From Teele Square to Logan Terminal C in Eight Minutes

Today's Green Cab driver did just that, averaging exactly 60.0 miles per hour over the entire trip. As he flew from the inside lane of the Zakim Bridge to the outside lane at 5:50 a.m., I said, "Man, you're gonna break a record."

In a heavy Hatian accent, he replied: "That's what I DO, baby. I know how to DO IT."

Economic Punishment for Inefficient Cabbies

NY Taxi drivers are complaining about gas prices and demanding a fuel surcharge. But more than 90% of them drive the Ford Crown Victoria, basically a V8, rear wheel drive tractor with seats. Let's take a look at the Crown Victoria's fuel efficiency at fueleconomy.gov:

2008 Ford Crown Victoria FFV 8 cyl, 4.6 L, Automatic 4-spd
15 mpg city; 23 mpg highway

Not very good. Not very good at all. What about the Hybrid Escape, also by Ford, that has become popular in NY and is starting to pop up in Boston?

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid FWD
34 mpg city; 30 highway

The 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid is also up there: 34 city/33 highway.

The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is quoted in the linked NY1 article above stating that the average cab burns 20 gallons of gasoline per shift. Maybe it's time to invest in some more efficient vehicles.