London Car and Courier Service Adding More Prius Cars
09 March 2006
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| Greening the GLH fleet. |
Greater London Hire (GLH)—London’s longest-established private hire and courier service—will increase to 32 the number of Prius hybrids in its fleet by this summer. That will make the Prius about 10% of the total fleet.
Seventeen of the hybrids had already been in service, with another 12 recently added. GLH is targeting “greening” a third of its fleet in the near future.
The passenger car service that GLH started nearly 40 years ago was one of the first in central London. Today, the company operates a fleet of 300 cars, light vans and motorcycles around the clock.
GLH&rsdquo;s cars and motorbikes are exempt from London’s congestion-charging scheme, so this, for once, was not an incentive for a London fleet to switch to Prius. The move, according to the company, was prompted by a customer survey that indicated a desire for a car that was different, and environmentally sound.
GLH initially took on five Prius cars for a six-week evaluation period. As a result of positive customer and staff comments, the company ordered 12 more, replacing mainly Rover 75s and VW Passats.
The company now has a separate tariff for its Prius fleet, along with special “E for Eco” call-signs for each driver. According to the company, the drivers, who are self-employed contractors, save on average £30 or £40 (US$36 to US$48) a week on fuel.
GLH leases its cars and replaces them after an two-year tour of duty, during which time they cover about 80,000 miles.
We did some hefty cost analysis on repairs, servicing, brakes and tires after they [the Prius cars] had done 30,000 miles, with one having done 53,000 miles at that point, and they hadn’t even needed a set of brake pads—incredible.
If you drive the car sensibly, you can simply take your foot off the pedal to slow down, rather than always having to use the brakes as with a conventional petrol or diesel car.
—GLH Operations Manager Dan Gurney
Not to mention all that fuel saved at stop lights. This is way cool. If only the NYC taxi fleet would do this.
Posted by: t | 09 March 2006 at 06:36 AM
NYC is using a few Escape Hybrid taxis.
Posted by: tom deplume | 09 March 2006 at 10:13 AM
Ain't the web great. One google search and presto:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/home/home.shtml
"TLC Approves Hybrid-Electric Models For Hack-Up as Medallion Taxicabs
On October 16, 2005, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) will authorize hybrid-electric vehicle models for hack-up and use as medallion taxicabs. The hybrid-electric vehicles that are currently available, and which would then comply with the TLC's vehicle specifications (Taxicab Vehicle Specifications - Rule 3-03.1), include the following: 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, 2006 Toyota Prius, 2006 Honda Civic hybrid, 2006 Honda Accord hybrid, and the 2006 Lexus RX 400H."
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Only vehicles authorized by the TLC may be used as taxis in NYC. That now includes the above hybrids. If that's waht you want to be picked up in, exercise your power as a consumer.
Posted by: Rafael Seidl | 09 March 2006 at 11:03 AM
An aside:
Strange exchange rate being used in this item... since 1 pound sterling = $1.72; then equivalents would be ~ $52 to $69
Posted by: glynne jones | 12 March 2006 at 10:27 AM
interesting how much you can slow down in a conventional car if you just take your foot off the gas and even more amazing is how many people don't do it.
Posted by: lensovet | 21 March 2006 at 12:37 PM
ilooking courier job my awn cer
Posted by: labale | 12 April 2006 at 05:28 AM