POP airport Uber experience

Conchman

Silver
Jul 3, 2002
4,586
160
63
57
www.oceanworld.net
We arrived in POP on the new Miami AA late flight a few days ago, was supposed to land at 11:14pm but it was 2 hours late. My ride fell asleep at home so I had no transportation, I figured I would try Uber. Most people had left already and it looked relatively quiet. After realizing my ride wasnt showing up I called an Uber and he showed up about 12 minutes later. I had moved away from the receiving area not to cause a problem with the taxis. As soon as the driver showed up, about 8 taxi drivers with police and others showed up out of nowhere and the shouting started. I moved away and didn't wanna get involved, even though I could have told everyone that he is my friend picking me up. But it looks like they had this guy on the radar.

I ended up negotiating a fare for US$40 to Cofresi, which is normally listed for US$60 or US$70 from the airport.

The Uber would have been RD$587 if I remember correctly.
 

johnbian8308

New member
Nov 11, 2018
9
0
0
this is the same flight I will be taking..seems that it is not wise to call uber at least from the airport though the price would be much lower.
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
9,512
2,781
113
this is the same flight I will be taking..seems that it is not wise to call uber at least from the airport though the price would be much lower.

Now you see why we are saying what was said in the other thread ??

That Taxi Mafia is no joke ..
 

Uzin

Bronze
Oct 26, 2005
1,386
20
38
Just haggle with the taxi drivers already there, pick a price and say that is all the cash I have on me, if you wait a bit, they will find someone willing to take you for your price (after others gone) - no A/C for sure though !
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
Uber on the north coast is under unrelenting pressure from the taxi mafia. It is routine for drivers to refuse to pick up at the airports and at the major hotels. This trend seems to have expanded to pick ups going to the airport from less contentious locations. It is not a rare occurrence that there are no Uber cars available late at night, especially after midnight.

Uber drivers are almost always immediately swarmed by taxi drivers and given a hard time at locations the taxi drivers consider their "own turf". Uber is great and cheap for getting from place to place when there isn't a herd of taxis sitting under a shade tree watching and waiting for Uber drivers.
 

texan

Member
Apr 1, 2014
442
2
18
I am in Puerto Plata now and have a rental so I haven’t taken an Uber. But have been looking at the Uber prices and they are very inexpensive. Hopefully you will be able to Uber everywhere eventually. It will be really be a game changer for people visiting or living here.

It says I can go for here (Torre Alta) to Cabarete for 764 pesos. Ocean world 215 pesos. Sosúa 489 pesos. Santiago 1,240 pesos. Big Lee’s Beach Bar 106 pesos. Jumbo 84 pesos.

Not sure what I would spend on gas to go to all those places.
 

bigbird

Gold
May 1, 2005
7,375
163
0
I am in Puerto Plata now and have a rental so I haven’t taken an Uber. But have been looking at the Uber prices and they are very inexpensive..................

Very inexpensive indeed, dirt cheap .......... except when they impose a surcharge for either lack of available vehicles or available vehicles are busy, busy. So always beware of the possible surcharge which is most cases you would be better off dialing up a "regular" taxi service. In Santo Domingo it doesn't happen often but when it does, WOW.

I make it a habit to always have at least a 50 or 100 pesos bill to give as a tip. A tip is not mandatory but with the low Uber rates plus a tip you most likely still end up cheaper than a normal cab.
 

Neargale

Active member
Jul 4, 2013
347
67
28
It is good to remember that taxi owners have to buy a very expensive franchise to be able to "stand" at a place. So I understand them not being happy when a vehicle picks up right where they were waiting and charges cut-throat prices. Speaking of cut-throat, I have to wonder about some of the really cheap prices quoted above. And I also think that only one missed flights on departure will nullify all the cheap prices.
I have taken Uber in Ottawa Canada and 2 times out of 3 have had bad experience. Yes, fare was adjusted after I complained but on my last exit I took a regular taxi.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,713
7,974
113
That Taxi Mafia is no joke ..

