Juta Tour Drivers Scam

[Irie John]

On a recent trip (February/March), I took the Juta bus (large 88 passenger) from Mobay to Negril.

As we loaded up, many passengers wanted to take some beer with them for the ride.
The driver and his assistant were quite adamant & quite vocal, saying this was a bad idea. They told all the passengers; "the beer too expensive here - wait and I stop at place much cheaper on the road".

The driver did pull over at a bar on the "old' road and everyone left the bus to get beers.

The bar tender (who never smiled once) just looked at me (did not ask what I might want) and I said "One cold Red Stripe, please". He opened and handed me a lukewarm beer and said $5 (US). I sat it down on the bar and said "no thanks" he then started with his patios/bloo***** routine, to which I told him to put the beer where the sun don't shine and blankity-blank bloo***** to him too.

There were 87 passengers on the bus. 86 of them bought at least 1 and some 2-3 beers @ $5 each. Approximately 100 beers = profit of over $400 in 15 minutes.

I am sure (in my mind) the driver got a kickback.
I did not tip the driver and his assistant and told them exactly what I thought of their scam instead.

I was the only English speaking passenger on the bus. I am sure most of the other passengers were not aware of the scam.
Just a "heads-up" for those of you using Juta.
Next trip I will make sure this does not happen on my bus trip to Negril.

[Accompong]

Because it happened to you on one JUTA bus does not necessarily mean that it happens on ALL JUTA buses. Warning people is fine but painting with too wide a brush colors too much of an area and does a disservice to those who don't do it. I would suggest any people who ride JUTA (that includes me) to talk to their driver before leaving the airport about this problem (if it truly is a problem). Some problems are better left to a whisper than a megaphone.

Just my opinion.

Peace and Guidance

[DConkle]

I like having my own driver. That said if the day comes when I may need to use Juta I will certainly ask questions before getting on the bus. $5 is crazy!

[Irie John]

Because it happened to you on one JUTA bus does not necessarily mean that it happens on ALL JUTA buses. Warning people is fine but painting with too wide a brush colors too much of an area and does a disservice to those who don't do it. I would suggest any people who ride JUTA (that includes me) to talk to their driver before leaving the airport about this problem (if it truly is a problem). Some problems are better left to a whisper than a megaphone.

Just my opinion.

Peace and Guidance

No where in my post do I accuse "all" Juta drivers of this scam. Obviously, (at least it should be), I can only speak of my experience and that is the "driver" and his "assistant" that I mentioned. They are the only Juta employees mentioned - they are the only ones I know.

Perhaps you need to re-read or have the post read to you before you have further comment. Your "broad brush theory" does not apply to anything I posted. Maybe your comments would be better at a whisper instead of your bold loud font.

I just want people to be aware of this scam. This driver is on the Negril route every day - it is his regular route.

I did not comment about any other Juta employees, because I do not know others.

[NikkiB]

I've always had good experiences with Juta. We generally stop for beer and its always been cheaper than at the airport. That's too bad about your experience this trip.

[Papa Georgie]

Wow...hate that "lukewarm" part .



Thanks for the heads up.

[Big_frank]

Of course the driver who stops his bus at a bar gets a kickback. Happens in my town. Happens in Jamaica.
That's how things are done all over the world.
You think all those buses stopped at the Golden Apple all those years for no reason?

[captaind]

You should have used Linston's Taxi.

I think 88 people in a Nissan Sylfy would be cool.

Kinda like the 70s and stuffing a Volkswagen Beetle

[Patricia]

Of course the driver who stops his bus at a bar gets a kickback. Happens in my town. Happens in Jamaica.
That's how things are done all over the world.
You think all those buses stopped at the Golden Apple all those years for no reason?

I like the Golden Apple, it's pricey but it's part of our vacation tradition

[MissBlue]

Not a scam, just standard business dealings the world over - 'you bring me business, you get a percentage'. This is SOP especially in the tourism business, where business is still done on a handshake and deals can always be made. When i worked as a tour guide, if i brought X number of customers to a certain restaurant for dinner, my meal was comped. When my agency booked above a certain number of rooms at a hotel, my stay was comped. If I brought a group of X number of people to a certain club, I'd get a commission on those sales I brought in. An agent who books X number of trip packages, receives their own plane ticket free. A commission or 'finder's fee' is SOP; it's how business is done everywhere.

that being said, yes, this does sometimes result in ridiculous prices at some establishments who still think in a "penny wise, pound foolish" manner. And even if not 'completely outrageous' markups, these kinds of places will still typically charge higher prices than normal, no matter what.

but in any case, this is just the nature of the beast in tourism. Anytime you're taken to a 'convenience' shopping spot on the bus route, it's gonna be high prices - of COURSE shop owners know that nuff ppl fresh off the plane will pay that convenience price to have that Red Stripe right now! Those not willing to pay the prices they charge - well... then don't buy anything. It's not like that's the ONLY choice; a few more minutes and you have your choice of regular roadside shops in Negril to choose from. So i dunno, it's just not that big of a deal imho. When we make our pitstop, i just don't buy at the bus-route shops.

and yes, this is standard for Juta; this is not "one driver" who is perpetrating some kind of "illegal" or scammish operation, all the drivers do it, and no doubt they each have their favorite shops with whom they make deals. Over the past 20 years, every Juta bus i have ever taken, does indeed stop along the way at a regularly designated spot. (just like in Mexico, the potty pitstops on the bus route were always at those crappy, overpriced 'souvenir' outlets ... that's how it's done everywhere.)

And yes, of course it's always high prices at those shops; the law of any kind of business deal is 'what the customer will bear', and they know there will always be customers who will bear it. :shrug: this is just SOP.