In New York City, the Taxi and Limousine Commission has approved a proposal to make black livery cabs more eco-friendly.
The regulation will be enforced in two stages. Starting Jan. 1, 2009, all “black car” taxis entering service will be required to achieve a city mileage rating of at least 25 miles per gallon. One year later, all new black cars will be required to demonstrate a fuel efficiency of at least 30 mpg.
Taxis may be some of a city’s worst polluters, but while there are plenty of other transportation options available, cabs really don’t look like they’re going away any time soon. Setting fuel efficiency as a requirement for cabs is still an encouraging start.
