According to an announcement from Mayor Edwin M. Lee’s office earlier this month, San Francisco has exceeded its goal of reducing per-vehicle greenhouse gas emissions for taxis by 20 percent compared to 1990 levels. The 20 reduction target was mandated by a Green Taxi Ordinance approved in 2008.
In 1990, the average San Francisco taxi emitted 59 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, and today the average taxi in the city emits 30 tons, a 49 percent reduction.
Ninety-two percent of the taxi fleet is comprised of hybrid or compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. There are 1,318 alternative fuel vehicles out of a total of 1,432 eligible vehicles. CNG vehicles account for 89 of those and the hybrids account for 1,229, according to the mayor’s office. San Francisco has 1,521 taxis in service. Eighty-nine are “ramp taxis” that aren’t subject to clean air vehicle requirements.
Grants of $2,000 provided by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the San Francisco Transportation County Authority were issued to taxi purchasers on a first come-first served basis. More than $518,000 in grant funds was awarded to help purchase 251 hybrid vehicles.
Lee said in a statement that San Francisco’s taxicabs are the cleanest in the U.S. and a model for other taxi fleets around the world.
