Opening a Bus or taxi or hi end gua gua business

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paulmuehl

New member
Nov 25, 2011
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Just wondering what is needed to open a business in Dominican Republic all legal and how hard is it to get all the permits. Can you do it by yourself or do you need a lawyer. Approximatley how much for all the permits.
I am toying with the idea to open up a shuttle system geared towards expats or visitors, so i was wondering about the types of permits I need to own, operate, taxi, airport dropoff ect..
 
Peterj

Peterj

Bronze
Oct 7, 2002
1,468
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Dominican Republic
I know, I do not answer your question!

I am afraid that you will have an extreme hard time with the existing taxi-, bus- and guagua-services!
You are taking away their money (that's their point of view for sure) and they will not let that go by "softly".
Personally I would forget this idea quickly.

Once again; I am not negative but realistic.
 
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Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
2,520
121
63
A snow ball in He** has a better chance of opening that kind of business here. The local tranportation is controled by a very powerful "union" and you starting a business will not be tolerated at all. Basically your chances are less then zero.

Bob K
 
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windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,969
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Here is an example. Caribe Tours once stopped in Cabarete. The transport unions threatened them and they no longer stop in Cabarete. This is the major bus company in the DR and they backed down. Someone new coming in to that business will end up swimming with the fishes.
 
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ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
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Bob K said:
Basically your chances are less then zero.

Bob K
Click to expand...

Dittos. The advice your getting here is not just "naysayers". It's dead on. You might get thru the permit process (because they'll take your cash) but no way will the taxi union (aka Taxi Mafia) allow you to operate.

I rent a car every trip and get picked up at the airport by a young dominican in a "used" suv. Most of the taxi drivers know the kid that picks me up but he still gets dirty looks once in awhile. It's cause he's driving away with their "gringo fare".

Just curious, you ever been to the DR?
 
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Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
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You might get away with a very small, one-car service that was not seen as a threat by the locals, but there is no money in that. What you are proposing will not fly under the radar and will be a big threat to the locals, who like those airport runs.

Save your money. The transportation unions are the strongest in the country.
 
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KateP

Silver
May 28, 2004
2,845
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windeguy said:
Here is an example. Caribe Tours once stopped in Cabarete. The transport unions threatened them and they no longer stop in Cabarete. This is the major bus company in the DR and they backed down. Someone new coming in to that business will end up swimming with the fishes.
Click to expand...

They don't even come close to Punta Cana either...
 
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rubio_higuey

Gold
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
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KateP said:
Caribe Tours ... They don't even come close to Punta Cana either...
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The whole East Coast for that matter

They tried to come to Higuey 10 years ago and were pushed away with several broken and burnt buses. They are attempting to come in again, since last year, and they insist that within a year they will be in Higuey. To be seen ...
Last May the CT buses were met with gunshots.

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YBdbpfPjfU[/video]
[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=F11TMAndlEU[/video]


To the OP: if you do not want to get a "hole" in your forehead, forget about it. The only option would be to "join" them but there is only little money to be made. You can also "join" as a contractor for some of the tour operators, etc. after you get your license and become member of the syndicate. I was told that even worldwide tour operators like TUI, etc. must work only with contractors that are members of the local "unions".
 
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pi2

Banned
Oct 12, 2011
961
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For the most part the system works. If you are going to Boca Chica the gaguas to La Romana etc are not allowed to drop you off en-route.
For the most part the local services are good and you know there are few cat crook big rollers ripping people off when they have a good co-operative structure......
In the UK a near criminal named Thatcher let crooks in to the transport arena and transport deterioriated. In the US tram companies were destroyed by the auto companies.
Lood for a new field with no competitors..........
pi2
 
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Taino808

Bronze
Oct 10, 2010
959
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I'm all for people coming down to the DR to invest over here, nevertheless you my friend want to swim in turbulent waters. I'll keep you in my prayers, should you insist on going forward with this endeavor, que dios te cuide y te proteja.
 
