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.Originally Posted by booger
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.
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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.
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Well, that helpful information, Rob. I didn't realize that the taxis that stopped for you were charters. Ok, this is good to go then. I can negotiate from that point and just avoid route taxis and the charters sitting at the hotel.
Route taxi's always try to get my business when I'm walking the beach road -- perhaps "stop to ask if I need a ride" is not literally what they do, but when a route taxi honks, pulls over and leans toward the passenger door, or leans out their window, it's a pretty clear sign they want my business. Or the ones that do a u turn so they can pull up next to you - that's pretty clear as well.
Some of the information in this thread is mind boggling.
Thanks to all, especially Irieworld & Rob for responding to my questions.
It seems that it's safe to say that I won't be solicited for a ride except by charter taxis. I just make sure they have a red plate & then I make my offer & wait for agreement before getting in the cab.
I guess I'll learn a lot more once I get there, as I haven't been able to determine if I raise my hand to flag a taxi if both route & charter taxis would stop. It would be clearer to me if route taxis had designated stops along the road, such as bus stops. But that doesn't appear to be the case. It seems that there isn't room to allow that on the streets.
It also appears that charter taxis do not charge pp, as route taxis do. Am I correct? So Rob, when you mentioned most charter cabs would accept $500 JMD beach to cliffs, that would be for 2 people (as well as 1)? I get your point that it's all negotiable, but I don't want to attempt to negotiate for a price acceptable for one person, when there are two of us riding. The number of people riding variable is confusing as private airport transfers seem to be quoted pp, or "1 - 3" etc. To get to the point, do charters typically negotiate pp or per trip?
Thanks for your patience, time & help!
If headed to the beach from the West End with two people offer $500j for both people. This past year on two trips I made the trek numerous times and that is always what I offered and it was always accepted without hesitation. If I was by myself I offered $300J. $100J to the roundabout, $100J to the beach, and the other $100J for not making me get out and hop in another taxi for the beach leg. Again, I'm not sure what others do, but I do know that it has worked for me.
Route taxi's charge $100J per leg, however as Rob and others have pointed out you can offer a route taxi the example as I outlined above and he now is a chartered taxi and not a route taxi. I always told the drivers to pick up others along the way as I enjoy the interaction with the friendly locals. I get my ride for a great value and others are not passed up and in the end the driver is making a little money.
Do yourself a favor and do not over think it. You will be fine if you use common sense and stay in red plates and offer the fare and wait for the acceptance of said fare before getting in.
Last edited by booger; 02-11-2012 at 02:05 PM.
This is exactly how I approach it also. Never had a problem in 12 years. None of the dozens of newbies I've brought have ever had a problem when they have followed this simple method.
The key phrase above is "Do yourself a favor and do not over think it. You will be fine if you use common sense and stay in red plates and offer the fare and wait for the acceptance of said fare before getting in".
Right - thanks.
What was throwing me off was the idea that I shouldn't be using route taxis. It seems if a red plate stops for me, I just look at it that he wants my business, route cab or not. And if I want to ride further than the route posted on the side of the car, I ask before getting in & we agree on price. Period. I won't worry about the rest.
I'll leave it to those who feel tourists shouldn't use route taxis to come up with a solution, while still deferring to those passengers who are obviously local working people where possible - that's if by chance that a route taxi stops for me before a charter.
Thanks! Time to move on & start packing!
Good thread....thanks for the responses Rob.
LOL it sure is!
Of course I am NOT joking Rob.
Nine or ten years ago after visiting with a JA lady friend I watched her CHOOSE her ride to get home that night. Taxi would pull up, she would look inside, say something to the driver and he would drive off. She declined several cars before getting in one. I have witnessed other Jamaicans doing the same thing. I have asked Jamaicans about this and they say yes, they don't get into just any red plate, there are only certain drivers they will ride with, especially at night.
I have EXPERIENCED a driver not happy because I would not get in his car. I was going to another town and the person I was going to visit said to make sure I was not the only passenger in the car when it leaves. These cars/routes typically do not move until the vehicle is full, as they go direct from point A to point B. There were several cars for that destination, all empty. I spoke with one driver what my friend had requested, I may have even had them talk with my friend, I don't recall. A few minutes later that driver had a couple kids in his van and was ready to go, but he refused to take me with him. Another driver came to me and explained at that time of day, there aren't enough passengers traveling to fill the car, they move with 1 or 2. I phoned my friend and they talked to the driver. The driver called to another person to come in the car. I thought that person was just being used as 'filler' but they got out along the route and paid.
I recently asked a Jamaican how to handle 'choosing' a ride on the street . He said not to just say No or No Thanks to the driver, as they may not stop for you another time (he has lived in JA and taken route taxis all his life). He said to say "Mi not ready yet". This works really well in the bus park where I like to observe and choose my ride instead of being rushed and herded into a car.
This also works great for declining white plate cars, without having to get into the 'red plate vs white plate' debate with them, which just makes them pissy.
I then asked how to handle it if I don't have a good vibe about the driver or the passengers in the car. If, after I say "Mi not ready yet" the driver asks "Why not?" to say "Mi waiting for someone". He said that way it won't be taken personally and everyone can move on with their business.
Same experience for me as Nurse Marcia, most of the red-plate cars that beep or pull up to see if I want a ride are regular route taxis, NOT charter taxis. Its their business to pick up passengers along the route, so they are always soliciting for riders as well as picking up those who are clearly waiting for them. If its a red plate (even if not a route vehicle), I pay the standard route fare, period.
Also, in my experience, charters are parked vehicles that wait for someone to want them, soliciting to folks nearby (outside of hotels and stores). I don't notice them driving up and down the road asking folks to charter them (but maybe I just haven't noticed).
Asking a route driver to take you up a lane does NOT (in MY experience) turn a route ride into a more costly chartered ride. As we are driving along the route I ask the driver if he can do it, he in turn asks the other passengers if its okay (or tells them what he is going to do). I get to my destination, pay the standard fare plus extra fare for the detour, DONE.
IMO the easiest way to have a route taxi ride, is to be a route taxi passenger. Get in the car along the route, or from the bus park, or other known areas where route taxis queue up. Know the fare before you get in. Get in, say hello, ride. Shortly before your stop indicate to the driver your stop is coming. Pay the standard fare and get out or get out and then pay. Don't make a big deal of the ride and a big deal will not be made of you or the fare you pay.
Benefit of using charter red plates: One of the charter drivers I use told me that he and the other charter drivers have received additional training above what a route driver has. This training is for the benefit of tourists and visitors, he said it included some medical training, I don't recall what else. It bothers him that tourists use the route taxis, as he has paid for this training, and can provide the additional services.
*****
BTW, red plate does not guarantee (perhaps) anything, beyond a licensed and insured ride for paying customers. I once had a route driver ask if there were any young girls for him where I was staying. He wasn't joking. I told him to stop the car and I got out immediately.
Disclaimer: these are my personal experiences. Your knowledge and experience may be different than mine. Use your own sense in similar matters. I am responsible for me, you are responsible for you.
Last edited by Lola; 02-11-2012 at 03:05 PM.
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