I love route taxis

[DConkle]

A simple answer is this:

A "white plate" is a privately owned car (just like one you probably own at home) and the insurance covers regular use not using the car to transport people or goods. If he has an accident, you will have a hard time fighting with his insurance company to pay for any injuries.

A "red plate" is a registered and insured vehicle (like taxis etc. at home). They are required to carry a much more expensive coverage to insure all the customers who pay to use it.

Others can probably say more but bottom line: use a white plate and take your changes when for a few dollars more you can ride with a professional licensed and insured driver where you will be covered in the event of an accident.

Peace and Guidance

Thank you so much for clarification Accompong. Much appreciated, have a blessed day!

[x l ent]

Rob, I have a question. Is there times when travel is more bothersome for the Jamaican workers, children leaving school. You know like rush hour in the states when tourist should avoid use of the taxis to keep from causing problems. Could this be another option. Like most of the workers might get off at approximately 4PM. And the children get out of school at like 3PM. Just a thought.

I tend to charter a route taxi, and pay a few dollars more. About three-five dollars more.

[booger]

You can tell just by driving by. I always tell the driver to make it a charter, however please pick up the ladies who are working real jobs along the way. No dudes as it keeps the worry down. I have met all sorts of wonderful hardworking ladies along the way. Mostly hotel workers and my all time favorite a country girl selling some fruit.

[Fred Stripe]

You can tell just by driving by. I always tell the driver to make it a charter, however please pick up the ladies who are working real jobs along the way. No dudes as it keeps the worry down. I have met all sorts of wonderful hardworking ladies along the way. Mostly hotel workers and my all time favorite a country girl selling some fruit.

My last reach there was another lady in our car,when we got to CoCo I gave the driver money for her fare.

[Craig123]

For me, it's not a matter of price that determines if I use a route taxi. It's simply a matter of convenience. Use caution with any taxi. Either one could be a stolen vehicle with a driver with bad intentions. ALWAYS trust your gut.

[Blake]

You can go ahead and use the system, it is illegal to stop you. But as Hussyband has pointed out by learning, yes LEARNING the hard way, even the most experienced travelers can get into bad situations.

It is up to you how much your safety means to you. If two dollars is too much, so be it. But you cannot say that you were not warned in advance if something bad happens...

Experienced travelers can get into bad situations using any transit system, regardless of whether it was "designed" for locals or visitors.

Sorry but I don't get why it's not a fair comparison to say route taxis are the equivalence to US Bus systems. Should I be outraged against people using our local transportation solutions because they're "designed" for locals?

The harsh reality is that private transport can often be way more confusing and more expensive than the route taxis, at least with the route taxis the fee is published so the tourists know what they're getting into.

Tourism makes up a huge chunk of the Jamaican economy, there needs to be a system in place to move tourists around that is safe and cost effective. Chartering a private taxi can be just as dangerous as taking a route taxi and MUCH more expensive, especially as a solo traveler.

If it's "dangerous" to take the local transportation system that needs to be addressed and changed, and not by discouraging people to use the local system.

Also I have to ask is this kind of topic not a conflict of interest for you? Just curious because if drivers advertise with you on your site it would obviously be in your best interest to push private transportation instead of route taxis. If you aren't taking any advertising money from drivers then my apologies, but it's always best to keep conflicts of interest out of a discussion IMO.

[gerryg123]

Also I have to ask is this kind of topic not a conflict of interest for you? Just curious because if drivers advertise with you on your site it would obviously be in your best interest to push private transportation instead of route taxis. If you aren't taking any advertising money from drivers then my apologies, but it's always best to keep conflicts of interest out of a discussion IMO.

I agree.

[captaind]

I don't see any conflict.

I love red plate cars so much I'm buying another one


Cap

[hille141]

Experienced travelers can get into bad situations using any transit system, regardless of whether it was "designed" for locals or visitors.

Sorry but I don't get why it's not a fair comparison to say route taxis are the equivalence to US Bus systems. Should I be outraged against people using our local transportation solutions because they're "designed" for locals?

The harsh reality is that private transport can often be way more confusing and more expensive than the route taxis, at least with the route taxis the fee is published so the tourists know what they're getting into.

Tourism makes up a huge chunk of the Jamaican economy, there needs to be a system in place to move tourists around that is safe and cost effective. Chartering a private taxi can be just as dangerous as taking a route taxi and MUCH more expensive, especially as a solo traveler.

If it's "dangerous" to take the local transportation system that needs to be addressed and changed, and not by discouraging people to use the local system.

Also I have to ask is this kind of topic not a conflict of interest for you? Just curious because if drivers advertise with you on your site it would obviously be in your best interest to push private transportation instead of route taxis. If you aren't taking any advertising money from drivers then my apologies, but it's always best to keep conflicts of interest out of a discussion IMO.

Very well said.

[Rob]

Experienced travelers can get into bad situations using any transit system, regardless of whether it was "designed" for locals or visitors.

