo http://citiwire.net/post/1761/comment-page-1/#comment-1165 David Parvo Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:12:16 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1761#comment-1165 Unfortunately, due to hybrids requiring massive batteries which, in turn, require massive amounts of heavy metals which, in turn, require massive amounts of energy to extract and transport, the overall environmental footprint of a hybrid may very well be higher than that of a gas-driven comparable model. Unfortunately, due to hybrids requiring massive batteries which, in turn, require massive amounts of heavy metals which, in turn, require massive amounts of energy to extract and transport, the overall environmental footprint of a hybrid may very well be higher than that of a gas-driven comparable model.

]]> By: Neal Peirce http://citiwire.net/post/1761/comment-page-1/#comment-1164 Neal Peirce Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:01:49 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1761#comment-1164 Comment received from Chris Van Dyk, Principal, Bainbridge Media Group, Inc. Nice column on taxicabs, but you miss the problem entirely. The Ford Crown Victoria is built like a tank. Taxi fleets buy them new---that is, newly retired from police service at about 100,000 miles. Because they are such reliable beasts, taxis get another 400,000 or so miles out of them, with and through continuous maintenance programs. Even with that maintenance, the amortization cost---the cost of operation over the life of the vehicle---is much lower than anything we have tried, except, perhaps, a Compressed Natural Gas vehicle---which is why Crown Vics are being converted around the country to CNG. If New York City and Congress want a faster conversion of taxi fleets, for environmental reasons, they have to help us with that amortization cost----in Seattle, certainly, most vehicles are owned by individuals , and the amortization cost of a Prius just does not pencil out. Also, Toyota has said the vehicle is simply not suitable as a taxicab. The high amortization cost would have to be recovered---from consumers or taxicab operators or somewhere. That is the Gordian knot we are trying to untie. Your attention to the issue is most appreciated, but an incomplete picture simply makes that knot more difficult to untie. I am a lobbyist for various taxicab associations in Seattle and Washington State, including Yellow Cab. Comment received from Chris Van Dyk, Principal,
Bainbridge Media Group, Inc.

Nice column on taxicabs, but you miss the problem entirely. The Ford Crown Victoria is built like a tank. Taxi fleets buy them new—that is, newly retired from police service at about 100,000 miles. Because they are such reliable beasts, taxis get another 400,000 or so miles out of them, with and through continuous maintenance programs.

Even with that maintenance, the amortization cost—the cost of operation over the life of the vehicle—is much lower than anything we have tried, except, perhaps, a Compressed Natural Gas vehicle—which is why Crown Vics are being converted around the country to CNG.

If New York City and Congress want a faster conversion of taxi fleets, for environmental reasons, they have to help us with that amortization cost—-in Seattle, certainly, most vehicles are owned by individuals , and the amortization cost of a Prius just does not pencil out.

Also, Toyota has said the vehicle is simply not suitable as a taxicab. The high amortization cost would have to be recovered—from consumers or taxicab operators or somewhere. That is the Gordian knot we are trying to untie.

Your attention to the issue is most appreciated, but an incomplete picture simply makes that knot more difficult to untie.

I am a lobbyist for various taxicab associations in Seattle and Washington State, including Yellow Cab.

]]> By: Woody Wheeler http://citiwire.net/post/1761/comment-page-1/#comment-1162 Woody Wheeler Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:01:47 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1761#comment-1162 Instead of Yellow Taxis, Green Taxis! This is a great idea, and should happen across the country. It seems like Chicago would be an early adopter too, with Mayor Daley at the helm. Instead of Yellow Taxis, Green Taxis! This is a great idea, and should happen across the country. It seems like Chicago would be an early adopter too, with Mayor Daley at the helm.

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