On a serious note, with the talk of taxi pricing...

[Rob]

For years Negril.com has been warning of the hazards of taking illegal robot taxis (white license plate, not insured to carry paying passengers vehicles). But some visitors still do not heed this advice just to save a few dollars. Irresponsible web pages even promote some of these illegal drivers.

Well, it may soon become law that as a passenger you could be be charged with aiding and abetting the illegal driver.

Fuel prices alone have gone up 40% in the past year. The prices that our legal, insured operators in our Transport section charge are affordable and fair.

Please be wise and always use legal, red plated drivers. Saving a few dollars is not worth being not insured and possibly ending up with a criminal conviction.

For more, here is the Observer link:

http://jamaicaobserver.com/article/2...ICLE/170609978

[CosmicMoose]

Pretty sure this has to do with lack of awareness. Yes, Negril.com has definitely helped with the awareness, but how many visitors to Jamaica do not use this site? IMO, there needs to be a media campaign, maybe starting with JUTA and the tourism authority to help bring about awareness, maybe even using posters in the airport.

Some of these illegal taxis are highly rated on TripAdvisor! Yeah it may be a lot more work for them, but perhaps TripAdvisor should not allow ratings unless you're licensed and legally allowed to perform the service for which you are being rated on? I could see some sue happy people suing TripAdvisor, "well he was highly rated on your site."


Just my .02.

~Moose

[Mike_D]

Some of these illegal taxis are highly rated on TripAdvisor! Yeah it may be a lot more work for them, but perhaps TripAdvisor should not allow ratings unless you're licensed and legally allowed to perform the service for which you are being rated on?

Doesn't TripAdvisor already do some vetting of businesses before they can be listed on their site? I thought I heard that restaurants and hotels had to jump though hoops to get listed. I wonder why it's so easy for some non-red plates.

But yeah - I don't pay much attention to most of the TA rankings. Even some of their top ranked restaurants, I thought were just 'meh'.

[Rob]

There have been ad campaigns​ in the past. Should the new legislation go through, there will be a massive awareness program.

I could easily see TA and others be sued because they are aiding and abetting the illegal passengers by promoting the illegal drivers. TA's "vetting" as well as rankings leave much to be desired while some pages knowingly promote illegal drivers.

Interesting you should ask how many people use this site. As of this morning, Negril.com is in the top 800,000 of all websites worldwide (about 1 billion exist).

And we are in the top 180,000 most popular websites in the US.

So far this year we have had some quarter million unique visitors view over 3.5 million pages.

[booger]

Doesn't TripAdvisor already do some vetting of businesses before they can be listed on their site? I thought I heard that restaurants and hotels had to jump though hoops to get listed. I wonder why it's so easy for some non-red plates.

But yeah - I don't pay much attention to most of the TA rankings. Even some of their top ranked restaurants, I thought were just 'meh'.

TA's vetting is lacking. I myself set up a driver on TA, and it was processed in a day or two. He is a red plate, has been for roughly 20 years just to be clear. I believe at the time I just had to show proof that he in fact had his own business, where I just shared the link to his website.

[CosmicMoose]

Awesome stats! But I would guess that is still only 15% or so of Jamaica's tourists each year? But then again, if one in each family/group uses this, not everyone has to.

~Moose

[Rob]

Moose,

Jamaica currently gets about 2 million overnight visitors a year, with Negril getting about half a million.

Extrapolating our numbers, we will be viewed by half a million or more visitors, which equals the number coming to Negril and about 25% of all overnight visitors.

We are always working to improve the numbers!

[Mike_D]

TA's vetting is lacking. I myself set up a driver on TA, and it was processed in a day or two. He is a red plate, has been for roughly 20 years just to be clear. I believe at the time I just had to show proof that he in fact had his own business, where I just shared the link to his website.

Crazy! I remember reading a story that explained how TA is no longer an impartial source for travel info, since they started booking hotels and allowing businesses to advertise on their site. I believe it said that site sponsorship actually gets factored in to a ranking. It also stated that there are marketing companies that can be hired to bost your ranking with artificial reviews. I will see if I can find the link...

[MikeyNYC]

honest question here: where is the cross over? When does a "friend" that you've known for many years become an illegal taxi? Agreed, I don't get into just any white plate, but if someone I know happens to be driving, is that different? If we get into an accident, am I not covered just because I'm a visitor and the assumption of the law?

[captaind]

honest question here: where is the cross over? When does a "friend" that you've known for many years become an illegal taxi? Agreed, I don't get into just any white plate, but if someone I know happens to be driving, is that different? If we get into an accident, am I not covered just because I'm a visitor and the assumption of the law?

You'd have to PROVE your relationship to the driver. When I'm in the jeep (white plate) and Linston is driving I can prove my residency history and relationship to him. I'm also insured to drive it.

When he's driving in the red plate the "off duty" sign is in the window.

One time recently I was in Ricardo's car (my son in law) and we were stopped in a routine document check. The officer asked him in patios who I was. I immediately answered in patois "i'm his father in law". We were free to go with no issues.

But the key here you'd HAVE TO PROVE a real relationship with the driver.

Cap