Watch the tram car! Woman behind historic wildwood voice suing city for royalties
Wildwood Tram Cars

Watch the Tram Car! Woman Behind Historic Wildwood Voice Suing City for Royalties

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1 min read
October 22, 2024

Floss Stingel, the woman behind Wildwood’s famous tram warning—“Watch the tram car, please!”—is taking legal action against the Jersey Shore town, claiming she hasn’t been fairly compensated for her voice. In 1971, Stingel recorded the line as a favor for her then-boyfriend who worked for the tram owners.

Since then, her recording has become synonymous with the Wildwood boardwalk, played up to 6,000 times daily. Yet, Stingel says all she’s received are occasional free tram tickets.

Her lawsuit alleges that Wildwood and other defendants monetized her voice without her consent, using it at public events, on tourism sites, and even on souvenirs. Stingel argues that her voice helped build the tram’s brand and that the defendants unjustly profited from her likeness without providing proper compensation.

Although Stingel hasn’t specified a monetary amount, her legal team wants the profits directly linked to the use of her recording.

The tram generates around $2.5 million a year from its $5 fares, and her voice is seen as central to the attraction’s legacy. This lawsuit may lead to a re-evaluation of how public attractions acknowledge the voices that help create their memorable experiences​.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

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