Airport Cab Fleet 100% CNG Powered

-Meeting airport goals means additional two years on Taxi Association contract-

The Port of Seattle and the Seattle-Tacoma International Taxicab Association (STITA) announced at yesterday's Port Commission meeting that STITA met the Port's goal of having all association cabs fueled by compressed natural gas by Aug. 31, 2006.

All 166 of STITA's sedan-type cabs now run on CNG.

"This is an important environmental milestone," said Port of Seattle Commission President Patricia Davis. "Sea-Tac is a great economic engine for the region. While we try to maximize that benefit, we're also trying to minimize the environmental impacts."

Along with CNG-powered cabs, Davis called attention to the airport's nationally-recognized recycling program, and the fluorescent lighting that was installed in the airport nearly five years ago.

"We want travelers arriving for their first visit to Seattle to see how this community cares for the planet," she said. "They will see ample evidence of that culture before they ever get out of the airport."

Three years ago, the Port opened the first publicly-accessible CNG refueling station in the Puget Sound region.

The CNG-powered fleet is expected to produce 149 fewer tons of carbon monoxide and 24 fewer tons of nitrous oxides each year than comparable gasoline-powered vehicles.

Just finding enough CNG-powered sedans to buy, at any price, was a major challenge for STITA. Ford stopped manufacturing the preferred four-door Crown Victoria, so STITA operators had to purchase their vehicles used from fleets in California.

"We have to hunt high and low to get enough vehicles for our fleet," said Kanwalit Dhaliwal, STITA president. "But we found used vehicles that are in good repair and which will serve travelers for the foreseeable future."

The milestone means that an additional year will be added to STITA's contract to provide taxi service at Sea-Tac Airport. STITA previously met an interim goal which also added a year, meaning that the Association is the exclusive provider of taxi service at Sea-Tac through August 2010.