Red tag rates

[wrtiii]

Just so this is clear, "red tag" cabs are the licensed and insured cabs.

Some (most?) of them operate as route cabs, which are like buses in the US - they have specific routes, they will pick you up along their route and drop you off along their route. Route cabs have their route on the fender.

Others are charter cabs, what we would just call taxis in the US - they pick you up where you are and take you where you want to go. There are no set fees, you just need to negotiate before getting into the cab. $5. US/person from mid-beach to mid-cliffs is fairly standard.

Any route cab is free to leave his route and operate as a charter cab. Just make sure it has a red license plate, and negotiate the price before you get in. If you stand beside the street during the day, in about 30 seconds a route cab will roll by and beep at you to see whether you want a ride. Once you're in, he may well ask you where you're going and offer to take you directly there. This is not him just being friendly, because he's going to want more money when you get there - maybe $10./person. (This is true even if you tell him you want to go to the grocery store that's only 100 feet from the cab stand that's the end of his route. He left the route for you, so it's now a charter.) So never say yes before agreeing on the price. If I'm just planning to pay the route cab fare (plus a tip, which I always give), I ask "Route cab?" before getting in.

Cab prices and dealings were recently discussed in the thread http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...-around-Negril.