All of the replies are very helpful - thank you very much.
Based everyones feedback and information, all of the rides my wife and I took were chartered. Even if we requested a one way trip, the driver really wanted us to call him back for the return ride so we negotiated the round-trip price up front. And in that case, the driver didn't want us to pay up front - he wanted us to pay on the return trip, which really shows how trustworthy and reliable the drivers are.
What I did not realize is that I was able to negotiate very good charter prices. I think this explains why when I attempted to negotiate too low, I felt I offended the driver. Maybe he thought I knew the route rates and was trying to get that rate for a chartered ride. In the end, most of the drivers were great and received tips accordingly.
I understand that people depend on this money much more than I do. At the same time, we are spending 14 nights in Negril so I wanted to be sure that the rates we pay are reasonable and affordable. In all honestly, what I really wanted to know if I was being too cheap - I really do want to be fair. At this point, I know that I could have been a bit more flexible in price. At the same time, I think my tips made up for the difference.
This trip, I am going to find one driver we really like, stick with him and not try to negotiate as steeply.
Thanks again for all of the great feedback.
Originally Posted by BrianJM
