In New York City, there are currently over 13,000 yellow taxi cabs, 10,000 black cars, and 25,000 for-hire vehicles. Because taxis travel tens of thousands of miles per year and the current fleet is so fuel inefficient, taxis account for a substantial share of city emissions: 4% of all ground transportation CO2 emissions and 1% of all city CO2 emissions. This initiative will reduce citywide CO2 emissions by 0.5% while also improving air quality.

We will reduce taxi and limousine idling
Idling is the continuous operation of a vehicle's engine while it is stopped. Many of the city's yellow taxis and black cars spend significant time idling in order to maintain access to their air conditioning and heating. Although there is currently no way to keep air conditioners reliably running with the engines off, emerging technologies have it made it possible to keep a car heated without idling.

In 2007, the City will complete an evaluation of different anti-idling technologies with the black and yellow car industries and select the best option. We will implement this $6 million program between 2008 and 2010 to equip cars with the chosen anti-idling solution, bolstered by a $4.8 million CMAQ grant. We will also launch a citywide anti-idling campaign to reduce idling of all vehicles even more.

Progress (as of 4/22/08):
The TLC and DOT are planning to offer rebates through State funding mechanisms to black car and for-hire vehicle owners who purchase and install anti-idling technologies into their vehicles. Anti-idling technologies allow drivers to heat their vehicles when stopped, without running the engine. TLC and DOT will begin to pilot potential anti-idling technologies in Spring 2008.

We will work with the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) and the taxicab industry to double the taxi fleet's efficiency
The dominant taxi vehicle today achieves only 10 to 15 miles per gallon (mpg). More fuel-efficient vehicles are used in limited numbers today, including hybrid-electrics and even a lithium-ion battery powered vehicle. These vehicles are in the first years of use and questions regarding their durability as 24-hour, seven-day-a-week vehicles have yet to be fully answered. We will aim to double the efficiency of new taxis by 2012. Achieving the stated goal will require aggressive work on the part of the TLC to push the automotive industry and the taxicab industry towards answering these questions and ensuring that the vehicles used as taxicabs meet the high safety, service, and sustainability standards of New Yorkers.

This Plan could result in the entire fleet being converted to more fuel-efficient vehicles within eight to 10 years.

Progress (as of 4/22/08):
On December 11, the TLC unanimously passed regulations requiring all yellow taxicabs coming into service as of October 1, 2008 to achieve a city mileage rating of 25 miles per gallon (mpg), with the exception of accessible taxicabs. The regulation also states that as of October 2009, all new taxicabs must have a minimum city rating of 30mpg. The City now has over 800 hybrid-electric taxicabs on the road, and they have performed exceptionally well during the three inspections they receive annually. Their pass rate is 85% compared to 54% for the Crown Victorias. The regulations will save vehicle owners between $4,000 and $11,000 per year in gasoline costs, which could lead to an industry-wide savings of up to $140 million per year. By 2012, when the regulation is fully phased in, it will reduce the City's greenhouse gas emissions by 296,000 tons annually, or by 0.5% of emissions citywide.

We will work with stakeholders to double the fuel efficiency of black cars and for-hire vehicles
In addition, we will work with the TLC to set new standards for additions to the fleet. By 2010, we will require that new cars achieve double the fuel efficiency of today's non-hybrid vehicles. The city's black car industry includes generally late-model luxury sedans that serve a largely corporate clientele through long-term contracts. After several years of use, many of these cars are transitioned to use as community car service vehicles. There are more than 25,000 for-hire vehicles in the city, and many are recycled black cars or law enforcement vehicles. Therefore, cleaner black cars today means cleaner community car service vehicles tomorrow.

This commitment would result in the entire black car fleet being converted to cleaner vehicles within five years, with a 50% decrease in CO2e emissions from this sector, or 0.8% of the city's overall CO2e emissions, while also improving air quality.

In addition, TLC will begin working with the community car services, vehicle owners, and lenders to improve awareness of the public benefits and cost savings of running clean vehicles with good gas mileage over old vehicles with poor gas mileage. This will help us work towards a goal of reducing CO2e emissions from these fleets by 50% by 2017.

Progress (as of 4/22/08):
On February 27, the Mayor announced that the Taxi and Limousine Commission will require new licensed black cars (those that primarily serve corporate clients) to achieve a fuel efficiency standard of 25 mpg in 2009 and 30 mpg in 2010 and, on April 17, the TLC passed these regulations. The regulations include a requirement for vehicle retirement, as the TLC does not currently set a retirement age for for-hire vehicles like it does for the yellow taxis. In addition, the rules provide protection for black car operators against non-clean competitors. To help drivers finance the down payment associated with buying a new car, the City has worked with partners in the financial sector, auto dealers, and black car fleets to develop a range of solutions that will finance the higher down payment. By 2013, nearly all black car vehicles will meet the new standards, reducing carbon emissions by 136,000 tons annually, or .25% of emissions citywide.