For extraurban uses and in low traffic conditions, I agree that diesels are better than hybrid gasoline cars. If there is a bluetec urea reduction system, I also agree that diesels can be cleaned up significantly.

However, for start and stop applications such as taxicabs, hybrids are superior as they store the energy from braking and reuse it. Also, when cabs are stopped in traffic, they won’t be emitting.

If someone comes out with a hybrid diesel taxi, it would be great. The system they use on the diesel buses is excellent.

For overall US strategy, most rural areas and suburbs would benefit from diesels. For manhattan, hybrid cabs are a good solution for right now.

Sadly, Council Member Yassky and Mayor Bloomberg have not endorsed a City Council bill, Intro. 378, that would convert the entire fleet to green and accessible vehicles over the next several years. Instead, they’ve backed this proposal, which would only do half the job.

There should be no contradiction between the goals of clean air and non-discriminatory transportation. Unfortunately, the mayor’s initiative separates the two.

Finally, speaking of clean air, how about Mayor Bloomberg’s breath-taking response to a reporter’s question about the concerns of wheelchair users who won’t have access to the new fleet of cabs, as reported in the Daily News: “I’m sure you have found somebody that isn’t happy and we appreciate the efforts that you make.”

————–

Statement of Anne Davis,
Chair, Taxis For All Campaign
on Mayor Bloomberg’s Clean-air Taxi Plan

May 22, 2007

To hear Mayor Bloomberg’s announcement, you would never know that New York City lags far behind other cities in providing accessible taxis for wheelchair users. His failure to commit to a gradual transition to a wheelchair-accessible taxi fleet represents a shocking failure of vision.

Wheelchair-accessible cabs are currently available, new models are under development, and a mandate for accessibility would spur further innovation. But the Bloomberg administration has refused to join the majority of City Council members who support Intro. 378 — The Accessible and Green Taxi Transition Law.

While Intro. 378 would mean a fully accessible, green fleet around 2015, under Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal, the fleet would be fully green by 2012 but not accessible until some undetermined time in the long distant future.

A fully accessible fleet would save money on paratransit costs and would make a vital part of the city’s transportation system accessible to all.

The Taxis For All Campaign has long supported a cleaner taxi fleet: we breathe the same air as everybody else. We are eager to work with Mayor Bloomberg not only to have cleaner taxis but also to have a full fleet of taxis we can actually use.

– 30 –

http://www.hybridcars.com/forums/hybrid-vs-diesel-t148p12.html

and the responses.

Some links don’t work but go to the link and search for kittleson and you’ll find the relebvant research paper.

Under many conditions gas engines emit as much carcinogenic particulate matter as diesels. Yes, there are many other pros and cons of both gas and diesel but the point is that neither is safer than the other.

At least with diesel you get much better fuel economy and much reduced CO2 production

The *local* environmental impact of diesel vehicles would be huge. Try walking in a city like Paris with a lot of diesel cabs and vespas. Yes, it’s more fuel efficient, but it’s also more carcinogenic.

Also, there is a three year turn around, but the cars used are not destroyed. They’re simply sent for cab duty in Jersey City or the outer boroughs!

The good part about hybrid tech. is that you use mostly electric components while driving in the city. That saves a ton of wear and tear, and the vehicles should have high reliability because electric components don’t wear out.

Also, diesel vehicles would be spewing fumes while stopped in traffic. Hybrid cars wouldn’t be emit anything.

Large companies like General Electric and Siemens will readily reap tremendous benefit from viral dissemination of the technology to extended markets. Costs will be more closely aligned to human services and labor rather than materials, machinery, and continued environmental destruction.

I still have fond memories of the old Checker cabs, though.

That being said, I think this bill could be really great. It’s smart to mandate that *new* cabs be highly fuel efficient. They are going to be buying new cars anyway, why not get cars that use less fuel? Its a no brainer.

Yassky is a bright guy, very ambitious and going places. And why? He listens. I’m in Carroll Gardens, have met Yassky at least a dozen times now, have met my Councilman (DeBlasio) . . . zero. Not knocking deBlasio at all, but Yassky is out there constantly, and has an ear to the ground.

I think you have your facts wrong.

But, I still think that the proposal is short-sighted. Given the biggest environmental impact a vehicle has is its manufacture, the requirement of three-year turnover undermines the mileage component of the proposal.

Better to have chassis and drivetrains that have a longer life and lower mileage. While diesels are anathema in this country, a rear-wheel-drive, body-on-frame, diesel-engined cab would have the lowest environmental impact. RWD and diesel are cheaper to maintain than front- or four-wheel-drive. And, RWD and body-on-frame (like the sturdy Crown Vic) handles the abuse of 24-hour service and potholes better than unibody. Diesels can get close to the same mileage. And, a diesel engine’s power characteristics are well suited for taxi use: low-end grunt but not a lot of power. Meaning, they can navigate traffic, but don’t have a lot of top speed.

Did anyone else notice that the 25 mpg city limit will make it impossible to have a non-hybrid cab starting in 2008? There’s no non-hybrid authorized for hack-up that gets over 25 mpg in the urban cycle. Bloomberg is pretty smart!

2. Emissions are only ONE of the many reasons auto traffic is bad for the city and its residents.

3. Last I heard, Yassky was adamantly anti-congestion pricing. In other words, he’s probably using this hybrid cab thing as political cover for the fact that he’s opposed to meaningful reform of the city’s transportation systems.