...promises that they "won't suck."

I’ve been in taxi cabs all over the world, from Munich, Germany (late model BMWs) to the deep south of the USA (a pick-up truck with a roll-bar protecting the bed and covered in mud), with experiences that obviously run the gamut, so I rarely have expectations when I hire a cabbie.

Being a talkative person by nature, I usually engage taxi drivers in conversation, even if there is a language barrier, in the hopes that I’ll be asked to sign a waiver after the trip is over for a segment on HBO’s Taxicab Confessions. They’ve seen it all, and I’m always up to hearing compelling stories. Of course, just as the type and condition of taxi cabs vary, so do the interactions with the driver.

Just over a year old, Atlantic Taxi, based in coastal Monmouth County, is a company that aims to please its customers, with clean vehicles, on-time service, and friendly drivers. It has launched a wide-reaching social media campaign to reach potential Jersey Shore customers, with a presence on Twitter and Facebook, which is the reason why I was so interested in learning more about this innovative taxi company.

“I decided when I started that Atlantic Taxi wasn’t going to be a typical cab company. Atlantic Taxi was going to be different,” said Keith Brown, the Atlantic Taxi proprietor and a reporter for a major daily Jersey Shore newspaper. “Our cars were going to be clean and smell good. Our drivers were going to be the same. We were going to treat people like human beings, not meat. But most of all, I was determined that Atlantic Taxi was going to reflect my overall philosophy: Work hard and don’t suck.”

Source: Atlantic Taxi

Serving primarily Monmouth and northern Ocean County, Atlantic Taxi operates an airport shuttle service, and has “taken people to Brooklyn or Philly or Atlantic City on a moment’s notice,” Mr. Brown said, but especially during the summer months, the fares in most demand are in between Avon-by-the-Sea and Point Pleasant Beach, or those areas better known as the coastal party zone.

Mr. Brown brands his drivers as “multisyllabic and proud,” and according to the company’s well-designed (and funny) website, Atlantic Taxi promises its customers a “reasonable fare, generally a buck or two less than other companies,” in a car that “isn’t held together with chewing gum and prayers.”

Clearly, he seeks to differentiate Atlantic Taxi from the herd of mediocre taxi services in the area, and as an investigative journalist, he knows how to tell a good story.

Humor always goes a long way in daily life, and this is especially important with taxi drivers, as part of the fun of the night out is the cab driver to and from the bars. Even though Mr. Brown promises reasonable fares, you may actually get a discount if “you or your group is particularly funny,” or conversely, receive an extra assessment on your fare (dubbed a “Poor Grammar Fee”) if “someone in your group flagrantly butcher[s] the English language,” according the Atlantic Taxi website.

If you ask me, this “policy” is pretty funny, whether you believe it or not. Nevertheless, you can’t help to chuckle at the humor.

I asked Mr. Brown if he has any intriguing stories to share with Live for Jersey Shore readers, and even though he said he has “tons,” he would not be able to repeat most here, because this is a family website. He did say, however, that “it’s amazing what complete strangers will tell a cab driver,” and that while “bartenders hear a lot, [he guesses] it’s significantly less than a good cabbie.”

Logic thus dictates that Atlantic Taxi has good cabbies in its two minivan fleet? We’ll see for ourselves.

Live for Jersey Shore is looking forward to utilizing the services of Atlantic Taxi this summer. Based on my correspondence with Mr. Brown and a review of his Twitter stream (where he provides funny commentary, traffic information, and good insight into what bars/clubs are happening at the moment) and company’s website, it seems like the experience will probably be enjoyable.

It is also a plus that Mr. Brown is passionate about his work, which usually translates into good service.

“It’s the best gig in the world,” said Mr. Brown.

Atlantic Taxi can be reached at (732) 280-4990.