Yellow Cab Chicago signed a 10-year contract last week to receive compressed natural gas (CNG) and fueling equipment from Clean Energy Fuels Corp. The cab company wants to immediately incorporate 100 CNG taxis into a fleet of 3,000 taxis running under Yellow Cab subsidiaries like Yellow and Checker. CNG taxis in Chicago will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also decrease fuel costs in the long term.
The Yellow Cab Chicago/Clean Energy Fuels Corp. agreement includes provisions for two fueling stations at the downtown Chicago depot. These CNG stations will be open to taxi drivers and members of the public 24 hours a day. Yellow Cab Chicago recently received a $1.5 million grant from the city of Chicago and the Department of Energy to reduce the costs of building these fueling stations. This grant was made possible by the involvement of Clean Energy Fuels Corp. before last week’s announcement. By investing in CNG fueling stations, Yellow Cab Chicago is helping its bottom line while contributing to increased adoption of CNG cars by the public.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. was selected by Yellow Cab Chicago based on its reputation in the CNG fuel market. This Texas-based fuel company already offers CNG for 17,500 vehicles in 195 cities throughout the world. Clean Energy Fuels Corp. operates two natural gas plants in Texas and California that produce 260,000 gallons of LNG (liquefied natural gas) each day. These plants are capable of producing up to 340,000 gallons of LNG per day with increased demand. The company provides home heating to thousands of customers with a landfill gas facility in the Dallas area that produces methane and biomethane. Clean Energy Fuels Corp. also owns BAF Technologies, Inc., a Dallas-based firm that specializes in converting commercial vehicles to CNG.
We often overlook buses, taxis and shuttles when thinking about widespread adoption of green vehicles. Hybrid and all-electric vehicles have been the darlings of the automotive media because they seem simple enough to refuel. Compressed natural gas may seem a novel way to fuel vehicles but it produces few emissions and its costs are manageable for consumers. For Yellow Cab Chicago, a company with thousands of cars on the road, CNG will have a positive effect on its environmental impact and economic security. As with any alternative fuel, the key to the success of CNG vehicles is a comprehensive infrastructure with a reliable source of fuel.
