Kessler fuel-saving taxi bill sent to full House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. David Kessler D-Berks
www.pahouse.com/Kessler

Kessler fuel-saving taxi bill sent to full House

HARRISBURG, June 24 – A bill state Rep. David Kessler introduced to reduce Pennsylvania's dependence on foreign oil and cut air pollution is headed to the full House of Representatives.

Kessler's legislation (Special Session H.B. 49) would require at least 80 percent of taxis in Pennsylvania to be hybrid electric vehicles by 2016. To help operators make the transition, the bill also would provide a tax credit of $500 for each eligible new or used hybrid cab added.

"Because hybrid vehicles are less polluting and more fuel-efficient, a switch to mostly hybrid taxis would do more than advance energy independence – it would help clean our air. It’s already working in New York City and saving the taxi owners big money on their fuel bills. The fuel savings would more than pay for the new taxis in Pennsylvania," Kessler said. "And reducing demand would likely have a positive impact on gas prices, helping all Pennsylvania drivers and our economy."

As amended and approved Monday by the House Consumer Affairs Committee, Kessler's bill would require a switch to hybrid taxis by 2014 in Philadelphia and by 2015 in the second-class-population counties – Allegheny (which includes Pittsburgh), Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery. To give smaller taxi businesses more time to implement the requirement, it would take effect statewide on Jan. 1, 2016.

At Kessler's request, the committee held a hearing on his bill earlier this year in Philadelphia to take testimony from taxi companies there. He participated in the hearing and was pleased with the positive response from the companies.

The committee sent his bill to the full House on Monday by a bipartisan vote of 21-7.

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