Police Chief Ralph Evangelous's plan is to have companies send all of their taxi cabs to downtown Wilmington on Halloween, New Year’s Eve and Independence Day from 1 until 3 a.m. (Source: Ashlea Kosikowski)
In 2009, the city tried to ease the afterhours congestion in downtown Wilmington by facilitating centralized taxi stands.WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Police Chief Ralph Evangelous proposed a plan during the City Council meeting Tuesday night to better disperse crowds on big weekends in downtown Wilmington.
His plan is to have major cab companies in the area send all of their taxi cabs to downtown Wilmington on Halloween, New Year's Eve and Independence Day from 1 a.m. until 3 a.m. Cabs would not be dispatched to other locations in town during that time period.
Council member Laura Padgett expressed concerns about the plan eliminating safe rides for areas where drinking is prevalent, but council member Charlie Rivenbark believes other customers will be able to find a safe way home.
"You could call one of the other cab companies and they could facilitate that," said Rivenbark. "If you remember, the chief said last night, let's try it and see how it works, and if it has glaring holes in it, then we'll go back to the drawing board."
In 2009, the city tried to ease the after hours congestion in downtown Wilmington by facilitating centralized taxi stands. Cab drivers were instructed to only pick up and drop off customers in specified locations. While police said the stands were a success, some bar owners said closing down part of the street for cabs impacted their businesses.
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