Sorry but I don't get why it's not a fair comparison to say route taxis are the equivalence to US Bus systems. Should I be outraged against people using our local transportation solutions because they're "designed" for locals?

The harsh reality is that private transport can often be way more confusing and more expensive than the route taxis, at least with the route taxis the fee is published so the tourists know what they're getting into.

Tourism makes up a huge chunk of the Jamaican economy, there needs to be a system in place to move tourists around that is safe and cost effective. Chartering a private taxi can be just as dangerous as taking a route taxi and MUCH more expensive, especially as a solo traveler.

If it's "dangerous" to take the local transportation system that needs to be addressed and changed, and not by discouraging people to use the local system.

Also I have to ask is this kind of topic not a conflict of interest for you? Just curious because if drivers advertise with you on your site it would obviously be in your best interest to push private transportation instead of route taxis. If you aren't taking any advertising money from drivers then my apologies, but it's always best to keep conflicts of interest out of a discussion IMO.

Blake,

I am assuming you know nothing of what transpired late last year to experienced Negril veterans, Hussyband & his wife, using what they thought was a normal route taxi. I am sorry that they have to relive this event by having it reposted here, but apparently it is necessary. Here is a link to their direct encounter, which we are glad they shared to let others become aware of the extra risks involved in using a system that you are not familiar:

http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...put#post112924

I then started a new thread explaining that there are extra risks involved when using the local route taxi system that a visitor to the island was not raised using. If you grew up using the system and were taught the "runninngs" as a child by your parents and teachers, it is not a dangerous system. You will instinctively know which taxis to take and not to take because you have had years and years of daily experience using it.

http://negril.com/forum/showthread.p...put#post112959

I grew up in America, Ohio to be exact, and in all those 34 years I never encountered anywhere across the 48 contiguous states a mass transit system that consisted of individual small cars/vehicles like the local, rural route taxi system used in Jamaica. In America I have used, buses, trolleys and trains, but the only time I rode in anything like a route taxi was when I flagged down or called a privately operated taxi cab. And they are not part of any states' mass transit system. Therefore there is no fair comparison.

A fair comparison would be with the buses with bus stops that operate in larger cities like Kingston and Montego Bay, and no one would say a word about you using that system - it is mass transportation set up for everyone to use. But, that type of a service is not an option for the rural areas of the island such as Negril. And that is why the route taxi system was created, so the local populace would have a way to get around since most of the population do not own vehicles.

Once tourism began to take off in Jamaica in the 50's - it quickly became apparent that the route taxis in rural areas were not sufficient for the needs of visitors to the island. And by the 60's the first transportation system designed specifically with tourists in mind became available. JUTA was the first, and there are now many JTB trained and authorised associations set up to handle the needs of our visitors.

Having a list of drivers to call is not that difficult of a process. Their numbers are listed, you call them when you're about ready to head out and they come to where you are and pick you up. This is a rather simple procedure. And as Hussyband has mentioned, the cost difference for them turned out to be nil. They noticed no difference in price.

And I dont know where you got your opinion from, but according to Index Mundi tourism makes up 5% of the Jamaican GDP - which is rather small and not the "huge chunk" you claim it to be. The service industry makes 60%, so that would be the huge chunk, not tourism.

http://www.indexmundi.com/jamaica/economy_profile.html

And if you use Gerry's guesstimate figures of us$2 billion in 2013, and compare that to Google's Jamaican GDP for 2012, you still end up with tourism making up about one seventh of the GDP. One seventh has never been known to be a huge chunk. If so, I would like to split the cost of a case of Red Stripe with you and give you the "huge chunk" of it... (grin)

And Captaind realises that there is no conflict of interest because his son is a route taxi operator as well as Michael's On-Time Taxi who advertises with us and provides private charter taxi services for visitors to Negril.

The reality, not being so harsh, is that by calling any of the drivers listed in our transportation section, whom we know personally, you will minimize the chance of anything bad happening. You can also feel safe by calling any of the JUTA, JCal or Maxi operators - but be sure that they are indeed members in good standing in those associations. We do take the time to verify all the drivers in our transportation section. Accidents can always happen, but there is no chance that any of these folks will rob you. None. Zero.

If you dont care about minimizing your risks when you can at virtually no additional hassle or cost, by all means jump into any random route taxis that comes along. But facts being facts, even Jamaicans dont do that - they travel with drivers they know from their years of daily experience using the route taxi system. And that experience is something no visitor to the island has....

It is up to you, but one of the nice things about learning is that you can learn from others. You dont have to put your hand in a flame to know it will be burned. Take a lesson from Hussyband and even Smith now, you dont have to have something bad happen to you using a system that was not designed for you when you know it has already happened to others...

If you want to call this all a conflict of interest just because we have responsible transportation advertisers, so be it.

It is up to you how much your safety and peace of mind means to you. If a few dollars is too much, that is your choice. But you cannot say that you were not warned in advance if something bad happens. We want everyone to have the most beneficial, accurate and useful information to make their vacation the best possible!