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Transportation & Environment
Proposal to make all taxicabs hybrids by 2012.
WHEREAS, New York City currently has 13,000 taxicabs on its streets with Community Board Five having some of the highest concentration of them in the city; and
WHEREAS, All but 375 of New York City taxicabs are powered by traditional gasoline engines with the vast majority of them being Ford Crown Victorias that get 14 miles per gallon; and
WHEREAS, Hybrid electric vehicles on average get 30 miles per gallon and will save the average taxicab driver $10,000 per year in fuel costs; and
WHEREAS, Hybrid electric vehicles will provide New York City with clean air benefits equivalent to removing 32,000 cars from city streets and will reduce carbon output by 215,000 tons; and
WHEREAS, The Bloomberg Administration has proposed as part of its PlaNYC to replace the entire New York City taxicab fleet with hybrid electric taxicabs by 2012 under the following schedule:
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October 2008 - 1000 yellow hybrid taxicabs
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October 2009 - 4000 yellow hybrid taxicabs (30% of the fleet)
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October 2010 - 7000 yellow hybrid taxicabs (53% of the fleet)
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October 2011 - 10000 yellow hybrid taxicabs (76% of the fleet)
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October 2012 - all yellow taxicabs will be hybrid (100% of the fleet); and
WHEREAS, Although the Bloomberg Administration is proposing to replace the entire taxicab fleet with cleaner more efficient vehicles, Community Board Five would prefer all taxicabs also be handicapped accessible, as well as being equipped with child safety seats; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five supports the Bloomberg Administration's proposal to make the entire New York City taxicab fleet hybrid electric by 2012 and also recommends that all taxicabs be handicapped accessible by 2012.
The above resolution passed with a vote of 30 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.