On the Subject of Taxis....

[Marko]

I'm not going to argue with any of the folks that LIVE in Negril...I always defer...but if it's true that the route taxi system is "for Jamaicans" then give them a residency card or something...to expect me or anyone to pay more (because I'm not from Jamaica-) using an "honor system" is not a great plan...in my opinion...

Lots of issues arise...and would be cleared up that way...show an ID or Ja residency card...get a $100J fare.

OH: and also have the route cab guys stop beeping at me for rides if they don't want my money. I never look very far and there is a route cab right there...I hand over $150J....nothing is said...

Edited: I am all for paying my share...and can recognize how important public transport is for Jamaicans. I just think some transparency/consistency could be added to the current system...

mi hear you..........
if there are laws and guidelines setup by JUTA that are in place.......for drivers and the fares
they should be published and available for all to see.........in English, Spanish, German, Italian, etc etc............
heresay stuff and confusing the tourists, like in this thread, isn't going to help tourism in Jamaica..........

personally mi stand by the side of the road and wait for a red plate taxi to stop........
no stop.......no ride for this guy......
red plate stops........mi got a ride........sounds simple to mi

Cool Runnings, Marko

[Rob]

I'm not going to argue with any of the folks that LIVE in Negril...I always defer...but if it's true that the route taxi system is "for Jamaicans" then give them a residency card or something...to expect me or anyone to pay more (because I'm not from Jamaica-) using an "honor system" is not a great plan...in my opinion...

Lots of issues arise...and would be cleared up that way...show an ID or Ja residency card...get a $100J fare.

OH: and also have the route cab guys stop beeping at me for rides if they don't want my money. I never look very far and there is a route cab right there...I hand over $150J....nothing is said...

Edited: I am all for paying my share...and can recognize how important public transport is for Jamaicans. I just think some transparency/consistency could be added to the current system...

Brasi,

There are national id cards, but with a village as small as Negril (about 5000 residents), there is no need for anything as complicated as adding a ID check upon entering. Everyone in a route taxi is require to pay the same rate. The current route taxi fare is ja$100. If you pay $150j, then that is a nice tip for the driver. And if a driver is beeping at you, chances are they are a charter taxi, not a route.

[yetta]

Marko, Brasi, couldn't agree more.

[booger]

I started using route taxi's because I was tired of saying no to the NUMEROUS route taxis that would pull up and offer a ride. I like to walk actually.

[Rob]

I started using route taxi's because I was tired of saying no to the NUMEROUS route taxis that would pull up and offer a ride. I like to walk actually.

Chances are the ones that are stopping to ask you if you need a ride are charter taxis, not route taxis. There are many more charter taxis than route taxis.

[irieworld]

Melody--since everyone has different opinions and ways to travel in negril, I can give you some tips and some information to answer some of your questions. Of course this comes from my experience and what works for me, so some advice will differ from other things posted. As you have probably seen taxi discussions share a lot of opinions. I think you can weigh everything and see what you feel most comfortable with once you are there. As it is your first trip, if you can afford to hire charters., go for it. I didn't start using route taxi's till trip number 3. This set of info was done in order of your questions inyour first lengthy post, i didn't get to your 2nd set of questions.

1. Most importantly do not use white plate cars even if they say there are legit, only red plates are licensed and insured to carry passengers and you should have no problems with them.

2. Many dinner places do have pick up, so have phone numbers for the places you want to try. And true, I have never seen a charter taxi take 5 dollars for a trip of any length.

3.I would feel free to take a red plate route taxi any time any where (on their route for 100 J) unless the cab is full of local riders or you see a lot of workers on the road looking to get taxis. I have never had a problem with overcrowded cab, we were always able to pick up all fares.

