Taxi Drivers Make More Than Public Hospital Doctors

franco1111

Bronze
May 29, 2013
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Gringo
Next time you wonder why conditions in the public hospitals here are not what you expect, this may explain part of it...

From DR1 Daily News Thursday:

Taxi drivers make more than public hospital doctors

A report in Diario Libre today, Thursday 13 November 2014, reveals that drivers of the multi-fare taxis known as "conchos" or "carros publicos" can make up to RD$35,000 a month, tax-free. Of the total, they have to pay RD$100 per day worked to the business associations (so-called transport unions) that have de-facto control of the routes on which they work. Other costs include vehicle maintenance, if it belongs to the driver, and gasoline and other vehicle-related expenses.

As reported, most taxis in this scheme work on alternate days. That is, the drivers will work on average 15 days a month, having time off for other income-generating activities on the other days. The drivers of these often-ramshackle vehicles therefore earn more than many professionals in the Dominican Republic, including public hospital doctors (RD$36,706 a month), nurses (RD$14,777) and teachers (RD$13,016). The drivers charge fares of RD$25 for their short routes. The drivers will fit two passengers in the front seat and four to five in the back seat.

El

See a related discussion on the dr1 forums at: http://dr1.com/forums/santo-domingo/146977-not-another-ugly-american.html
 

Alltimegreat

Member
Nov 16, 2012
604
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I found the taxi drivers in the Dominican Republic to be quite competent and helpful. Especially in Santo Domingo they know the city like the back of their hand. Never needed to try to give directions.

Based on what is reported on this forum, it seems like the underlying reason behind the low salaries for public doctors is the lack of adequate facilities and supplies. It's quite possible that second-rate doctors are just as good under those conditions, so no reason to hire expensive ones.
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
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A reality of what a publico will make typically are, as follows according to every other male member of my extended family, and 50% of my neighbours.
Alan, 22 year old, has 4 month old child, girlfriend in the home, home is family home. Works every other day, has done since the age of 18. Leaves the house at 5.30am comes home at 11/11.30pm. Rents his car, the neighbourhood has a guy who supplies. Runs the same Duarte route he has always.
Expenses. The controller, RD100. Car, RD750-1000. Fuel ???????
There are a couple of other taxes he has to pay to he publico mafias on route also, about R200.
So say this is outgoings just to run the Duarte route before fuel are around RD1,300
Say fuel, rough guess RD700.
And so he has RD2000 daily to earn before he makes profit.
Alan has to earn RD60,000 a month before he can turn a profit.
He's not making much, I can tell you. If he earns RD1000 for himself per day then he has had a successful day. A good month might be RD15,000, to provide.

Pilito, neigbour. 40 years old, wife, 3 children. 3 grand children, all live in the same three bedroomed house. Lived in that house he built himself for 20 years (this house is still an ongoing project). Owns his own car. Works 6 days a week, occasionally takes a Sunday off. Alternative days inner city and East end.
Controller and other taxes are doubled as he works every day RD300 per day.
Fuel?? say the same, around RD700 possibly more I really dunno.
Thats RD1000, and then he has the loan he took to pay buy his car, approx RD1000 per week, 4-5000 per month.
So Pilito has say RD35000 outgoings before he can earn a profit, provide.
He has his own repairs to make. Polito can turn around RD26,000 per month profit which is not much for 17-18 hour days, 6 days a week.

And this is why people aspire to work in call centres in DR.
 

drSix

Silver
Oct 13, 2013
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Well. I have had better results with taxi drivers than I have with doctors in this country...
 

beeza

Silver
Nov 2, 2006
3,479
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So if they are doing relatively well, why do they drive like complete a55holes?

Their vehicles are dangerous death traps, hardly any of them have working tail lights. However they ALL have working horns! And they have all upgraded their headlights to cheap after market xenons, permanently adjusted to blind everyone else.

They have zero regard for any other road user.

No signals, not even hand signals.

They pull out right in front of you. If you don't give way to them, they WILL hit you and by some bizarre twisted logic it will your YOUR fault.

They do not understand the concept of traffic lights and waiting in a single line. They will make their own extra lane at a red light. If there is no AMET at the light, they will just run it. If the lights are being enforced, they wait. As soon as they turn green, they rush past you only to cut you up at the next junction to pick up or set down a passenger.

They are the scum of Dominican roads and I HATE THEM!!!!!!!

