Juta Tour Drivers Scam

[pwj155]

why not just use clives,you'll be met with a friendly smile and a cold red stripe!!!!!!!!

[rooster]

Your right about Clive's transport. Been using him for years. Shawn always has a cold Red Strip or cold bottled water ready for you once he's got you at MBJ....NO CHARGE!! That said...a respectful tip isn't asking to much. Your just using the wrong Transport Service.
1876-956-2615 www.clivestransportservicejamaica.com

[Accompong]

Thanks Rob for the links. It is good to have the facts as there is a lot of disinformation swirling around concerning how much Jamaican workers earn. It seems to me that what I thought I knew when I was traveling to Jamaica for a vacation and what I now know firsthand from living here that has given me a greater appreciation for the complexity of everyday struggling to survive.

You can see that we are all looking for our "travel bargains" when planning our vacations but many times these "bargains" are not trickling down to the people who actually do the work to provide us with a great vacation. As an example, let's use the subject of transportation to and from the airport to Negril. We want to get the best bargain so we do our research and find that a seat on a crowded JUTA bus in dollar terms is the best bargain unless we travel like a local Jamaican and use the Route Taxi system.

When I travel I usually use the JUTA bus, Route Taxi or have a neighbor friend pick me up as I can't frankly afford to spend my living in Jamaica budget in ways other than necessities like current, food, etc. as when you have a small amount to spend you make due with less. But, even as little as I have to spend, it is vastly more than those I live around have to spend as "life is no easy in Jamaica".

If I am traveling in a group (more than one person) then taking a private taxi like Clives etc. starts to make more economical sense as having the freedom to stop where and when one wants to and the one on one relationship with the driver is priceless. In both examples, the money that the driver actually makes is a small fraction of what you spend. The people who own the buses, vans and cars have a lot of overhead with the cost of petrol, insurance, etc. and after they make their small, little is left to pay the driver.

Because there are so many cars in Jamaica, everyone with one wants to think of themselves as a driver but only those with enough money to get a Red Plate and Insurance can actually call themselves one. The competition is fierce between all the forms of transportation that perks like cold Red Stripe etc. are included to provide the personal service that we as "bargain" travelers want to enjoy. But all these perks do come at a price squeezing the owner's small even more.

Once you use the private taxis like Clives and develop a "friendship" with the driver then you rightly justify your spending the money for the service they provide but what about the JUTA drivers in the big buses? It is much like taking a Greyhound bus between cities here in the US. The JUTA bus drivers are paid to get you from Point A to Point B and the amount they are paid is not so much that offering a pit stop that gives them some money for the business they bring to other Jamaican businesses isn't just a perk but a necessity as well.

If you want to travel on the cheap, expect to pay in other ways. If you are a frequent visitor to Jamaica and you are still taking JUTA buses then you aren't making many friends among the driving community. Saving money has its place to a certain point. Your vacation should be an enjoyable interaction with the Jamaican people at all levels from the time you arrive until the time you sadly have to leave.

Spending time fussing over a warm $5 Red Stripe seems like a not so "Irie" way of spending your time in Jamaica.

Just (again) my personal opinion.

Peace and Guidance

[captaind]

You can see that we are all looking for our "travel bargains" when planning our vacations but many times these "bargains" are not trickling down to the people who actually do the work to provide us with a great vacation. As an example, let's use the subject of transportation to and from the airport to Negril. We want to get the best bargain so we do our research and find that a seat on a crowded JUTA bus in dollar terms is the best bargain unless we travel like a local Jamaican and use the Route Taxi system.

Snip

Because there are so many cars in Jamaica, everyone with one wants to think of themselves as a driver but only those with enough money to get a Red Plate and Insurance can actually call themselves one. The competition is fierce between all the forms of transportation that perks like cold Red Stripe etc. are included to provide the personal service that we as "bargain" travelers want to enjoy. But all these perks do come at a price squeezing the owner's small even more.

Once you use the private taxis like Clives and develop a "friendship" with the driver then you rightly justify your spending the money for the service they provide but what about the JUTA drivers in the big buses? It is much like taking a Greyhound bus between cities here in the US. The JUTA bus drivers are paid to get you from Point A to Point B and the amount they are paid is not so much that offering a pit stop that gives them some money for the business they bring to other Jamaican businesses isn't just a perk but a necessity as well.

Snip

Peace and Guidance

Well put Acc.

Having just spent the last year assisting with a "red plate" for my son Linston I can assure you it is not a cheap undertaking. There is certainly a huge difference between an owner/operator and a hired driver.

We decided on a very limited business model that hopefully will avoid the vigorous competition in the industry. The taxi is not Linston's sole responsibility so he actually runs part time on an "as needed" basis. Repeat business is the key to this model and providing something more than a simple ride.

Being a transportation sponsor here and with me being somewhat known has made the start up much easier.

