New Yorkers Want Less Polluting Hybrid Taxis and We Want 'em Now

Strong Majority Would Even Sacrifice Comfort for Cleaner Air Cabs

NEW YORK, June 20 -- If New Yorkers had their way, the majority of taxis in the city would be converted to less polluting hybrid cars. According to poll results just released by the Coalition Advocating for Smart Transportation (CAST), seven in ten New Yorkers say it is important to make the switch now, and a majority report that even sacrificing a few inches of legroom or interior space would make no difference in their support for cleaner air cabs. Two-thirds of taxi riders and majorities of voters from both political parties throughout the city said they would be more likely to support a candidate who endorsed hybrid taxis.

"The poll results are loud and clear: New Yorkers want less polluting, more environmentally healthy taxis to replace the gas-guzzling, emission- spewing cabs that pollute the city's air today," said Todd Sigaty, Executive Director of CAST. "New Yorkers are concerned about air pollution, they want hybrid cabs, and they'll take the issue to the voting booth."

The survey shows that air pollution is overwhelmingly the No. 1 environmental health concern for New Yorkers, a top priority for 55% of those surveyed; trash and waste rates a distant second (10%). Three out of four consider air quality in the city to be poor or fair, and the number who feel it's getting worse is double those who see improvements (49% and 24%, respectively).

New York City has the highest asthma mortality rate in the country and is ranked as the third worst city in air quality in 2004. Transportation sources, including taxis, are responsible for 54% of all air pollution in the in the New York City metropolitan region. All five boroughs received failing grades for air quality in the American Lung Association's recently released State of the Air: 2005 report.

"New York's high levels of air pollution are making people sick and cutting lives short. By using hybrid taxis and reducing unhealthy emissions, we will take a step in the right direction to help all New Yorkers breathe easier," said Louise Vetter, Chief Executive Officer of the American Lung Association of the City of New York.

Hybrid taxis, which combine a gasoline engine with an electric motor and batteries to help the conventional engine operate more efficiently, would reduce air pollution by more than 4 million pounds per year if the city's fleet were fully converted. The difference in efficiency and emissions is greatest when a vehicle is idling or in slow traffic, making city taxicabs an ideal application for hybrid car technology.

Seventy percent of those surveyed support a bill recently introduced into the City Council to encourage the use of environmentally healthy hybrid taxis. Intro 642, the "Clean Air Taxicabs Pilot Program Act," introduced by Council members David Yassky and John Liu would require the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to approve one or more hybrid vehicles for use as taxis. The Council passed legislation two years ago requiring 9% of new taxi medallions to be for alternative fuel vehicles, but the TLC has failed to approve a hybrid vehicle or implement a pilot program even though nineteen taxi owners invested money to purchase the special medallions. Supporters hope to see the legislation passed by the end of June and less polluting hybrid taxis on the road by autumn.

"This groundbreaking bill will set New York City on the road to smarter, healthier, less polluting and more energy-efficient taxis," said Mark Izeman, Senior Attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The New York yellow taxi is an American icon. What better way to showcase a great solution to our air pollution and oil dependence problems?"

"Hybrid taxis will improve air quality and improve public health. Hybrids will save taxi drivers thousands of dollars annually on fuel costs and significant time refueling -- all at no additional cost to the city or to taxpayers. The plan is simply smart for New York City," said Todd Sigaty, Executive Director of CAST.

Hybrid cars, which reduce up to 90% of traditional vehicle emissions, could significantly help New York City reduce air pollution. Moreover, there are hybrid cars on the market -- such as the Ford Escape -- that promise twice the fuel efficiency of the Ford Crown Victoria, which comprises more than 93% of the city's taxi fleet today.

"Hybrid taxis offer a simple way to make New York's air cleaner and healthier to breathe, and New Yorkers are smartly rallying behind the idea," says Jack D. Hidary, a CAST board member. "When New York City converts to less polluting hybrid taxis, we will once again set an example for other cities around the world. Hybrid taxis are a smart idea whose time is long overdue."

CAST (http://www.smarttransportation.org/) is dedicated to improving the health of New Yorkers through smart transportation solutions. We are a coalition of health, civic and environmental organizations working together to improve our lives through such innovations as hybrid taxis and buses.

             Survey of New Yorkers' Attitudes on Hybrid Taxis

                               Key Findings

  By any measure, New Yorkers support hybrid taxis.

   * 70% support, 43% strongly, the City Council bill that would encourage
     using hybrid cars as taxis.

   * 70% think it is important, 34% very important, for a majority of taxis
     in New York City to become hybrids in the next five years.

  New Yorkers of every stripe want their elected officials to support hybrid
   taxis.

   * Two-thirds (66%) of taxi riders are more likely to vote for an elected
     official who supports hybrid taxis.

   * Both Democrats (58% more; 8% less) and Republicans and Independents
     (53% more; 7% less) are more likely to support a candidate for elected
     office who supports hybrid taxis.

   * Support is widespread regionally: While Manhattan voters (69% more; 4%
     less) are the most likely to support a candidate for elected office who
     supports hybrids, support in the Bronx (54% more; 10% less), Queens
     (52% more; 9% less) and Brooklyn (51% more; 8% less) is also high.

  Air Pollution is rated the city's biggest environmental problem and judged
   to be getting worse.

   * Pollution and air quality (55%) is far and away the most important
     environmental problem for voters in New York City.  Trash and waste
     rates a distant second (10%) and overdevelopment (4%) is third.

   * Three-fourths (75%) of registered voters say New York City's air
     quality is only fair or poor and half (49% getting worse) are
     pessimistic about the future of New York City's air quality.

   * African-Americans (83% bad; 64% getting worse) and women under 55 (81%
     bad; 62% getting worse) are more likely to be unsatisfied with the
     city's air quality.

  New Yorkers are even willing to sacrifice some interior space and legroom
   for cleaner air cabs.

  * A majority of voters (56%) say that less interior space and legroom for
    passengers would make no difference to their support for allowing hybrid
    taxis on the road.

   * Three-fourths (77%) agreed with the statement that "Comfort is
     important, but I'm willing to make a small sacrifice of a few inches in
     legroom for taxis that will have a real positive impact on the city's
     air quality and environmental health."

                               Methodology

The survey was conducted by Global Strategy Group between June 11-14, 2005, among 600 registered voters in New York City. Additional voters were contacted in Manhattan to ensure enough taxi riders were surveyed to be statistically significant. Respondents were chosen from a voter list. The margin of error for this survey at the 95% confidence level is +/- 4% on the overall sample. The margin of error on sub-samples is greater. Interview quotas were set by region based on registration data. The survey was conducted using professional phone interviewers. The interviews were conducted with a CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interview) system.