the Informer

Marco Henry, dubbed the godfather of the green taxi, is changing the way people travel in Hartford. (Adam Manison | The Informer)

Environmentalism fuels bar commute

For the eco-friendly bar crowd and others who travel by taxi, especially the handicapped, there is good news from the Yellow Cab fleet.

Yellow Cab’s owner, Marco Henry, who took over the company in 1991, is working to replace 110 gasoline taxicabs with new clean-burning CNG cabs, which will remove more than 2,500 tons of greenhouse gases annually.

Henry has also been dubbed “Godfather of the Green Taxi” by those around him for being the first taxi company in 1998 to begin the movement towards going green.

“His kids were actually the first to say you own so many cars and you pollute,” Nancy Wuennemann, a spokesperson for Yellow Cab, said.

CNG or Compressed Natural Gas, is currently the cleanest alternative fuel available which reduces tailpipe emissions by anywhere from 35 to 95 percent.

At a meeting, Henry sat down next to someone who suggested Henry buy an electric vehicle. However, the downside of electric at that point in time was its short travel range. Henry didn’t want the extension cord that would have to come with an electric vehicle. The CNGs did not have this issue and seemed the way to go.

One of the best parts is that ride rates will not change. The rates are set by the state government so therefore, they are steady.

This is good news for those aware of the environment. Just this year alone, many people are becoming more aware of their carbon footprint while feeling the affects of a changing climate.

On Sept. 25, 1998, six of the now 110 fleet of natural gas Honda Civics took to the streets with a very positive response. In Jan. 1999, an additional 25 were added. The 110 cabs include 70 MV-1 cars that now allow the transportation for the disabled. Each MV-1 can hold up to two wheelchairs. It also included the purchase of 45 Ford Transit Connects and five Honda Civics.

“It opens doors for people who wouldn’t have rides anywhere else. Now they have an option,” Wuennemann said.

Yellow Cab is very proud of their achievements of going green. They have been recycling their own used motor oil for almost a decade now and recycle approximately 6,420 quarts a year. The recycled motor oil is used to heat the auto service area. Not only that, but 2,568 quarts of transmission fluid are recycled every year.

For a company where driving is everything, the ability to be eco-friendly is crucial.

In a recent press release, Henry said “We are re-positioning our legacy to lead Connecticut’s clean energy solution in the transportation sector.”