caribe tours

Private company.

Foreigners think in terms of dollar equivalents---it is only US5, for example. But that is RD$150, and a lot of money to a Dominican who may not be earning more than RD$6,000 a year, if that.

One way they stay in business is by paying Dominican wages, not US wages. They wouldn't survive if they had to pay US wages and charge US prices.

Then they must be very efficient at what they do. Metro has similar prices.

Then they must be very efficient at what they do. Metro has similar prices.

Just comes to think what public bus service would be if it was operated by these two companies, instead of the corruption that has traditionally taken over the service.

Ken said:

Private company.

Foreigners think in terms of dollar equivalents---it is only US5, for example. But that is RD$150, and a lot of money to a Dominican who may not be earning more than RD$6,000 a year, if that.

One way they stay in business is by paying Dominican wages, not US wages. They wouldn't survive if they had to pay US wages and charge US prices.

Click to expand...

Don't forget that Caribe Tours also is almost synonymous with UPS here in the U.S. When I want to move something from Point A to Point B across the country I always use Caribe Tours. They even delivered a washer/dryer set for me from the capitol!

passengers - loss leaders?

I wouldn't be surprised if the parcel delivery service was the profit making side of the business!

Speaking of Best of DR

I share TICDR?s wonder about caribe tours? pricing. I thought it maybe the best bargain I found in the DR. I went from Santo Domingo to Sosua, over 100 miles I believe, for the equivalent of about US $7. I would have considered it a bargain at twice the price and reasonable at twice that. (Don?t tell Them that, though.)

I sat with a young lady named Friesa who works as a dancer on the animation team at one of the AIs around SD. She had two days off and was going to Santiago to see her novia and amigas and go dancing. (I guess she really likes to dance.) We discussed the pros and cons of AIs. When the bus stopped at a traffic light in Santiago, she pointed out a dance club and said, ?That?s where I?ll be tonight?.

The bus had two TV monitors and a VCR. They played ?Under Siege? in Spanish for our entertainment. Contrary to everything I have ever read or heard, our bus was not frigid from the AC. I brought a light jacket, but never needed to put it on. All in all, it was an experience worth a lot more than US $7 (Don?t tell Them that, though.)

[I wouldn't be surprised if the parcel delivery service was the profit making side of the business!]

While traveling from Santo Domingo to Sanchez I always wondered the same thing (about how they make money) since the bus was always 3/4 empty.

Chirimoya is exactly right. Transporting packages is where they make their money.

Great mode of trasportation though, the same with Metro.

Victor, I think the bus you rode on must have been the exception or they are finnally listening to the passengers, because the buses I rode were always freezing.

Juniper

Metro

I have always enjoyed taking Metro tours across the center of the country from Moca to Santo Domingo and back. It's a nice way to see the countyside.

Moca