  Evelyn Member Username: Evelyn Post Number: 329 Registered: 02-2005 |
Someone I know who was in Detroit yesterday said he saw Toyota Prius taxi cabs around downtown and Comerica. I’ve heard about other cities, like New York, getting hybrid taxis. And Grand Rapids has them: http://blog.milifemitimes.com/ article/2008/02/06/grand-rapid s-green-chauffeur-launches-eco -friendly-taxi-in-michigan/ I couldn’t find anything after a few web searches. Anyone else hear- or see- anything about green taxi cabs? | ||
Higgs1634 Member Username: Higgs1634 Post Number: 556 Registered: 10-2005 |
Detroit has taxis? | ||
Peter Member Username: Peter Post Number: 161 Registered: 02-2007 |
They're starting to get pretty popular around Boston as well. As cab companies fleets get older they are replacing them with hybrids, mainly Camry's and Ford Escapes. If you look at taxi's in Detroit most of them are old and the money isn't there to replace them with new hybrids. | ||
Bdglsmn Member Username: Bdglsmn Post Number: 70 Registered: 01-2008 |
I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago. I rode in a hybrid Camry taxicab. The driver said that his company is replacing all of the older cabs with hybrids. He said the the fuel savings are huge and the difference in purchase price between the new hybrid and the old Crown Vics that they used to drive isn't that much. | ||
Sirrealone Member Username: Sirrealone Post Number: 171 Registered: 01-2007 |
Last September, we took a Metro Car home from the airport and it was fueled by a propane tank in the trunk. The guy said that they were retrofitting most of their fleet, which was very interesting yet it's gotten no publicity that I've ever been able to tell. | ||
Evelyn Member Username: Evelyn Post Number: 330 Registered: 02-2005 |
They have at least one, because I’ve taken it home from a bar before. Or else I just got into a random yellow car, and the driver felt sorry for me! The taxis in Detroit are on the old, beat up side. I’m not sure how much of a demand for taxis there are, either. I found them really convenient when I lived downtown, but I did find it odd that they hardly ever acted liked taxis in other cities do- impossible to flag down, never waiting outside events. There’s probably not much point for them to do that, if there’s little demand. I thought it was interesting that GR had them before Detroit. Here’s the Grand Rapids based company’s website, if you’re ever on the west side of the state... http://www.greenchauffeurgr.co m/About_Us.html | ||
Redvetred Member Username: Redvetred Post Number: 231 Registered: 04-2007 |
Taxis and other vehicles that stop frequently are great applications for hybrid vehicles. It is amazing that they are just being commercialized after being introduced more than 100 years ago. | ||
Evelyn Member Username: Evelyn Post Number: 331 Registered: 02-2005 |
Does anyone on this board use taxis regularly, or at all? There’s been so many threads about mass transit recently, I’m curious. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 4557 Registered: 10-2003 |
I use taxis fairly regularly. Then again, I'm in a different paradigm than most of ya. | ||
Upinottawa Member Username: Upinottawa Post Number: 1102 Registered: 09-2005 |
When I was visiting my brother in South Korea, I used taxis all the time. They were clean and cheap: a 30 minute drive costs about $10. I believe all the taxis had some type of tank in the trunk (propane?). Of course in Korea, both high speed and local trains run constantly and the intercity bus service is clean, fast and cheap. Intracity transit services are decent as well. There really is no reason to own a car in the city. Of greater interest is that South Korea is very Americanized -- including having lots of roads and highways. In this respect, transportation in South Korea may be more American that European in its dependance on the car. However, unlike most North American cities, South Korea does a decent mix of private automobile usage, taxis and transit, i.e. REAL CHOICE. | ||
Southofeight Member Username: Southofeight Post Number: 136 Registered: 07-2005 |
Some indie cabbies in San Francisco began using hybrid Escapes in 2006. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 4565 Registered: 10-2003 |
Arlington, Virginia now has EnviroCab: www.envirotaxicab.com. Standard meter rates apply. |
