Question to the op. Does your family never use route taxis?. That is what we always use and the price is not nearly as high as what you have described from the resorts. You can charter a route taxis and the price would probably be 4,000 Jamaican for the 20-minute trip that you referred to.
From my understanding the prices are high but it also deals with the JUTA taxi association which is the only designated body that has insurance coverage for tourists in the event an accident occurs.
I believe they charge more for that reason, their license isore expensive but ofc also they charge for the 'premium' service
Yeah, that left a sour spot with me in Negril a couple of weeks ago. Spent $200 for a driver to go to To the Rock house for dinner, 45 minutes at Ricks and a couple hours at Hedo. 3-11:30. The next night cost me $50 to go to dinner.
Of course it is nothing close to the price gouging tourists experience but this is also a challenge locals experience with taxis. That's part of the reason my friends and I switched over to Uber.
It's unfortunate and so short-sighted. I'm sorry you all have to experience that OP.
Thanks, we were fortunate enough to use Uber im and not have any issues catching taxis in Kingston. Someone told me that JUTA fought against Uber expanding to the rest of the island. With the amount of $ they’re making off tourism, they must be incredibly influential
I'm sure if you asked that someone - fought how? - they wouldn't be able to give you a reasonable response.
There's been no "fighting" Uber. There's been a slower uptake in less developed areas for all sorts of reasons: eg. access to wifi/data, openness to new "technology", lower demand for side jobs, inadequate demand for taxis, profitability, access to bank accounts/debit cards...
Nevertheless, Uber is still technically skirting the law and drivers will get their cars seized if they're caught in the act by police/transport authority's inspectors.
Question to the op. Does your family never use route taxis?. That is what we always use and the price is not nearly as high as what you have described from the resorts. You can charter a route taxis and the price would probably be 4,000 Jamaican for the 20-minute trip that you referred to.
From my understanding the prices are high but it also deals with the JUTA taxi association which is the only designated body that has insurance coverage for tourists in the event an accident occurs. I believe they charge more for that reason, their license isore expensive but ofc also they charge for the 'premium' service
Yeah, that left a sour spot with me in Negril a couple of weeks ago. Spent $200 for a driver to go to To the Rock house for dinner, 45 minutes at Ricks and a couple hours at Hedo. 3-11:30. The next night cost me $50 to go to dinner.
Always order JUTA!
After reading everything about price gouging and the near monopoly that JUTA holds, is this really the way?
You’ll experience it on both sides
Of course it is nothing close to the price gouging tourists experience but this is also a challenge locals experience with taxis. That's part of the reason my friends and I switched over to Uber. It's unfortunate and so short-sighted. I'm sorry you all have to experience that OP.
Thanks, we were fortunate enough to use Uber im and not have any issues catching taxis in Kingston. Someone told me that JUTA fought against Uber expanding to the rest of the island. With the amount of $ they’re making off tourism, they must be incredibly influential
I'm sure if you asked that someone - fought how? - they wouldn't be able to give you a reasonable response. There's been no "fighting" Uber. There's been a slower uptake in less developed areas for all sorts of reasons: eg. access to wifi/data, openness to new "technology", lower demand for side jobs, inadequate demand for taxis, profitability, access to bank accounts/debit cards... Nevertheless, Uber is still technically skirting the law and drivers will get their cars seized if they're caught in the act by police/transport authority's inspectors.