Why so few Prius Taxis in the US?

I've been in one Prius cab in San Francisco, and I've seen a few Escape Hybrids there as well, but by far they are the minority.

 

I suspect it's a regulation thing. In NYC there is an "approved list" of vehicles cabbies may use. Prius isn't on it yet. Ford Escape Hybrid is. There are a few of those.

In BC (where Tideland is), last I checked there is no "approved list" for cabs. So the marketplace and economics decides what vehicle the cabbie chooses. Hence, you see Prius as taxi cabs. We don't see them here in Alberta, and I suspect it's because they tend to be a little cold in the winter. Also, most cabs here run on Propane. While it's probably -possible- to convert a Prius to propane, it isn't being done yet by commercial propane conversion outfits.

 

My wife latest ride from logan airport here in Boston was in a Camry Hybrid. Apperently there is a drive for hybrid taxis in Boston (great!). She was impressed with the Camry.

 

They have a few in Boston. More will be add.

According to the cab company, it's expensive to adopt Prius as a cab. It's cost $22000+ for a new Prius (not including any cab mods). While the crown vic only cost $10000. So the cost to adopt hybrid cab cost more than twice the regular gasoline cab.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ystasino @ May 20 2007, 11:42 PM) [snapback]446450[/snapback]</div>

New York's certainly taking action. May 2006

New York Quadruples Number of Alternative Fuel Medallions for Next Taxi Auction

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Taxi and Limousine Chairman/Commissioner Matthew Daus announced an sharp increase in the number of Alternative Fuel Medallions for City taxicabs.

The Medallion sale scheduled for next month will now include 254 alternative fuel and hybrid medallions, up from a previously scheduled 62 of the 308 to be auctioned.

For a list of articles on taxis being converted to hybrids, try this link:
http://hybrid.tashcorp.net/news/?tag=40

 

Any kind of a taxi is a pretty rare sighting in Houston.

There are quite a few white Prii serving as city vehicles here now.

 

Only have seen pictures of Prii taxis. However, they are making progress here; cab company recently went to all yellow Scion (XB) wagons.

 

From the other part of the world... I have seen two in Zurich, Switzerland two months ago. My boss was nicely surprised when driving in one of these. Now he is jealous I bought it (Prius, not a taxi)

- Piotr

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ May 20 2007, 11:46 PM) [snapback]446457[/snapback]</div>

Just got back from a weekend in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Tons of Prius/Corolla/Camry taxis. In fact I didn't see any Fords at all. This was in the downtown core.

Dave[attachmentid=8204]

 

I've seen two in LA, one Yellow, and one black and yellow.

 

NYC already has a few Prius Taxis. There are a quite a few more Prius Limo's around. After 6pm you can spot them all over the wall street area.

 

We recently spent time in Victoria B. C. There were several companies with Prii cabs which seemed very common. I spoke with this driver who said that he owned this cab. He said that this was a 2007 model. It has over 30,000 kilometers on it already. Regular gasoline costed $1.18 per liter CA (about $4.00 U.S.) which may have something to do with the popularity of Prii cabs.

I saw one 2001 prius cab. It looked like new and was darting through traffic in a lively way.

 

Probobly because you can buy an ex-copy Crown Victoria or Caprice for a fraction of what you can buy a Prius for. If cops started using Prii, we'd see a bunch of Prii taxi in 5 years.

 

I've seen a couple in Burbank lately. Mostly around the Burbank airport.

 

I just heard on the news this morning that the mayor of NYC has declared that all cabs must by hybrids within the next 6 years.

 

Cool!

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070522/green_taxis.html?.v=2

Doug