If you’ve ever spent a humid July evening dodging teenagers on the Wildwood Boardwalk, you know the voice. It isn’t human. Not exactly. It’s a rhythmic, mechanical lilt that manages to be both polite and vaguely threatening at the same time. Watch the tramcar please. It’s more than just a safety warning; it’s a core memory for anyone who has ever stepped foot on the wood planks of the Jersey Shore.
The phrase belongs to the Wildwood Sightseer Tramcars. These yellow and blue behemoths have been crawling up and down the two-mile stretch of boardwalk since 1949. That’s nearly eighty years of the same five words. Honestly, it’s impressive. Most businesses change their branding every six months, but the tramcars just keep rolling. They are the oldest continuously operating boardwalk tram service in the United States. They aren't fast. They aren't particularly high-tech. They’re basically just oversized golf carts pulling a train of benches, yet they’ve become the unofficial mascot of Cape May County.
People think the voice is a recording of some random guy from the fifties. That’s a common misconception. It’s actually Floss Stingel. Back in 1971, the tramcar owners decided they needed a way to clear the crowds without the drivers having to scream until their vocal cords gave out. Floss, who was the girlfriend of a tramcar operator at the time, recorded the phrase into a tape recorder. That’s it. One take. Now, her voice is played tens of thousands of times every single summer.
The Weird History of the Yellow Trams
The tramcars didn’t even start in Wildwood. That’s the funny part. They were originally built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair. Imagine that—these things were supposed to represent the "World of Tomorrow." After the fair ended, they bounced around a bit before ending up in the hands of Gilbert Ramagosa in 1949. He saw a two-mile boardwalk and realized people are, quite frankly, lazy when they’re on vacation. He was right.
The first fleet was powered by Greyhound bus engines. They were loud. They were smoky. They were exactly what you’d expect from post-war engineering. Over the decades, they’ve transitioned to electric power. Today, they run on massive 2,000-pound batteries that get charged every night. It’s a green solution that predates the Tesla by half a century. You’ve got to appreciate the irony of a 1930s design being more environmentally friendly than most of the cars stuck in traffic on the Garden State Parkway.
Most people don’t realize how heavy these things are. A full tramcar with three or four trailers can weigh several tons. When you hear watch the tramcar please, it isn't a suggestion. It’s a physical necessity. If one of those tires rolls over your flip-flop, you’re going to have a very bad time at Morey’s Piers.
📖 Related: London to Canterbury Train: What Most People Get Wrong About the Trip
Why Floss Stingel’s Voice Stuck
There is something hypnotic about the cadence. Watch. The. Tramcar. Please. It has a specific meter. It’s a dactyl followed by a trochee, if you want to get all poetic about it. Because the recording is decades old, it has that slight analog hiss and a compressed mid-range that screams "nostalgia."
In the 1990s, the management tried to change the recording. They thought a more modern, high-fidelity voice would be better. The public absolutely hated it. People felt like a piece of their childhood had been replaced by a generic corporate announcement. The "New Voice" didn't last a season. Floss was reinstated, and she hasn’t left since. It proves that in the world of travel and tourism, authenticity beats quality every single time.
Navigating the Boardwalk Chaos
If you’re heading to Wildwood, you need to understand the social contract of the tramcar. The boardwalk is divided into sections. There’s the "walking" area and the "tram" lane. Usually, there are painted lines, but by 9:00 PM on a Saturday, those lines are purely theoretical.
The drivers are the unsung heroes of the Jersey Shore. They spend eight hours a day navigating through a sea of distracted parents, seagulls, and people eating jumbo slices of pizza. It’s a high-stakes game of chicken. The driver hits the button. Floss speaks. The crowd parts—usually.
- The Cost: It isn't cheap anymore. A one-way ride will set you back about five dollars.
- The App: They actually have a "Tramcar App" now. You can pay with your phone. It’s a weird collision of 1939 tech and 2026 convenience.
- The Speed: It moves at a brisk walking pace. If you're in a rush, you're better off running. The tram is for people who want to see and be seen.
