I love route taxis

[Hussyband]

Glad you like them! Enjoy.

I liked em too.

At least these threads remind me I am not the only idiot in the world. But, I am smart enough to learn from my mistakes and the advice of others.

[Mike_D]

I agree with booger - taking a route taxi was fun once or twice, but it's definitely worth a a couple extra bucks to have a private ride with my lady and not have to transfer to a different car at the roundabout. Or better yet, call a trusted driver so that you can get picked up at your hotel and not have to stand on the side of the road.

[Dana1]

I agree with booger - taking a route taxi was fun once or twice, but it's definitely worth a a couple extra bucks to have a private ride with my lady and not have to transfer to a different car at the roundabout. Or better yet, call a trusted driver so that you can get picked up at your hotel and not have to stand on the side of the road.

I don't quite understand the "chartering" a route taxi thing....I mean if you're still using a route taxi except not picking up other passengers, could the same situation not happen as it did in Hussyband's experience? You still don't know anything about the driver. How does this make your ride any safer?

[Hussyband]

I guess it could happen, but after our experience, we used chartered taxis suggested by the hotel, and in November, will be using board sponsors.

[TizzyATX]

Dana1, I don't think Mike was saying "charter" a route taxi.

[captaind]

I'm going to put my thoughts down when I get a chance to write.

I have unique perspective as a visitor, resident (but not of Negril) and principal investor in several ventures including a red plate (soon to be two).

I see both sides of the coin so to speak.

Negril is unique due to it's history unlike Ochi, Mobay or Town. Founded by the hippies in the 60s and 70s it tries to maintain that heritage but somehow become more of a "middle" style tourist destination.

More later

Cap

[Mike_D]

Dana1, I don't think Mike was saying "charter" a route taxi.

That is correct. Thanks Tizzy.

And safety aside, it is just much more convenient to have a private ride. I can't ask a route taxi to wait for me outside the Scotia Bank while I hit the ABM, when he has a car load of passengers.

[captaind]

That is correct. Thanks Tizzy.

And safety aside, it is just much more convenient to have a private ride. I can't ask a route taxi to wait for me outside the Scotia Bank while I hit the ABM, when he has a car load of passengers.

Let me clear up this charter business.

1. Non-Route Taxi Red plated vehicles that are totally used by visitors such as Seastar's bus driven by by Henry do not have a given route.

2. Route Taxi red plated vehicles have a specified route. Linston's route is Negril - Green Island. They are not allowed to pick up passengers when not on that route. (Although they do and they are breaking the law)

3. However, when a Route Taxi red plated vehicle has been "chartered" by an individual either Jamaican or visitor they may travel anywhere on the island with that charter.

4. They are required to place a "chartered" placard on their dash board the can be seen through the windshield. This tells anyone that sees them on some road other than their route that they are not acting as a route taxi and are not taking additional passengers.

Hope this clears up some questions

Cap

[smith744]

Glad you like them! Enjoy.

I liked em too.

At least these threads remind me I am not the only idiot in the world. But, I am smart enough to learn from my mistakes and the advice of others.

.

I guess it could happen, but after our experience, we used chartered taxis suggested by the hotel, and in November, will be using board sponsors.

:-) <<<<:: BIG-smiley
.
.
so,
you going BACK in November, after your *experience* eh

Great..!!!...

.
.
Jamaica is weird na tru
like a wicked drug
.
.
nevertheless,
after you *experience*,
after Kahuna's *experience*
and a few other thing-ys
I'm modify-ing my zeal-latnous route-taxis stance, and few other thing-ys as well.

over the years,
as I assumed my fly-on-the-wall posture, I've seen my fellow vacationing-Ja-travelers doing *things* that are PERFECT-ly OK & Kosher for IN-foreign, but not-gwan-work in Jamaica.

me-too,
have been in some *tricky* situations, but they never escalated to a super-negative state. In a way, me-lucky. Plus, I'm a likkle fortunate that I have a pretty-good ghetto-radar that slaps me back to my senses when I stupidly begin drift-over to the from-foreign-side.

Bottom-Line:::>> Left dem route-taxis alone, unless you've done a LOT of due diligence ---- for example, get a now-LIVING on-island, now-LIVING In-Negril Jamaican route-taxi How-To instructor to ride witcha for 'bout 10-15 rides.

Times have changed in Negril. It AIN'T 1960, 1970, 1980, 19-whatever --- 'tis a new day, with a new *crew*

mi-personally,
have been very lucky & bless-ed:::::::: I've been foolin' around in Negril & Lucea (especially) so long, that this trip I realized I *know* (by sight) almost every-body. ....... have known a bunch of folks way-back when they were sperm cells. ...... this trip something that freaked me out EVERY day was the number of people who KNEW me...!!..

my point:::>>> for me, route taxis are cool ... the process, procedure, protocols, etc etc is too-too simple (to me). But as I reach-back in my memory bank I'm reminded that I-too fumbled around a LOT in the early-learning-stages.

and am STILL fumble-ing (a likkle) <<<<::: an UNDER-statement

this trip,
on more than one occasion
I & my cocky-self was doing *something(s)* that prompted my Lucea-mentor to say:::>>> "..Bill....YOU be careful ... blah blah blah.." [[[always uttered with a stern expression]]]


I've learned that when a Ja-person such as dem, tell me something, then I BETTER dew-wheat.

bottom-line:::>> be careful.

lef dem route taxis alone.
...unless you've got a certificate-of-course-completion

[Kiknback]

.

bottom-line:::>> be careful.

lef dem route taxis alone.
...unless you've got a certificate-of-course-completion

I think that is the best advice I have heard on the topic.