The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s plan to remove a nearly century-old taxi stand at the city’s Long Island Rail Road station has upset the Long Beach Taxi Corporation, commuters and residents alike.
“The MTA Police Department is planning to establish a district office at the Long Beach station, so the station will have a permanent police presence,” Aaron Donovan, the MTA’s deputy communications director, said last week.
The taxi stand, which occupies MTA-owned property at the base of the LIRR platform at 1 West Park Ave., is a critical resource for residents and commuters.
“We do over 100,000 rides a year because we’re at the station,” the taxi company’s president, who identified himself only as Aaron, told the Herald. “People just walk over to us when they need a ride.”
As part of the Long Beach station renovation, the MTA plans to remove the taxi stand. No date has been announced.
“We provide affordable and easy transportation in Long Beach,” Aaron said. “Removing us from the station is going to affect our business and the community.”
Indeed, some residents view losing the taxi stand as nothing less than the loss of a community resource. “It’s going to upset the community if they can’t get their cabs,” Kristain Fennell, a Long Beach taxi dispatcher, said.
The taxi stand also plays a vital role in the lives of senior residents. “The seniors at the senior center — we transport them after their activities, to and from the center,” Aaron said. “We help all the seniors in Long Beach.”
The company’s fares are intended not only to be affordable for seniors, but also to benefit other patrons, because they are lower than those of competitors such as Uber. “We give great pricing — almost half, maybe a third of Uber’s rates,” Aaron added, “to make sure elderly people can commute within Long Beach, because parking is really tough.”
“Uber is more expensive, and (the taxi stand) is very convenient for people coming off the train,” Larry Cuocci, a resident of Long Beach for 13 years, said.
“We didn’t realize how much we’re needed until residents started asking us to do something about it, because they need us here,” Aaron said.
The taxi stand had a subleasing agreement with the LIRR that has been terminated. The cab company received an eviction notice in January.
“We’re trying to make sure that the City of Long Beach residents can easily access taxi cabs,” Aaron said.
In response to the news, residents and the company created a petition in an effort to save the stand. “I signed the petition, because the service is needed,” Cuocci said.
For its part, the MTA maintains that a police presence at the station will increase security in the area. “This is consistent with the MTA’s ongoing efforts to improve safety,” Donovan said.
But many argue that a police station is unnecessary, since the Long Beach Police Department is just a short walk away. “I think this is an incredibly stupid idea and a waste of resources,” Cuocci said. “We have more than enough police officers who are doing an excellent job.”
“The taxi stand has been here for a long time,” said 12-year resident David Martinez. “If they shut it down, everybody is going to be upset. We already have a police precinct close by, so this is unnecessary.”
“I’m not for it,” Island Park resident Michael Mulqueen added. “I’d rather have the taxi company there — it’s convenient.”
Long Beach Taxi remains hopeful as it continues discussions with the MTA and LIRR to find a solution. “It’s been a long couple of months,” Aaron said. “Hopefully we have a long future here, and we’ll figure it out.”
“We have re-evaluated month-to-month leases with certain vendors,” Donovan said.
To view the petition, go to Bit.ly/3IAOz1a.
Have an opinion on the taxi stand’s removal? Send a letter to jbessen@liherald.com.
