Public Transport

ambre

New member
Feb 2, 2006
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Hi, in reading past stickies - I noticed that someone had requested one dedicated to public transport in the DR... Does this exist yet?

I've read (and heard stories from my boyfriend who's in the PC) about Guaguas, carros publicos and the like - but can someone please elaborate and expand on the subject? I have been heavily investigating where to live in SD, and I just want to be more educated on how to get around, for example - what's the standard practice for getting to an end destination on a guagua - is there any sort of system - or do the locals just "know" which one to get on? Do they let you know each stop? I am assuming one would get accustomed to the system living there, but I would like some idea before jumping in.
THanks!
Ambre
 

fightingirish

New member
Dec 8, 2005
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I'm a novice compared to the folks youve got on these boards, but here's my experience with guaguas:

1. Have your pesos in your hand or in your shirt pocket before you even begin. Last thing you want to do is fish for them as your destination gets close.

2. Get yourself on a long straight street that heads towards either your destination, or a cross street that you need.

3. Stand on the curb with the crowd. The guagua should stop anyway, if theyve got three inches of space, but if they dont appear to be stopping signal with your hand, pointing down at the street, like "Stop right about here".

3. Before you board, ask the cobrador (who is hanging out the guagua, hissing at women) "Hasta la [name of the intersection you need]?" Meaning, are you going straight on this route as far as the street I need?

4. If he nods, pack your a55 in. It would be good to know some landmarks a few blocks from where you need to get out, so that when you see them you can start to tap shoulders and say, "Por favor" in order to climb out. If the chauffer doesnt appear to be stopping (though this would be rare) shout out

"Dejame!" or "Donde puedes" or "Chofer!"

5. On your climb out, hand the cobrador your pesos.

I have to admit, the whole process was a bit intimidating to me in the beginning... and nothing in my experience prepared me for the physical proximity of the guagua ride! (Dare I say, intimacy? ;) ) But overall, it was my best entry into Dominican culture.
 

qgrande

Bronze
Jul 27, 2005
805
4
0
Better than telling every car to stop and asking where they are going is watching their hand signals and making your own. If you stand at the side of the road the driver will point where he is going, to the left, straight or to the right. If you want to go to the left, point in that direction, if you want to go to the right, point to the right, and if you want to go straight I think the signal is to move your finger back and forth in that direction with your hand downwards. In this way you won't have to stop guaguas unnecessarily and take their precious time. BTW, to the left or to the right can be at a crossing a couple of miles from where you are standing, always at major intersections, it does not mean the next little sidestreet. There are no fixed stops, any place on the side of the road can be a stop.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
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Let's try this: Where are you going to go?

In major cities like Santo Domingo and Santiago, San Francisco and La Vega, the cars are divided into two groups: taxis (with an established fare for most of the area) and P?blicos-cars that travel a fixed and well known route for a fixed price.
Guaguas also go along fixed routes and a few questions will straighten you out on just where they go.
In each of the major and minor towns, there are designated areas for the guaguas going to different destinations. You can ask just about anyone and they can tell you where the local guagua stations are.
Then there are buses like Metro and Caribe Tour....Espinal and AETRA(?) that travel between the big urban centers and out to distant provincial capitols.

HB :D:D