Long Beach taxi companies at odds

The owner of a local cab company is claiming that the city reneged on an unwritten agreement that gave his taxis exclusive access to the west side of the Long Island Rail Road station on Park Avenue, and that he is losing money because the city is now allowing his competitor to encroach on his territory.

Tom Cipolla, owner of Beech Street Taxi, told the City Council at its Feb. 20 community meeting that his company had operated on the west side of the station since 2008, when, shortly after he established his business, he made an informal agreement with former City Manager Charles Theofan. His competitor, Long Beach Taxi, a larger company, operated on the station’s east side, Cipolla said.

“It was not a written agreement, but something that was enforced by the previous city manager, and the Police Department was aware of it,” Cipolla said. “They weren’t allowed on the west side of the street or they would be towed away or ticketed.” Councilman John McLaughlin confirmed the agreement.

But on Feb. 17, Cipolla said, a fleet of Long Beach Taxi vehicles began “monopolizing” his side of the station, and he blames the change in political parties at City Hall. He said that a police official informed him that both companies are now permitted to operate on the west side of the station, and as a result, Cipolla claims, he is losing 30 percent of his revenue. Cipolla said that he has not heard from city officials, and has asked lawmakers including Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg and Legislator Denise Ford (R-Long Beach) to intervene.

“I was told that it’s public property and that it’s open to both,” Cipolla said. “My competitor is now putting 10 or more vehicles on our side [of the station], while keeping two on his own. He’s now allowed to run on both sides, but he’s overrunning the west side. This has created a very unsafe situation at the train station. Buses cannot maneuver around all of the taxis, pedestrians are at risk … and it has created animosity amongst the drivers.”