MYRTLE BEACH -- Local cab drivers said no industry is immune from problems. Including on the Grand Strand, where service is a big industry and taxi cab drivers said they have taken a big hit.
Mark Nagele drives for Rock Star Cab, a fairly new company, borne out of the anticipation of thousands of customers at the now bankrupt Hard Rock Park.
Nagele said business is down 40 to 50% from last year, but he is sticking with it until the busy season, when he's hoping things will turn around.
"Got to get through the hard times, and this year is hard times with a capital H, for real." said Nagele.
Nagele said this economy is so bad, there have been some days when he hasn't made any money, he said one Saturday he was at the Myrtle Beach International airport for seven hours and didn’t have one customer, and then he said he went out and tried to work around town for another five hours and made nothing, which he said is not good for a Saturday night.
Nagele said the struggling economy is not just bad for him, people who very rarely use taxicabs are also affected because he and the other 200 plus cab drivers in the area cannot go out and patronize other businesses if they aren't making money.
But despite all the low fares and closed amusement park he wishes would re-open, Nagele said he is looking forward to the holidays.
Back in August, Myrtle Beach City Council approved a rate increase for cabs to offset those high gas prices this past summer that taxi drivers said were eating into their profits.
Since then, gas prices have dropped, however, city spokesman Mark Kruea told News13 there are no current plans to roll back the summer rate increase.
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