The Bloomberg administration�s years-long attempt to force the city�s cab owners to switch from gas guzzlers to hybrid vehicles was rejected by a federal appeals court Tuesday morning.
The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld a judge�s 2009 ruling, in a suit brought by taxi fleet owners, that the city�s rules amounted to an effort to mandate fuel economy and emissions standards, something that only the federal government is allowed to do.
Currently, 3,715 taxis in the city, or about 28 percent of the total fleet, are hybrids or other clean-air vehicles.
The board of trade, which applauded the decision, called it �an opportunity to work with the Taxi and Limousine Commission on achieving a taxi fleet that is safe, durable, affordable and fuel efficient.�
Src: [blogs.nytimes]