Cambridge starts up hybrid cab fleet

BOSTON. Cambridge introduced six new hybrid taxicabs to its fleet yesterday, replacing traditional Crown Victoria models with vehicles expected to save between 60 and 70 percent of fuel costs.

The announcement made Cambridge the fourth city in the country to initiate such a program, joining Boston, Chicago and New York.

“Often the cab industry is only recognized for negative behavior,” said Cambridge License Commission (CLC) Chairman Richard Scali. “This is an excellent example of the taxicab community coming together to better the environment.”

An average Cambridge cab driver puts in 100 miles per shift, using up to 10 gallons of gas or more, according to city numbers. A hybrid cab on a similar shift would use between three and four gallons of gas, saving more than 20 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Additionally, the Natural Resources Defense Council reports that hybrid cars reduce nitrogen oxide emissions — a key contributor to ground-level smog — by up to 89 percent compared to the Crown Victoria models in use for the bulk of the 255-car Cambridge fleet.

Just as in Boston, the cabs will be identified by a distinctive green stripe. The CLC is offering $10,000 grants to cab owners who switch to hybrids.