That's a long way from a JUTA driver working for a salary and trying to make a few extra bucks.

You get what you pay for. Find a driver, pay him fairly and you will enjoy your visit that much more. If you really need to save 10 or 15 bucks on transportation then take JUTA.

And by the way it's Linston's Taxi on the transportation page. (grin)

Cap

[MissBlue]

it IS overpriced, yes. but that is separate and distinct from it being a 'scam'. A shop owner can charge whatever they like - just because some don't feel said price is fair, does not mean it's illegal, shady, or unethical (which is what a scam is) - just that it's overpriced. If enough people don't buy from them, they will soon change their tune. But if they continue to make sales at those prices, well.... that's what the public will bear and they will keep the price where it is.

And they can indeed give commissions to someone who brings them sales. this is the way of the world.

[Irie John]

it IS overpriced, yes. but that is separate and distinct from it being a 'scam'. A shop owner can charge whatever they like - just because some don't feel said price is fair, does not mean it's illegal, shady, or unethical (which is what a scam is) - just that it's overpriced. If enough people don't buy from them, they will soon change their tune. But if they continue to make sales at those prices, well.... that's what the public will bear and they will keep the price where it is.

And they can indeed give commissions to someone who brings them sales. this is the way of the world.

The "local" price is 200 J. The "white" price is $5 US.

I know what a scam is and this is it. A scam does not have to be illegal.

I did NOT buy a beer.
The unknowing Germans on the bus paid approximately $3 extra for a beer because the driver LIED (said beer was higher at airport - it was $1 less than they paid) and acted like $5 was the "normal" price and (according to him)"a cheap price". They did not know the going price for a beer and were scammed by the driver & bar owner.

Charging more than twice the normal price is a gouge and the Driver and Bar owner are in this SCAM together. The people on the bus do not know what the beer normally sells for. Many of them possibly on their first trip.

There is no decent human being supporting the unethical actions of this driver and bar owner. They are slime.

Anyone that thinks it is ok to lie to someone so you can overcharge them 2 1/2 times for something, is a worthless human being.

I am finished on this thread. You either have morals with respect for your fellowman and understand this is wrong or you try to justify this cheating, lying, unethical, fraudulent behavior.

[Bnewb]

The "local" price is 200 J.

Not beating you up....but I'm curious how you know the "local" price was 200J? Did the bar have that price posted?

I've seen prices recently from 150J to 600J....so it goes. I don't buy at the places that I can't afford as I wouldn't anywhere...and YES, if I'm paying a higher price...that beer better be ICE cold....
Also, the driver may not have been technically lying to the Germans (if I remember correctly) one bar at the airport charges 400J and the other charges 500J.

[Accompong]

Well put Acc.

Having just spent the last year assisting with a "red plate" for my son Linston I can assure you it is not a cheap undertaking. There is certainly a huge difference between an owner/operator and a hired driver.

We decided on a very limited business model that hopefully will avoid the vigorous competition in the industry. The taxi is not Linston's sole responsibility so he actually runs part time on an "as needed" basis. Repeat business is the key to this model and providing something more than a simple ride.

Being a transportation sponsor here and with me being somewhat known has made the start up much easier.

That's a long way from a JUTA driver working for a salary and trying to make a few extra bucks.

You get what you pay for. Find a driver, pay him fairly and you will enjoy your visit that much more. If you really need to save 10 or 15 bucks on transportation then take JUTA.

And by the way it's Linston's Taxi on the transportation page. (grin)

Cap

Well Capt..... you have been in Jamaica (living, visiting and working) for "donkey years" so I know you are a realist and don't see dollar signs every time you open your eyes.

I am sure your son (if he is anything like you and MissG) will make a go of it and, perhaps with luck and patronage from the board members, even a decent living from his efforts.

It is difficult for people who only know about Jamaica from the occasional couple of week visits over a few years to understand the totality of the struggle to make it in Jamaica.

I will do my part (whenever I can) to let people know about your son and his service. You know you can start him off by paying him to take you and MissG to visit me in Accompong Town this fall or winter!

Best of all you do.

Peace and Guidance

[RockRobster]

Pretty sure I paid less than $5 for a Red Stripe Bold at the airport on the 23rd....we are talking about the Groovy Grouper, right?

All of this being said...it isn't a good buzz for JUTA to be stopping for "cheap" $5 beers when the purpose of taking the JUTA is to save $$$. However, I don't think anyone is forcing you to buy beer. Did they prohibit you from bringing beer on the bus? Also, if you don't or can't have a private driver, then stops are at the mercy of the driver. You have lived long enough to know THAT!

If you really need to save the $15 each way to take the bus, then you are getting what you paid for. If you have two or three people, you just spent more on the bus than a private driver....just sayin...

[Rambo]

"where else can you get a Red Stripe with such a view?"

and you just got off a multi-million dollar bus....we rich Americans dont 'ya know.....lol