Regarding the route taxi incident that happened to Hussyband....

[Rob]

Johio,

Essentially yes, that is what I would recommend. If I needed a ride at the last minute, I would ask at the establishment where I am and ask them if anyone is around to take me to where I needed to go. Or I would keep a list of numbers (as I do) of drivers I know.

If you are walking the road (and not on the new sidewalk on the beach road) and a taxi stops and beeps at you, chances are they are simply looking for a fare. The majority of the drivers are hardworking folks trying to make money just as we all do. But the problem as has been illustrated here is that you have no way of knowing for sure.

Locals in Negril do not just jump into just any taxi. They typically wait for a driver and vehicle they recognize. This becomes second nature when you have been using route taxis your whole life.

But as a tourist visiting the island, you do not have the luxury of years of experience of knowing who the good drivers are, who the not so good drivers are, who is just a bad driver (although the dents in the car tends to point them out) and who may up to no good.

In an email conversation I have been having, I asked a very simple question. Regarding the robbery that just occurred, what percentage of tourists coming to Negril do think would know that Lilliput is about 2 hours from Negril and they should never get in that taxi? Even more simply put, what percentage of tourists would actually notice the Lilliput route marking and know what it meant?

This number becomes very important if someone wants to recommend that tourists should take route taxis. I personally think the number is very small, so there is no way in good conscience I can recommend that tourists take route taxis when I feel the vast majority would not know what the Lilliput markings meant.

School children are taught how route taxis work when they are young so they learn not to get into taxis that are "wrong". But visitors to the island also do not have the luxury of growing up being taught the route taxi system.

So having the establishment find or call a driver for you is the first thing I would suggest if you dont already have a cellphone and list of drivers you can trust.

And as a sidenote to this, every Jamaican I have talked to about this said immediately that the taxi must be stolen as no Lilliput route driver would be trying to run routes in Negril...

[IRIEchic]

Johia

Locals in Negril do not just jump into just any taxi. They typically wait for a driver and vehicle they recognize. This becomes second nature when you have been using route taxis your whole life.

But as a tourist visiting the island, you do not have the luxury of years of experience of knowing who the good drivers are, who the not so good drivers are, who is just a bad driver (although the dents in the car tends to point them out) and who may up to no good.
.

This is great information lessons to be learned and its funny you mentioned the "locals" pass up certain taxis as well this is so tru...when me and my "JA friend" lookn for a taxi he often pass up taxis and I always think to myself why are we letting 2-3 taxi go by...Now mi nuh! And Im happy kno he was looking out for our safety and after this thread I feel I know just enough to get to point A to point B safely.

Thanks so much ROB for this info and this forum!

[Craig123]

Sorry I , must chime in. Say what you want about route taxis NOT being designed for tourists. That's true and I respect that. However, in the REAL world route taxies will offer rides to tourists and tourists will accept...END OF STORY!!!!!!! It's not reasonable to expect them to to be worldly enough to realize the possible dangers. With all due respect......GET REAL. I have used route taxis in the past and won't hesitate to continue..as with anything in Jam Rock, with caution, of course.

Respect.

[Rob]

...It's not reasonable to expect them to to be worldly enough to realize the possible dangers. With all due respect......GET REAL....

Craig123,

With all due respect, I am getting VERY REAL. And thank you for proving my point. It is not reasonable to expect visitors to the island to have a complete understanding of the route taxi system and to realize the possible dangers. Which is exactly why I cannot in good conscience recommend that visitors take them when there is a system put in place, which was designed especially with them in mind, which is convenient, easy and safer to use.

By law the route taxi drivers are not allowed to discriminate, they must treat each potential fare equally, so they will stop for locals and tourists alike. No one can stop you from using them. That would be against the law.

But with cellphones being available practically for free (calls are around J$3 per minute -that is like 3 US cents per minute), and with plenty of safe, trustworthy and even JTB certified drivers phone numbers available, there is very very little, if any reason for visitors to use route taxis.

[NiceLady]

Craig123,

With all due respect, I am getting VERY REAL. And thank you for proving my point. It is not reasonable to expect visitors to the island to have a complete understanding of the route taxi system and to realize the possible dangers. Which is exactly why I cannot in good conscience recommend that visitors take them when there is a system put in place, which was designed especially with them in mind, which is convenient, easy and safer to use.

