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

[Rob]

The new route taxi price has settled at j$130 per leg.

Let's take an example of going from the beach to cliffs by a normal route taxi, and not chartering a ride. For a couple, the cost to get from the beach, lets say from the Coco La Palm area to the roundabout would be j$260 and the driver has to stop and pick up other passengers and let them off where they desire. Once at the roundabout, you now have to get out of that taxi and look for a different route taxi that will run up the West End. The cost from the roundabout to a place on the West End, lets say Jenny's would be another j$260. This makes the one way trip j$520.

To return it would be another j$520, and you have had to change taxis twice now and have been in 4 different taxis total with an unknown number of different passengers. The total cost would be j$1060, or about us$11. This is how route taxis operate and it is the cost that Jamaicans pay every single day.

You can charter that same roundtrip ride from anyone in our transportation section or on any of other numerous websites or even from the red plated driver parked outside your hotel, as has been pointed out above, for between us$15 and $20 per couple.

You do not have to change taxis, you are the only ones in that single vehicle and you are using a single driver.

Considering the cost to get the airport or parking your car in long term parking, the roundtrip airfare, the cost to get to Negril and back to the airport and the cost of your hotel while you are here, only you can make the judgement on how important that us$4 to $9 is to you and your partner's sense of well being.

[captaind]

Rob speaks the TRUTH....LISTEN!

For 11 bucks you get to ride in a car that's like a little bus. Only conversation you will most likely not understand.

For 20 bucks you get a driver that will converse with you and make your travel experience much nicer.

[pointvillagepete]

If your down for a week or two with your spouse, I get the charter business. But for long term stay folks, route taxi's are the most affordable way to travel. Respect Rob's information, digest it, and make your choice. As Kik said, we don't want the A/I mentality to set in, just because of one bad apple. I have gotten to know many route drivers over the years, and yes they do provide service to locals, but they also appreciate the shot in the arm tourists provide when busy season arrives. I've travelled Juta from the airport, and frankly most of them are full of crap, bad info about the island, giving prices to people that are far beyond the going rate(s). Never be afraid to negotiate, establish a price, and get a second opinion if needed.

[Rob]

Pointvillagepete,

Thank you for helping me make my point. Since the average length of stay for visitors is between 7 and 10 days according to the JTB, charter taxis are the way for them to go!

But I have no idea what the JUTA comment means... this particular union of drivers, who were born in Jamaica know their island, have taken classes and have been trained and certified by the JTB and are no more "full of crap" than the next person. And JUTA prices are posted on their website for all to see.

[pointvillagepete]

Rob,

Yes, they know their island, but, just because they passed a test, does not prevent them from playing the fear card. Tour folks for the most part are honorable, but I have not met anyone who wished to pay more than market for services, in foreign or Jamaica. Not all tourists have the ability to visit the Juta website to confirm a rate, to say, Mayfield Falls for instance. They rely on the integrity of the people, in this case a driver. Many good people in Jamaica, but to have it ruined by a few bad apples, the odd Juta, robot taxis or the creeps that took advantage of the board member.

Once again, negotiate, establish a price, and have a good time

[Rob]

Pete,

Every tourist reading your post right now has the ability to visit the JUTA website, otherwise they couldnt be reading your post...

And this is good advice for them to follow. Please check out the JUTA, Maxi and Jcal prices in advance and you will already have a good idea of the going price before you even arrive. Most of the drivers in our transportation section list their prices for their excursions as well. Some include the fees for the attractions and some dont, so be sure to see what all is included.

And yes, if you know the going rate in advance, it makes any negotiations that much quicker and easier.

[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.

[smith744]

oh
oh
oh::::>> one more route-taxi experience.

One i'll NEVER forget..!!...

this happen-ed early-on in my route-taxi adventures/sojourns --- before I knew what I KNOW now.

I wanted to go visit & check-on boardie-Crazy-Joe (aka JoeNegril) at the hospital in MoBay. As some will recall, Joe was mashed-up & laid-up from a serious motorcycle accident.

i chatted-up a Rasta-*associate* in Lucea, telling him of my desire to go visit Joe.

He gave me instructions as to how-to, and where to catch the taxi's in MoBay.

I was worried .... some fear .... lots of concern.... and told him so.

he-SAY::::>>> "..... NO..!!.., mon...!!..... no no no.... you're in Jamaica, mon ...... you're our guest .... they (i.e., the taxi-man) WILL take good care of you.... This is Jamaica ... this is how we DO things...."

he was absolutely correct-o..!!..

All taxi-men look pon me,
saw (and *heard*, from *accent*) that i was a tourist/foreigner, and MADE SURE that I got where i needed to go,,,, the driver who took me to the hospital drop-off point, introduced me to 2-female-fellow-passengers (also going to visit somebody), who in turn, grab the *baton* and guided me thru the hospital entry system/procedure (which is ANOTHER story).

opps.!!..
sorry i typed so much

[chi-town]

Interesting thread. There has been something I've wanted to ask about on this board. Has anyone here booked a private ride from someone who advertises on this board only to be told that because of some scheduling mistake they need to wait a little bit to pick up someone else? Or had someone else with them when they pick you up at the hotel to take you to the airport? I've had this happen to my mom and dad and on another occasion to my sister inlaw both times the driver charged them for a private ride. This same person stopped halfway from the airport to pick up a friend of theirs for a ride to Green Island. I haven't used them in about 6 years nor would I recommend them. This year we will be picked up by our friendly route taxi man, who by the way is a Negril-Sav route driver.

[Craig123]

Isn't that the entire point of Rob's post. He is attempting to let people know about the different taxi services the best way he can. It's not like he can call all 2 million people that visit JA each year to let them know. And Rob is not saying that people can not use the route taxis, he is letting people know that the taxis with JTB tags are specifically meant for tourists and are the safest route to go with.

I'm not attacking Rob here. Yes that's Rob's point of the post and I don't disagree with his intent. A drop in the bucket is better than a dry bucket. I personally have and will continue to use the route taxi system on occasion. Many others will also make that informed choice while many many many others are oblivious. That's all.

Respect.