Earth Equity News

The Big Apple's Yellow Cabbies Say No to 'Green'. By Edith Honan, Reuters, September 9, 2008. "A group of New York taxi owners is suing the city over a plan to turn the entire fleet of cabs 'green' by 2012, saying the plan compromises safety and is unconstitutional. Under the plan, promoted as an environmental model for other large cities, every new taxi must get at least 30 mpg... The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade, an association of taxi owners accounting for about a quarter of the city's 13,000 yellow cabs, filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court late Monday seeking an injunction to keep the regulation from taking effect... The lawsuit [claims that] only the federal government, not city officials, has the power to set fuel emission and efficiency standards. Moreover, hybrid cars 'have never been meaningfully tested and have no proven record of safety or reliability as commercial vehicles,' the lawsuit [continued], noting that taxi cabs endured much heavier use than normal private vehicles.... 'While a decision to announce the immediate change to 'clean' taxis might be politically enticing and expedient, it is also irresponsible, dangerous and illegal,' the suit said."