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slas7713

Member
Aug 9, 2004
275
13
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Just another short example of the problems associated with this area. I was working for a private villa and we would go pickup the clients staying at the villa. Since we didn't have a taxi/transport license the local mafioso (transport union) would block the road (only one) to and from the villa while transporting clients and threaten who ever was driving. This was, and is, serious stuff. If you own a hotel you cannot legally go and pick up your own clientele without the proper license/permits, which by no means are easy to get.
 
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amparocorp

Bronze
Aug 11, 2002
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perhaps if you brought in a trained elephant from India you could give tourists rides on that, other than that the other posters are dead on........but there are business opportunities in this country that i can't reveal since one-hour film processing is on hold.........
 
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paulmuehl

New member
Nov 25, 2011
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Wow thanks for all the comments, I don't retire for another 10 years. I have been traveling to the Dominican Republic for the last 20 years, I married into a very good family, Casa Nelson, various lawyers, real estate and Doctors in the family. I am now divorced however I am still extremely close with all my dominican family except for the ex who now lives in the states. I have lived down there for months at a time and never really asked any of my family but I just wanted to here from all of you DR1 people who actually have gone thru all the difficult process. Basically I wanted to open a van service from various clubs and different points from Sosua to Puerto Plt. and Costomber all day long pick up at every 2 hours for $15 to $25 all day pass, and talk to different bars, Crystal and El Bohiem and other bars for extra money for every body that comes into the bar from the van service. In addition to the bars Blackbeards/New garden and other Bikini contest days service to these areas at a all day fee back and forth until 4:00am. I quess i will really have to do some homework and maybe get family to see if it can be done in there names.
 
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Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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paulmuehl said:
Wow thanks for all the comments, I don't retire for another 10 years. I have been traveling to the Dominican Republic for the last 20 years, I married into a very good family, Casa Nelson, various lawyers, real estate and Doctors in the family. I am now divorced however I am still extremely close with all my dominican family except for the ex who now lives in the states. I have lived down there for months at a time and never really asked any of my family but I just wanted to here from all of you DR1 people who actually have gone thru all the difficult process. Basically I wanted to open a van service from various clubs and different points from Sosua to Puerto Plt. and Costomber all day long pick up at every 2 hours for $15 to $25 all day pass, and talk to different bars, Crystal and El Bohiem and other bars for extra money for every body that comes into the bar from the van service. In addition to the bars Blackbeards/New garden and other Bikini contest days service to these areas at a all day fee back and forth until 4:00am. I quess i will really have to do some homework and maybe get family to see if it can be done in there names.
Click to expand...

ROFL. So the OP seems to understand the problem but rather then HIM start up this transport idea..... he wants his X's family to do it. ROLLING ON FLOOR LAUGHING!
 
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paulmuehl

New member
Nov 25, 2011
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Hearing from Dr1 people is such a great asset however it is not law. Meaning, yes I do understand the difficult challeges and I hear your stories about the local taxi mafia. Again this is just an idea 10 years out and as I stated I have never asked my family for any help or advice about this. I would never put my family out the however if I did ask them and they told me it could be done i would try it, but if they like all of you say it can't be done well then it can't be done. But you got to admit this would be a money maker if it could be done with the correct marketing and planning.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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paulmuehl said:
Hearing from Dr1 people is such a great asset however it is not law. Meaning, yes I do understand the difficult challeges and I hear your stories about the local taxi mafia. Again this is just an idea 10 years out and as I stated I have never asked my family for any help or advice about this. I would never put my family out the however if I did ask them and they told me it could be done i would try it, but if they like all of you say it can't be done well then it can't be done. But you got to admit this would be a money maker if it could be done with the correct marketing and planning.
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Good connections will help, no doubt about it. Keep us posted. It will be interesting to hear what the family says and the extent to which they want to be involved.

A lot can happen here during the next 10 years. And by then you may have come up with a different idea.
 
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