I have a recurring dream that I am driving an armoured car or a tank in Santiago and I crush every carro publico that pulls out in front of me! I wake with a smile!
 

retiree

Bronze
Jan 18, 2008
978
10
0
Not paying doctors at public hospitals, police and military a good wage is one of the biggest problems in this country.
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
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So if they are doing relatively well,

You must be doing very badly if you think they are doing relatively well. Relative to what, really badly paid others? that's like saying this guy is fine because he gets one up of rice a day to live on while the other guy gets none. He's not doing well, hr is just slightly better off.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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Funny how the two businesses are related. How many patients are created by the barbaric drivers? Without those drivers the hospitals would be 1000% better and able to concentrate on fighting disease instead of amputation of accident victims.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
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0
So if they are doing relatively well, why do they drive like complete a55holes?

Their vehicles are dangerous death traps, hardly any of them have working tail lights. However they ALL have working horns! And they have all upgraded their headlights to cheap after market xenons, permanently adjusted to blind everyone else.

They have zero regard for any other road user.

No signals, not even hand signals.

They pull out right in front of you. If you don't give way to them, they WILL hit you and by some bizarre twisted logic it will your YOUR fault.

They do not understand the concept of traffic lights and waiting in a single line. They will make their own extra lane at a red light. If there is no AMET at the light, they will just run it. If the lights are being enforced, they wait. As soon as they turn green, they rush past you only to cut you up at the next junction to pick up or set down a passenger.

They are the scum of Dominican roads and I HATE THEM!!!!!!!

I have a recurring dream that I am driving an armoured car or a tank in Santiago and I crush every carro publico that pulls out in front of me! I wake with a smile!

actually, it is unfair to single out carrito drivers in your posting. people of other professions and avocations drive no differently. the entire roadway circuit is populated by marginally human nitwits who should be riding mules, not attempting to operate a piece of machinery which is far too complex for their abilities. each and every day i witness more and more bizarre happenings on the road, which convince me that the rank and file are not yet ready to drive a vehicle.
 

kampinge

Member
Jan 18, 2012
392
0
16
So if they are doing relatively well, why do they drive like complete a55holes?

Their vehicles are dangerous death traps, hardly any of them have working tail lights. However they ALL have working horns! And they have all upgraded their headlights to cheap after market xenons, permanently adjusted to blind everyone else.

They have zero regard for any other road user.

No signals, not even hand signals.

They pull out right in front of you. If you don't give way to them, they WILL hit you and by some bizarre twisted logic it will your YOUR fault.

They do not understand the concept of traffic lights and waiting in a single line. They will make their own extra lane at a red light. If there is no AMET at the light, they will just run it. If the lights are being enforced, they wait. As soon as they turn green, they rush past you only to cut you up at the next junction to pick up or set down a passenger.

They are the scum of Dominican roads and I HATE THEM!!!!!!!

I have a recurring dream that I am driving an armoured car or a tank in Santiago and I crush every carro publico that pulls out in front of me! I wake with a smile!

I could not said it better, I H A T E them too
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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the population agrees with me all right. those assholes act like owners of this country and constantly cause chaos with every single huelga. if you read comments under articles about transport unions you will see that dominicans hate them 10 times more.
 

kampinge

Member
Jan 18, 2012
392
0
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The capital (infact the country more or less) would certainly shut down without them, that is for sure.
I am not sure, maybe your right. But without them Dominicans would learn to go to a bus station, a few 100 meters walk, like in other countries. More healthy, less diabetic.
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
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the population agrees with me all right. those assholes act like owners of this country and constantly cause chaos with every single huelga. if you read comments under articles about transport unions you will see that dominicans hate them 10 times more.

Haha! And how do you expect the workforce to function without them? They are a lifeline to most, people who take the time to comment on articles are not the general population.

And add to the unemployment situation while at is, more poverty, great idea, do away with them:cheeky:
 
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HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
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Is that going to happen?
Would a proper PT network really create more jobs than publicos take up?
If they did, would those wages really be equal to that which is made as a Publico driver?
Could the fares charged be as low as publico journeys cost?

NO!

I think people like what they need, and they like publicos because they need them. Again, these comments you talk of do not represent the general public, just as opinion on here does not. Why? because you are not the people who use them. When you have no option, you will like them.

It's not going to happen and so pointless debate:glasses:
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
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it is not going to happen any time soon, yeah. but they are not the saviours of DR. public transport works perfectly well in other places that do not have carros publicos. they will be eliminated sooner or later. those padres de famila have no licenses, no insurances, no revistas, no matriculas. and they keep on being subsidized by the government at sky high costs. do you know they pay half the price for petrol? unemployment? my son, they cost this government way more working than they would cost sitting at home gulping presidente.