4. I don't ask routes to go off their route for extra, but I know others have--not sure of the protocol on that one --I just always figured they should stick with assigned route. I guess you could ask the driver,

5. I am not well off either, in fact really on a shoestring. I have run out of money in JA before which believe me you don't want that to happen. If I took charter taxis it would kill my budget and limit where I could go and what I could do. I like going to a show or two and seastar saturday night etc. I economize by cooking most of my own food and only going out for one or two nice meals. My ex Jamaican boyfriend taught me how to use to route taxis and I haven't looked back since.

6, I do use charters for grocery runs or if I am going out at night with a couple of people. And regardless of where you are it is good to carry a number or two of good drivers and if you are staying out late alone have a plan for how you are getting home. Charters will bargain, they start high! I have been charged 25 to go to Hi Lo from NBCC and didn't know better about getting a lower price and at that time didn't know where hi lo was. I should have walked and then got a cab back After that ride I always make counter offers unless the price seems reasonable--but I dont like the bargaining thing. I can't afford to take taxis at home either and do not have a car--so I am always on the subway, come snow, storms, or 3 am mornings.

7. I think your idea is great of having a bus make runs up and down and that was piloted at one point with the one love bus, I wish that was viable, I would take it. The first time it ran it didn't have a set fee but just tip the driver. Maybe if they charged something--enough for them to make some money and inexpensive enough for us to afford, OR if you could buy week passes or something I would be on that bus a lot. and it would make it easier for tourists to explore more of Negril--places that might otherwise not be discovered and it would give some of the remote places more business.

If you have any Qs feel free to pm me.

Disclaimer: these views are not universally agreed upon, just what works for me with no problem, mon. To be weighed with any and all advise given, except that of those that are certifiable, have a penchant for exaggeration or are voted by a majority to be clueless and/or irresponsible.

[Rob]

...I have never seen a charter taxi take 5 dollars for a trip of any length.

4. I don't ask routes to go off their route for extra, but I know others have--not sure of the protocol on that one --I just always figured they should stick with assigned route. I guess you could ask the driver,

...I have been charged 25 to go to Hi Lo from NBCC and didn't know better about getting a lower price and at that time didn't know where hi lo was.

IW,

Charter taxis would go out of business if they refused to accept $5us for some of their trips. I dont know of many drivers would refuse us$5 for many of their trips.

When you ask a route taxi to go off their route, then it automatically becomes a charter. The protocol is simply to ask them - such as "can you take me to "ABC" for an extra j$150?"

Place the blame for the $25us you paid to get to HiLo on capitalism. Apparently at that point, you thought us$25 seemed like a fair price. Dont blame yourself or the driver - it was a learning experience.

And knowledge is power.

[MissBlue]

I have been charged 25 to go to Hi Lo from NBBC

EXACTLY why i refuse to deal with charter taxi's. if the route system is intended to cater toward locals, and charters intended for tourists - then in order for that dynamic to operate in reality, the charter system needs to be made as easy to use as the routes, with some kind of normalized consistent fares.

so WHEN there is a reasonable charter taxi system in place, i will use it. until then i'm not doing this stupid game where I have to deal with outrageously - and patently ridiculous - high price starting points, where the onus is put on me to have to dance around with them for 10 minutes until I can maybe squeeze out what should have been a REASONABLE fare in the first dyam place. nope. not doin it. it's just ridiculous. and (to me) immensely annoying.

especially when, as brasi & booger both point out, the route drivers call out to you nonstop if they see you walking on the road, and will actually slow down and creep along right beside you, repeatedly calling out, trying to convince you to take their taxi. i'm also a walker, and i'm used to doing the low hand-wave indicating no, i no need a ride. but when i do need a ride, the flat-rate route drivers are the ones i use. you can't go 50 feet in any direction on the road without tripping over 10 of them, it makes no sense to not utilize them when they are right there - i'm not gonna ignore 10 route cabs who are asking for my business, to go call a charter driver and wait for him to come get me, (AND then have to haggle with him - to pay MORE, for LESS convenience) when it's much faster & easier to use the route cabs that are right there in front of me, in abundance.

[booger]

And because it was HOT HOT HOT.........

[irieworld]

yup exactly miss blue.