NYC Faces Setback in Switching Cab Fleet to Hybrids
The top taxicab lobby in New York City wasn't about to take Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attempt to hybridize the city's cab fleet lying down. After announcing that the city would require cab companies to phase out the gas-guzzling V-8 Crown Victoria (average city mileage: 12 mpg) for much more expensive hybrid vehicles, the Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade began its campaign to fight back.
It won a victory last week when federal judge Paul Crotty ruled that the federal government's fuel economy laws pre-empt any state or city regulations.
Needless to say, Mayor Bloomberg was not happy, saying that "Archaic Washington regulations" shouldn't prevent cities from taking matters of pollution reduction and efficiency into their own hands.
The ruling seems bizarre in light of the national trend of moving away from fuel-bloated vehicles, but don't expect the decision to hold. Without a doubt, challenges are on the way.
Judge Rules Against Hybridizing NYC Taxi Fleet (TechnoRide)
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As a New Yorker, I believe that the city should modernize the cab fleet in order to, as said, to reduce smog and increase efficency. Yes, most hybrids don't have the proper safety ratings as the Crown Vic's, but their getting old. Most are anyway. I've been seeing Camry Hybrids, Malibu Hybrids, Prius', Escape hybrids, and even Highlander hybrids as yellow cabs. I believe its time to modernize the 13,000 yellow cabs in NYC and the boroughs. It was a controversy of having nav systems in the rear seats, and that came into effect.
The federal judges ruling makes no sense. For one, CAFE penalties only apply to fines the federal government can levy on automobile manufacturers, not owners like the cab companies. Secondly, local companies have every right to enact local right of way laws. And finally, states have the ability to set their own laws which are stricter than federal ones in all other instances like drivers licenses, drinking ages and the minimum wage. Why is this any different?