Eco Factor: East Bay’s largest taxi company adds 15 new gas-electric hybrid vehicles to fleet.
Friendly Cab, the East Bay’s largest taxi transportation company has launched a new “Go Green, Ride Clean” campaign with the addition of 15 new gas-electric hybrid vehicles, which will help save about 1.3 million lbs of CO2 emissions annually.
Oakland’s first for-hire hybrid fleet will be driven primarily in communities of Oakland impacted by pollution, and are purchased within the city, supporting the local economy, tax base, and creating “green jobs.” Each conversion from a traditional Ford Crown Victoria to a new Ford Escape Hybrid can offset around 90,000 lbs. of CO2 emissions a year. Other cities have implemented green taxi initiatives, with 17% of San Francisco taxis comprised of hybrids.
Until Friendly Cab launched its “Go Green, Ride Clean” campaign with 15 hybrid purchases, Oakland has had no other environmentally-friendly taxi options, mainly because a hybrid vehicle costs three times the price of a regular taxicab.
Via: SFGate