Too funny, when by themselves these guys are nothing but a
bunch of p*ssies. How do I know? While walking through the
heart of Santiago they are constantly in my face yelling "taxi, taxi!"
So I just look at them and yell " Uber, Uber!" Trust me, no one
plays that tough guy role when they're all alone.
 

texan

Member
Apr 1, 2014
442
2
18
It is good to remember that taxi owners have to buy a very expensive franchise to be able to "stand" at a place. So I understand them not being happy when a vehicle picks up right where they were waiting and charges cut-throat prices. Speaking of cut-throat, I have to wonder about some of the really cheap prices quoted above. And I also think that only one missed flights on departure will nullify all the cheap prices.
I have taken Uber in Ottawa Canada and 2 times out of 3 have had bad experience. Yes, fare was adjusted after I complained but on my last exit I took a regular taxi.

I think here it is good to have a back up plan. If UBER canceled especially when going to the airport I would allow myself enough time to call a Taxi.

I have used Ubers in Houston, Austin, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Besides asking drivers to turn up the AC I have never had any issues. I did have a surcharge in Austin because it was when the bars closed and everyone was taking an Uber.

I plan on trying Uber here before I leave to test it out.
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
9,512
2,781
113
Too funny, when by themselves these guys are nothing but a
bunch of p*ssies. How do I know? While walking through the
heart of Santiago they are constantly in my face yelling "taxi, taxi!"
So I just look at them and yell " Uber, Uber!" Trust me, no one
plays that tough guy role when they're all alone.

I hear that ..
but collectively , they burn not only tires in the street, and sometimes peoples Cars .

aint nobody on Vacation got time for that ..
 

alexw

Gold
Sep 6, 2008
1,091
118
63
NYC-SDQ BABY!
Too funny, when by themselves these guys are nothing but a
bunch of p*ssies. How do I know? While walking through the
heart of Santiago they are constantly in my face yelling "taxi, taxi!"
So I just look at them and yell " Uber, Uber!" Trust me, no one
plays that tough guy role when they're all alone.

Be careful. I've seen those taxi guys hurt a gringo for what they deemed to be disrespectful.
 

mofongoloco

Silver
Feb 7, 2013
3,002
9
38
I think here it is good to have a back up plan. If UBER canceled especially when going to the airport I would allow myself enough time to call a Taxi.

I have used Ubers in Houston, Austin, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Besides asking drivers to turn up the AC I have never had any issues. I did have a surcharge in Austin because it was when the bars closed and everyone was taking an Uber.

I plan on trying Uber here before I leave to test it out.

I used uber motoconcho last time I was in santo domingo. They have an extra helmet.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,696
8,124
113
Be careful. I've seen those taxi guys hurt a gringo for what they deemed to be disrespectful.

I used to have a 15 passenger van up north with an American driver. The going was good until he showed up at the PP airport 3-4 picking people up.

They scared him enough (and he's a big guy) that he wouldn't go to the airport anymore.

A few weeks later the same happened at the SD airport.

It was great money, but not enough to worry about losing the van.
 

jd426

Gold
Dec 12, 2009
9,512
2,781
113
I used to have a 15 passenger van up north with an American driver. The going was good until he showed up at the PP airport 3-4 picking people up.

They scared him enough (and he's a big guy) that he wouldn't go to the airport anymore.

A few weeks later the same happened at the SD airport.

It was great money, but not enough to worry about losing the van.

There was a guy a while back, on another board, who wanted to start a STRETCH LIMO Business .. taking the "Weekend High Roller" types out in STYLE .. pick them up at the Airport BIP Style, take them to the Villa .... and then even drive down Pedro Clisante, while pouring Krystal with their heads sticking out of the Sun Roof .. like that ..

I never laughed so hard in my life .. He had a whole Business plan and everything..
Had Customers all lined up too.
Poor lost soul, all that Ambition, and no direction in Life ...
 

HDR

Active member
Nov 21, 2012
452
85
28
Some 5-6 years ago I had a friend that come up with a "great" plan to rebuild a huge van...he could take 8-10 people with luggage. I told him several time not to interfer with the locals, the taxi mafia. One day when he picked up a big group of people at a hotel the mafia arrived with golf clubs and smashed his van completely with passengers in it. No, he is not on the island anymore...