NYC cabs don’t have to bump up fuel efficiency, judge rules 10

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1. 

   Pathos Posted 1:33 pm
   01 Nov 2008

   The @#$%???Is this federal judge not aware of the 10th Amendment, or what?

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2. 

   Delay And Deny Posted 2:42 pm
   01 Nov 2008

   Taxis are real mass transitTaxis are the real answer to "mass transit".
   They can serve wherever private cars cannot meet demand.
   Yet, like Hydrogen, they fall prey to over regulation on the one side, and predatory business practices on the other.
   Taxis are the best, most efficient way to "mass move" people in the current isnfrastructure and can serve both city, suburb, exurb and Agraria.
   But all the top level interests converge to prevent this...
   
   

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3. 

   Alison Wiley Posted 11:31 pm
   01 Nov 2008

   Judge's Decision to do nothing on fuel efficiencyBad decision by the judge. Like many people, he or she was wanting to pass the buck rather than step into actual responsibility for reducing gas use and carbon emissions.
   
   I've written a practical piece (that's turned out to be popular) that can help anyone to use less gas
   
   http://www.diamondcutlife.org/how-to-save-money-on-gas/
   
   And on a slightly wonkier level, I offer a piece on the real cost of gas to our society:
   
   http://www.diamondcutlife.org/the-real-cost-of-gas-15gall ...

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4. 

   amazingdrx Posted 1:35 am
   02 Nov 2008

   Electric cabsThe cab business fits well with battery exchange systems.  Every 120 miles or so the cab could pull up to a battery exchange robot that pulls out the discharged battery pack and replaces it with a charged one.
   It could be faster than fueling up a gas powered cab.  Too bad the "free" market combined with bribed government prevents that.

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5. 

   Delay And Deny Posted 6:28 am
   02 Nov 2008

   Covers all bases
   
   
   
   The cab business fits well with battery exchange systems.
   I totally agree!   The taxi model covers all basis.
   It can immediately change the composition of the automobile fleet by using hybrid, fuel cell, start-stop diesel and so on.  It can spur the development of battery changing stations, solar/wind power stations and so on...
   It is flexible.
   It can handle multiple passengers so is more efficient than the single passenger automobile.
   Taxis work now -- no need for high budget light rail.
   It works everywhere -- city, suburb, exurb and agraria (rural).
   If taxis were allowed to become the free market "alternative" transportation system we would not be held hostage to light rail bandits, or inefficient bus routes.
   Taxis can be better weighted for real costs.   Currently a bus fare may cover only 6% of total costs!  This fools the public into thinking that there's some magic about traditional "mass transit" when in fact its costly and inefficient compared to using cars (taxis).

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6. 

   Tasermons Partner Posted 7:17 am
   02 Nov 2008

   Taxis are not mass transit......For one thing, most people do not take taxis on a daily basis.  Usually only in unusual circumstances, or when visiting an unknown area.
   Mass transit's primary purpose is to serve daily commuters and residents who go about their regular routines.
   Taxis work now -- no need for high budget light rail.
   Think light rail is expensive?  Take a taxi to and from work everday, and then compare the cost to a train fare and any increase in your taxes associated with train construction.
   Taxis will still pummel your wallet way more than light rail will.
   And it will do it much quicker.

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7. 

   Delay And Deny Posted 11:36 am
   02 Nov 2008

   Taxis and Cars CheaperIn Seattle fares cover 6 percent of costs.
   The cost of a fare is $2.
   So the real cost of a bus ride is
   $2 = 6/100 x real cost
   real cost = $200/6 = $33.
   Now, spread that among 3 people sharing a cab and those 3 bus fares would buy you nearly $100 worth of taxi -- more than enough to cover most daily commutes.

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8. 

   amazingdrx Posted 9:16 pm
   02 Nov 2008

   CompanyA battery exchange, pure electric cab company could thrive, immune from fuel prices.  It could have battery exchange stations in areas like airports, destination points for cab users.
   Could that expand into letting others buy into the battery exchange system?  Or could a battery exchange company, owned by a utility company for instance, eventually serve mulyiple cab and corporate vehicle fleets?
   Garbage trucks, buses, delivery vehicles could all be a market.  Yhen maybe even individual car owners could buy in?
   It's a possible urban model that could compete with plugin hybrids.  And of course the same design plugin vehicles could carry auxillary generators for rural use.
   Large population centers usually set these trends anyway.  City based subsidies for electric cabs and buses could start this business up.  
   I think there is a system like this in Israel?

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9. 

   amazingdrx Posted 9:30 pm
   02 Nov 2008

   Battery exchangehttp://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1705518,00. ...
   125 mile range electric cars, pretty good for cabs or urban transit in general.  That's maybe a 4 hour cab shift?  Delivery vegicles would be good with this range too.  A few minutes battery exchange every 3 hours and back on the job.
   This could save a lot of oil and revive businesses by removing fuel prices from their overhead.
   Even long haul trucks could exchange batteries every four hours and still be efficient in terms of human productivity.  Cut that fuel cost and it's a healthy economy again.
   The steady effect of a sgift to these types of commercial vehicles, with battery exchange would stabilize oil prices with demand reduction.  A "big stick" to negotiate with OPEC and big oil.
   Who ever wins this election needs that advantage on the global economic stage.

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10. 

    Tasermons Partner Posted 3:48 am
    03 Nov 2008

    Once again, taxis aren't mass transit...Now, spread that among 3 people sharing a cab and those 3 bus fares would buy you nearly $100 worth of taxi -- more than enough to cover most daily commutes.
    But do most people share cabs into work?  No.
    
    People don't carpool in cabs.
    So dividing up the fare for cabs isn't an accurate way of showing real costs.
    Few people share cabs for commutes, therefore taxis are not mass transit.
    Sheesh, and ya claim ya went to Princeton?  Where?  Princeton, Oklahoma, Community College?
    
    

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