LONG BRANCH — Despite opposition from a local cab service, the City Council adopted an amendment that could double the number of taxis licensed to operate in the city.
The amended taxi ordinance, which also imposes a $75 inspection fee per cab, was adopted during the council’s June 24 meeting.
Fifty licenses are currently in place, split between Shore Cab of Long Branch and Jersey Shore Taxi, the only two companies licensed to operate in the city.
The ordinance allows the licensing of an additional 50 cabs. However, Public Safety Director Jason Roebuck said only 25 would initially be available.
The ordinance sets the minimum bid for the new medallions at $50,000, which would bring in at least $2.5 million if all 50 medallions were sold at that amount.
Muhammad Khan, owner of Shore Cab Co., opposed the amendment. During the public hearing, he spoke on issues such as the elimination of the city’s lone taxi stand at Third Avenue and Broadway, and the imposition of inspection fees.
Khan also requested that the council raise the minimum fare charged for each pickup zone in the city.
“The taxi stand by McDonald’s is very important,” he said. “We need that when there are no calls and it is slow and a lot of people are up there.
“People who have no phones or people who can’t speak English need to take a cab from there. If we make a pickup, it is usually either at the train station or the taxi stand by McDonald’s.”
Councilwoman Joy Bastelli said the governing body would consider whether the existing taxi stand should be maintained.
The issue of adding taxi licenses arose in February, with city officials citing frequent complaints from residents about long wait times and unreliable service within the city.
With the elimination of the taxi stand, taxi drivers would be allowed to “cruise” for riders, meaning patrons would be able to flag down cabs.
Khan said cruising would not have a positive impact on business because it would mean higher fuel costs, and he said he does not expect there will be that many patrons looking for taxis on the street.
Long Branch has jurisdiction only over taxis that pick up and drop off passengers within city limits. The city does not have the authority to regulate taxis that pick up people out of town and bring them into Long Branch, or taxis that pick up riders in the city and take them out of town.
The ordinance also raises inspection fees and fines for unlicensed cabs operating in the city.
According to Khan, the new $75 annual inspection fee puts an undue burden on the taxi company because the cost to maintain the vehicles has increased in recent years.
Another point of contention for Khan is that, under the amended ordinance, the minimum fare is being raised by only 25 cents. The fares will now range from a $4.25 minimum to a $6.25 minimum, depending on the number of zone crossings.
“Asbury has had a $5 fare for the last seven or eight years, and we got only 25 cents,” he said.