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Will be on the beach for a week beginning Jan 20. Can't wait to get out of this Northeast winter. Do you think I need a number for a regular taxi driver "on call" for beach to beach or beach to cliff trips, or just hail a red plate in front of the hotel?
You can easily hail a red plate and negotiate a charter ride with that driver...but it can be much more convenient to have a regular driver to call especially for the evenings/night and if you don't like negotiating every time.
Your hotel will very likely be able to hail a taxi for you if you want a charter. We just got back and both of the hotels we stayed at had the numbers of a few drivers that they could call for us. These were route cabs who were happy to pick up a charter when the hotel called them. The larger resorts often have cabs waiting out front. When my wife wanted to go to the store in town by herself, we had the hotel call someone they knew and had the cab wait for her while she did her (brief) errands. $10. US round-trip.
We also had no trouble hailing cabs on the road. The route cabs charged us only a bit more than the standard route fare to take us to where we wanted to go on the cliffs - $3.00 US/person from mid-beach to mid-cliffs for a group of 4. And yes, I tipped in addition to that.
Just stand on the side of da road and you will have a red plate taxi ride in minutes.... true
Only reasons ever to call a taxi driver in Negril is at late at night or when you have a taxi full of people traveling with you....
Cool Runnings, Marko
The route fare is the same for everyone, tourist or local. You paid more than double, before factoring in the tip.Quote:
Originally Posted by wrtiii
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrtiii
Yes, route fare is the same for everyone.Quote:
Originally Posted by TAH
Technically, Wrtiii had chartered the cab by going all the way from the beach to the cliffs.
The two routes taken...the beach road and then the cliff road would have cost a total of 260J p/p or approx $2.30US p/p (depending on the exchange that day)...and no, they don't take US change. ;)
TAH, yes I know the system. I take route cabs when I'm by myself, no problem. When we are a party of 4 wanting a ride directly to a particular restaurant, I'm happy to do a charter. The standard fare for one person for the beach to roundabout route or for the roundabout to the cliffs route is JA $130 = US $1.15 (roughly, depending on where you change money). So for two routes per person the fare would be $2.30 US per person, = $9.20 for 4. $12. was not double, it was giving the driver what is to me a modest bonus for acting as a charter and taking us directly to our restaurant and not stopping for other passengers. Certainly one way to look at it is to say "Wow, you paid 25% more than the bare minimum." Another way to look at it is "You paid an extra $2.80 for a more pleasant and comfortable experience." I look at it the second way, and am completely OK with it.
I missed the part about going beach to cliffs, my mistake.
edit: we do basically the same (usually pay 300j for the two of us for one route). Again, apologies for not reading more carefully.
I have the same question. We had Couples last visit call us a taxi to go to dinner and then he never showed up to pick us back up. Restaurant called us a taxi to go to Alfreds and then we were stuck again at midnight. I looked at the transportation list but they appeared to be for day tours and airport transfers. Is there a list of reliable taxi drivers that you can call for short rides at night without standing on the street?
All the drivers in the Transport section are, in general, tour operators. But all of them would be able to secure a ride for you even if they may not be available. Each driver started as a local "route" operator...
Email a few of them and settle on your favorite(s)!
I think many people get frustrated with taxis, I know I have from time to time, pay this, pay that, just depends. We need a sticky with what people should pay from point A to B.
One of the route drivers once told me, pay what you think is right.
In canada, it costs 4$ just to GET IN the taxi, without even moving an inch. a city bus costs about 3.25 (uncomfortable)
It might be nerve wracking as many of us don`t do it often, within my second trip alone in a route taxi, i felt pretty comfortable, happy , and enjoying that breeze of air
Have fun, play the negotiating game and don`t take it personal.... and stop counting pennies, you`re in paradise. for that 75 cents you want to save, leave it and let them buy a drink for themselves.
You will see and have a lot more fun and respect in your vacation.
Thank you for your post.Quote:
Originally Posted by JAHtonyMTL
Much respect,
Cap
I love the taxis just to chat up the drivers. You can't get better information than from a taxi driver. I consider the ride inexspensive at a few bucks, and the information priceless
Once a car stops for us, I greet the driver and then tell him "5 dollars to destination x" where destination x is somewhere cliff to cliff or beach to beach. Cliffs to beach or beach to cliffs is $10. Seems to work fine for us - route fare with a little tip.