I love route taxis

[Hussyband]

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.

Ok, any discussion of route taxis aside. You are making the comparison that a site which makes it's living from advertisers and advertising is promoting a conflict of interest by driving readers to those that advertise? Is there some misapprehension that the board owners do this out of the goodness of their heart, paying what I can only imagine are not cheap hosting fees, administrative costs, and general board upkeep?

I know a membership on the board to chat is free, but I highly doubt running the thing is free. This is not a news outlet where the editors or owners are held to the same ethics or standards as the press (which is kind of laughable nowadays anyway), it's a company someone created as their livelihood.

[Blake]

Ok, any discussion of route taxis aside. You are making the comparison that a site which makes it's living from advertisers and advertising is promoting a conflict of interest by driving readers to those that advertise? Is there some misapprehension that the board owners do this out of the goodness of their heart, paying what I can only imagine are not cheap hosting fees, administrative costs, and general board upkeep?

I know a membership on the board to chat is free, but I highly doubt running the thing is free. This is not a news outlet where the editors or owners are held to the same ethics or standards as the press (which is kind of laughable nowadays anyway), it's a company someone created as their livelihood.

There is a significant difference between driving the readers to the advertisers and promoting them as the SAFE way to travel by making it sound as if you taking a route taxi will result in you getting robbed.

You're right, there is no expectation of a website owner being required to hold to the same ethics or standards as the press(which I agree is laughable) but when a website owner states that it is unsafe to take route taxis and then promotes drivers who pay him to advertise, it makes me do a double take at what I'm reading.