Juta Tour Drivers Scam

[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.

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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

[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

[Nick]

I would be surprised if funneling business to friends, cousins, wives, or parents wasn't going on here like it does everywhere else. Usually it's no problem and a convenience of sort, but five dollars for a warm beer is off the hook.

[rooster]

Accompong....Clives (charter price) is $30 US one way per person....is extremely reasonable with or without the comped Red Strip & a non-stop ride to Negril. I say just get there & get to the bar of your choice ASAP & enjoy..it's a long enough ride as it is without stopping.

[MissBlue]

lol, dude, you can get as indignant as you wish, that is of course your prerogative - but if you could hear what people are saying in this thread, about how the free-market system works all over the world, you'd understand that there is nothing "cheating, lying, unethical, fraudulent" about this. A "scam" involves being 'tricked' in some way and there is no trickery going on here. It is nothing more than pure capitalism.... a product is offered at a price.... customer decides whether to buy at said price - or not. If they know that same product costs less elsewhere, they have the choice to buy it elsewhere. If they don't know that it's cheaper elsewhere, -or- if they do know and want it anyway, and are willing to pay said price, then merchant makes his sale. Things are sold at many different prices at many different places; your opinion is that this particular price is too high, and that is perfectly valid, but it's still just an opinion - you have free choice to exercise it by voting with your wallet. But the merchant not falling in line with your opinion does not constitute lying or fraud, just cause you don't like it.

Yes, 'buyer beware' is true the world over - but that's the free enterprise system - and that's all that is going on here. Some people might be perfectly willing to spring 5 bucks for that cold beer, even though you are not.

Where i live, gas is $3.39 two blocks from me and $3.89 a few miles up the road..... are people up the road being 'scammed' just because that merchant charges more, even though just a short distance away it's much cheaper? Nope.

[Accompong]

Accompong....Clives (charter price) is $30 US one way per person....is extremely reasonable with or without the comped Red Strip & a non-stop ride to Negril. I say just get there & get to the bar of your choice ASAP & enjoy..it's a long enough ride as it is without stopping.

Thanks rooster.

I thought that was Clive's price but, again, thanks for the confirmation.
I only used Clives as it was referenced a few times in the thread. Clive's provides a very good service but, as I said, I rarely ever go to Negril especially from the Airport. Usually from the Cockpits when I visit.

If I were going to Negril from the Airport, I would use Linston, Clive, Patrick, etc. (as I know countless drivers). The last time I went to Negril from the Airport, I had Seastar pick me up. Again, very reasonable and extremely friendly service.

I would not us JUTA to save a buck or two compared to the good drivers I know as an alternative. I guess I just don't get the fuss over the $5.00 beer. Well, maybe it is because I don't drink beer!

Peace and Guidance

[captaind]

The last time I went to Negril from the Airport, I had Seastar pick me up. Again, very reasonable and extremely friendly service.


Peace and Guidance

When you ride with Henry you also get a floor show/comedy routine! Plus a running commentary on other Jamaican drivers.

Always entertaining

[MissBlue]

i don't really care much about how i get to Negril - I use JUTA cause it's easy and cheap; I'd rather not have to deal with finding one specific person when i get to the airport, or wait for them to 'find' me.... 'path of least resistance' and all that. My personal opinion is that a private ride doesn't increase my enjoyment or value one way or the other; any four wheels and an engine gets me up the road same way. I'd rather have that extra money to use when I get where I'm going. I usually don't buy anything at these bus stops cause of course, it'll be pricey, and it's not that long a ride. if price really matters that much i'll wait 30 minutes. But if i feel to eat something anyway, i know i'll be paying a premium for it.

cause it's just standard that everything is much better-priced in regular shops than at airport or bus stop shops. any experienced traveler knows that this is how it is worldwide, no matter WHAT country one travels to. :shrug: tempest in a teapot.

[DConkle]

Just paid $12.99 for a twelve pack at a local store in Northern CA yesterday! So I guess that would off-set the cost of 1 or 2 beers for 5 or 6 bucks upon arrival to JA! And that first one is AMAZING! Hmm think I'll have one now

[Maryann]

Totally agree with MissBlue. Seriously don't think $5 a beer is too outrageous or anything to get worked up over. It's definitely not a scam. Too bad it was warm. I take Juta all the time, very inexpensive, and always buy two $5 beers for the road, wherever they stop. If it helps someone pay the bills, glad I could help.