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Could Chicago cabs be going hybrid? Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) and Transportation Committee Chairman Tom Allen (38th) are proposing a city mandate requiring cab companies to begin incorporating hybrids into their fleet of vehicles, with a complete conversion of all Chicago cabs by January 1, 2014:
Starting next year, they want every new or replacement cab that hits the streets to be either gas-electric hybrid or powered by innovative fuels, including compressed natural gas, biodiesel, propane and hydrogen.
The model is similar to NYC, which began converting to hybrid and fuel efficient cabs in November of 2005. Mayor Bloomberg plans to convert 20% of the city’s fleet each year.
Chicago cab drivers are protesting the proposed mandate, which they say could add upwards of $10,000 to the cost of purchasing a new vehicle, and which could lead to a bevy of new maintenance headaches:
"I don't want to have a guinea pig of a car for a cab. These hybrids are not proven durable commercial vehicles. Until the Police Department and fleet buyers start using hybrids, cab companies shouldn't be forced to put on unproven vehicles for the sake of aldermen looking politically-correct and green," [cabbie George] Kasp said.
Image via thirdgradevocabchamp
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I have to say, I agree with the cabbies on this one. I'm all for technological progress, and I don't necessarily disagree with the aldermen, but I think Kasp's perspective on what the motives of this mandate are is pretty accurate.
nice in theory, but i agree with cabbie George Kasp too.
if the aldermen really cared about the environment, they'd propose an ordinance against the toxic fumes originating from the cabbies' armpits.
I've seen a couple of Prius cabs. But I agree with Kasp too--let a few people try them out before making everyone switch over.
One has to wonder if even one alderman owns a hybrid....
This is a group of politicians that shoot from the hip without much thought and this is proof. Great idea...just a little too soon unless NYC has some advice on the matter. Is it working there or is it just one of those laws that they put on the books to look good but don't actively enforce?
See this is what I'm talking about when I say Daley wants to rid the city of poor people. The cabbies will have to pass on the costs by raising prices turning them into more limo than cab
if this is truly important to city hall, they're going to have to give rebates/tax breaks to the cabbies for driving hybrids. until it's economically wise for cabbies to start driving them, they're going to use whatever kind of car is the cheapest.
I believe ComEd has been using some Hybrid Ford Escapes for fleet vehicles.
I think the most sense would be to try a few out first and see what happens, but we don't always do what makes sense round here.
See this is what I'm talking about when I say Daley wants to rid the city of poor people. The cabbies will have to pass on the costs by raising prices turning them into more limo than cab
Agree, at least generally. (And the recent report about Chicago losing its middle class is hardly encouraging, either.)
And I find it sad and frustrating that aldermen, who have never dared to hold real hearings on the CTA, who never show any backbone on mass transit and who, in theory, help oversee a recycling program that remains poor, have the balls to act like they are green. This is all PR for the city, and it's bullshit, and Kasp is right.
How about just making sure that the cabs they currently drive are well maintained. It seems like a whole bunch of cabs around town emit a giant cloud of blue-gray smoke when they take off from a stoplight.
Also what is wrong with letting market forces rule, if gas prices stay up and the cab drivers have a fixed price they can charge for services, they will seek more fuel efficient means of conveyance.
Alternatively the city could allow hybrid taxis a break on the medallion cost to help push hybrids.
I'm all for a cleaner taxi fleet but pushing mandates just doesn't jive with me.
Interesting that almost all of the taxi cabs start out their life as municipal vehicles, so if they are OK of the city why not for cab drivers?
That is like the most articulate cab driver EVER.
I want to ride in his cab, in the hopes that when he asks me which way I want to go, and I say "I don't care", he actually describing alternate routes.
Also: Touche for calling B.S. on the Alderman.
I'm all for hybrids as long as they're new and not used to justify a lease increase (otherwise known as a 'fare' increase), but I think it would be more to the point to require new cabs, period.
Drivers usually don't do accurate accounting. It would be very easy for companies to charge 'just a little more' for hybrids and leave drivers with less income.
It has been a habit of Chicago to adopt NYC policies just in time to be a dumping ground for used equipment. A hybrid with a worn out battery pack is probably just a small car with a lot of dead weight.
Chicago has a Ford plant that makes nice cab vehicles. I think the City should just require new cabs. How could it hurt?