San Francisco leaders celebrated a milestone this week, as taxis in the city have far surpassed a 2008 goal of reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

The original plan called for reducing the average per-vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels. In 1990, the average San Francisco taxi emitted 59 tons of GHG emissions per year; today, that average is down to 30 tons, a 49 percent reduction.

“San Francisco taxicabs are the cleanest in the U.S. and a model to other taxi fleets around the world,” said San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. “The vision and leadership of Mayor Newsom and the Taxi Commission on this ground-breaking program set us on this path, and the taxi companies and taxicab drivers have embraced this program to make San Francisco a model for the rest of the world.”

Since 2008, San Francisco taxis have reduced gas consumption by 2.9 million gallons per year and lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 35,000 tons annually. Ford has been a major cog in the success of the program as the automotive company accounts for 67 percent of San Francisco’s green fleet.

“Ford is proud to be part of such a marked increase in fuel efficiency,” said Gerald Koss, Ford’s fleet marketing manager. “We expect to see more improvements as we continue to introduce more alternative-fuel vehicles and expand the power of choice to the taxi industry.”

All part of the reason that leaders are declaring San Francisco as “The Greenest Taxi City in America.”

Photo Credit: Mayor Ed Lee

• Tag: cabs, Emissions, Fuel Consumption, green, Greenhouse Gases, pollution, San Francisco, Taxis