By law the route taxi drivers are not allowed to discriminate, they must treat each potential fare equally, so they will stop for locals and tourists alike. No one can stop you from using them. That would be against the law.

But with cellphones being available practically for free (calls are around J$3 per minute -that is like 3 US cents per minute), and with plenty of safe, trustworthy and even JTB certified drivers phone numbers available, there is very very little, if any reason for visitors to use route taxis.

In my experience when I have asked establishments for a taxi, we have gotten a white plate. Specifically at Rockhouse this has happened more than once.

[smith744]

In my experience when I have asked establishments for a taxi, we have gotten a white plate. Specifically at Rockhouse this has happened more than once.

you, your-post here, and a couple others in this thread with *similar* mention, regarding an *establishment* calling/getting/securing a taxi for you reminds me of something(s).

Me-personally,
have in the past, early-on, before i *learned* the route-taxi system, would frequently ask the *establishment*, and/or the security-person at the front-entrance to the property to *assist* me in securing a *drive* (i.e., a taxi).

*they* would go out to the roadside,
and flag-down a route-taxi for me
(with red-plates, and appropriate signage/decal on the side)

...then chat-up the driver (in-brief, to advise 'em not to screw-up)
and telling the driver where i wanted to go,
and
i'd hop in and
off we'd go.

no problems

on MANY occasions, i've seen/observed other tourist-types doing the same thing with their security-person(s) where they'd be staying. For me and others this has happened at restaurants & bars, as well.


kinda-sorta just like if I or you were to leave a hotel here in tourist-town WashingtonDC, and you go outside and the bell-hop flags down a taxi. Or when you arrive at the UnionStation train station (here), and same thing happens.... a bell-hop type person flags a taxi.

my point:::>>> there're options
always options, in Jamaica and/or Negril.

of course,
as here in good-ole'-USof/WashingtonDC,
there's the limo (aka *charter*) option

by the way,
me-personally,
have received this wonderful Jamaican-hospitality (i.e., securing a safe & legal taxi for the foreigner) not only in Negril, but in rural areas of the island.

For example,
on my last-trip,
when i went to visit my Ja-play dawta at her home, in suburban Westmoreland, she (and her mom) called a safe & legal route-taxi man to meet me, and pick-me-up at the cross-road, where I disembarked from a route-taxi from Lucea.

so,
an option/strategy *could-be* to have some somebody help ya secure a *drive* if needed.

[Kiknback]

there is very very little, if any reason for visitors to use route taxis.

Yes, there is a reason. Money. Route taxis are significantly cheaper than charter taxis.

One of my favorite parts about Negril is the ability to move around. Head to the beach, cliffs, back and forth on a whim. And really, that is not possible using charter taxis. Is it worth a $20-30 round trip taxi drive to head to Jenny's for a cheap breakfast? No. But a $6 round trip route taxi? Sure. A few trips back and forth and it adds up quick.

Yes, I get Robs point. Safety is an issue. But to say route taxis are dangerous and should never be used seems to be taking it too far, imo. That, to me, is the same logic that tells the all-inclusive folks to stick behind the walls of the resort for safety reasons. I just disagree. Things happen. Life includes a bit of a risk, and using a route taxi seems like a reasonable one, even after this relatively isolated incident.

This was definitely a valuable heads-up. And reminds me to leave the wedding rings at home, and certainly take trusted taxis for anything where I may be carrying valuables. Rob is correct, the safest way to get around is to always use approved, trusted taxis. But for everyday, getting around town, I will still most likely use a route taxi.

I'm not gonna let this coward ruin MY vacation either.

[captaind]

I'll say this again. Get a driver for the week including pickup and return to airport.

He'll give you a phone and be ready to pick you up and bring you back as long as you give him a heads up a bit ahead of time. He'll even stick around if you you're out partying late.

No nickel and dime payments.

That's how Linston does it. http://www.redplate-negril.com or 376-3652

Cost is negotiable depending on how much you need him.

[MoFromMonroe]

We had a guy from Kuyaba pick us up and he offered his services for the rest of our trip. We called him a few nights later and he came in a white plate car. We told him no. I don't remember the guys name.

[Craig123]

Craig123, With all due respect, I am getting VERY REAL.

Reality is that route taxi operators will offer rides to tourists and tourists will use them. Right or wrong, safe or dangerous....that's the reality. There is definitely value in using one or two trusted taxi operators. I understand that, but I also know without any doubt that many tourists will be totally oblivious.