Wanted: More Taxi Licenses

WILDWOOD — Wildwood may have given out all of its 21 taxi licenses, but getting a cab ride home here can be difficult.
“Wildwood has a problem. It doesn’t have enough cabs,” said Barry Felice, owner and operator of AA Plus Cab Company based in Lower Township.
The city has 21 licenses. However, he said, some companies hoard licenses and others haven’t used their licenses for months, even years. According to Felice’s research, Yellow Cab holds 12 licenses, Checker Cab holds four, Caribbean Cab holds three, and JB Brockington holds two.
“People are coming to Wildwood from Lower Township and Middle Township because of the nightlife, but once they get here I can’t get them home,” Felice said. “I give them the numbers for the cabs that are licensed here, but often those companies don’t have enough cabs, and don’t want to drive off the island.”
Robert White, who drives for #1 Taxi, added that his customers have gotten really upset when they find out he can’t take them home.
“I tell them that I’m not licensed for Wildwood and sometimes they get really upset,” he said. “I’ve pulled up to drop people off at bars and had drinks thrown at me because I couldn’t take anyone home.”
“Some people hold them because they don’t want competition,” Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. said of the license hoarding issue.
However, he said, the city does not have an ordinance that would require a company to use its license in a certain time frame or lose that license.
Felice suggested expanding licenses in the city would be good for tourists and keeping intoxicated drivers off the road. It would also benefit cab companies in other areas of the county which would like to expand their businesses.
Troiano said that the city is looking into an ordinance that would update rates for cab companies. He said that the city would also look into the possibility of increasing the number of licenses or a time limit that a license could remain inactive.
Felice said that he had approached neighboring North Wildwood before the summer sea-son because that city had similar issues. North Wildwood had 16 cab company licenses and has since expanded to 24 licenses.
Felice also noted that when it comes to rates, the municipalities aren’t all on the same page. Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and West Wildwood require meters. North Wildwood re-quires the cab to charge by the block.
“It can get confusing for customers,” said White. “And tough on the drivers.”
Felice said that in Lower Township, cabs are allowed to charge a flat rate.
“The public seems to prefer that because they know what the charge is going to be in advance,” he said.
Felice added that if a municipality decides on rate regulation they should be prepared to change them quickly in response to economic times, such as sky rocketing gas prices.
“This can be a difficult job at times. We’re dealing with drunks and late hours and some changes can make it easier for everyone,” he said.