Black is the New Green
Feb 27th, 2008 by Jervey
We’ve known for a little while now about the TLC’s shift to hybrid yellow cabs, but today Mayor Bloomberg announced that the city’s “Black Cars” will also be going green. From the Mayor’s press release:
MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE PLANS FOR “GREEN” BLACK CARS
PlaNYC Initiative to Improve the Fuel Efficiency of 10,000 Black Cars - the Next Step after Conversion of Yellow Cabs to “Green”Black Car Emissions Will Be Cut in Half
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced that the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) will require black cars that service corporate clients to increase fuel efficiency standards to a level currently achievable only by using hybrid technology. The plan to improve the fuel efficiency of the 10,000 black car fleet was envisioned as part of the Mayor’s PlaNYC 2030, a comprehensive set of 127 initiatives aimed at reducing New York’s carbon emissions and meeting the challenges of the City’s growing population. In December, the TLC voted unanimously to approve regulations that will require all yellow taxis licensed after October 1, 2008, to meet fuel efficiency standards currently only achievable through the use of hybrid technology. Black cars currently release 272,000 tons of CO2 equivalents annually, which make up 2% of the City’s transportation related emissions. Under the new standards, emissions from black cars will be cut in half.
Read the rest of the press release here.