The tramcar is basically the slow-motion version of a rollercoaster. You sit on a hard wooden bench. You smell the salt air mixed with the scent of Curley’s Fries. You watch the neon lights of the amusement piers go by. It’s a sensory overload. Honestly, if you haven’t done it at least once, you haven’t really experienced New Jersey.
👉 See also: Things to do in Hanover PA: Why This Snack Capital is More Than Just Pretzels
The Business of Moving People
From a business perspective, the Sightseer Tramcar is a gold mine. It’s owned by the Morey family now, who basically own the entire boardwalk. They’ve turned a simple transport service into a merchandising empire. You can buy "Watch the Tramcar Please" t-shirts, magnets, and even plushies.
The operation is surprisingly complex.
Maintaining these machines is a nightmare because you can’t exactly go to a dealership and buy parts for a 1939 tramcar. Most of the components have to be custom-fabricated in a machine shop. It’s a labor of love. The mechanics who work on these things are specialists who understand the quirks of lead-acid batteries and heavy-duty electric motors. They keep the fleet running through rain, salt spray, and extreme heat.
What to Do Next Time You Hear the Phrase
Don't just stand there. When you hear the voice, step to the right. It’s the local way. But also, take a second to look at the machine passing you. Notice the art-deco lines of the front power unit. Look at the way the driver handles the controller. It’s a piece of living history that has somehow survived the era of TikTok and VR.
The "Watch the Tramcar Please" phenomenon works because it’s a shared experience. Whether you’re five or eighty-five, that sound means the same thing. It means you’re on vacation. It means the ocean is nearby. It means for the next few hours, your biggest problem is deciding between fudge or a waffle cone.
✨ Don't miss: Hotels Near University of Texas Arlington: What Most People Get Wrong
Survival Tips for the Wildwood Boardwalk
If you want to master the tramcar experience, keep these things in mind. First, don't try to hop on while it's moving. It looks slow, but it's heavy, and the drivers will give you a lecture you won't forget. Second, buy the "Giggie" pass or use the app if you're staying for a week. Paying cash every time is a sucker's game. Third, the best time to ride is right at sunset. The breeze kicks up, the lights start to flicker on, and the boardwalk looks like a movie set.
- Avoid the rush: Between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM, the trams are packed.
- Best view: Sit on the right side of the tram if you’re heading north to see the ocean.
- Safety: Keep your kids' hands inside the car. The clearance between trams passing each other is surprisingly tight.
The tramcar isn't just a ride. It's the pulse of the boardwalk. Without that constant, nagging, polite reminder to "watch the tramcar please," Wildwood would just be another beach town. With it, it's an icon.
Getting the Most Out of Your Visit
To truly appreciate the tramcar, you have to understand the geography of the Wildwoods. The boardwalk spans through North Wildwood, Wildwood proper, and Wildwood Crest. The tram doesn't go all the way into the Crest anymore—it stops at the end of the boards. If you’re staying down in the Crest, be prepared for a bit of a walk once you get off.
Real experts know that the tramcar is also a great way to scout for food. As you roll past the hundreds of storefronts, you can spot which pizza places have the longest lines (usually a sign of quality) and which t-shirt shops are having the best sales. It’s like a low-speed reconnaissance mission.
Next time you find yourself in Cape May County, don't just walk. Pay the five bucks. Sit on the bench. Listen to Floss Stingel tell you to move out of the way for the thousandth time. It’s the most authentic Jersey Shore experience you can buy.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit:
- Download the Wildwood Tramcar App before you get to the boardwalk to avoid fumbling with cash while a line of people waits behind you.
- Time your ride for the "Blue Hour" (just after sunset) to get the best photos of the neon signage from a moving vantage point.
- Respect the yellow lines. The tramcars have a wide turning radius at the ends of the boardwalk; give them space or you'll end up as a viral video for all the wrong reasons.
- Check the weather. The trams don't run in heavy rain or high winds for safety reasons, so have a backup plan if the clouds look threatening.