I own a small hotel in Cabrera on the north coast. I have problems with the local taxi sindicato regarding my rights to transport my hotel clients to and from the airports. Its getting ugly and I really need some good legal advice. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Kozy
- Thread starter Kozy
- Start date
Fighting with Taxi mafia
Not even the government can deal with these guys, and there are a LOT of them. You are probably better off going with the flow.
I am probably going to sound naive, but would it be possible to compromise with these guys and come to some sort of agreement, perhaps contracting them to provide that service for you at a discounted rate?
I've never had to deal with those guys collectively, so I really don't know if negotiation is something that would work or not. I'm just throwing it out there as a suggestion, and as a possible way to avoid trouble.
I've never had to deal with those guys collectively, so I really don't know if negotiation is something that would work or not. I'm just throwing it out there as a suggestion, and as a possible way to avoid trouble.
This is something that would be very hard to do alone despite the fact that legally, you should be able to pick up your guests yourselves.
We are in a similar situation and have received help from the Ministry of Tourism and Politur. Check your PM's for contacts.
While it has not come to this here, they have put union leaders in jail when they tried to block the roads near Higuey or Bavaro.
While it has not come to this here, they have put union leaders in jail when they tried to block the roads near Higuey or Bavaro.
"better off going with the flow"
What other forms of extortion are deemed acceptable in the DR?
Put a for rent sign on it and say your guests are renting it.
What other forms of extortion are deemed acceptable in the DR?
Put a for rent sign on it and say your guests are renting it.
They had the power to stop Caribe Tours from putting a bus stop in Cabarete a year or so ago. As all are saying, not worth fighting it - you don't want one of these guys to decide to make an example of you for others.
I know someone here in Cabarete that's found an extremely reliable taxi driver with a good vehicle. A phone call & he or one of his friends is always on time to pick up clients. Perhaps with time you can be as lucky finding someone.
I know someone here in Cabarete that's found an extremely reliable taxi driver with a good vehicle. A phone call & he or one of his friends is always on time to pick up clients. Perhaps with time you can be as lucky finding someone.
They used to take baseball bats to windshields in Puerto Plata for those who didn't 'go with the flow'. Years ago they tried to get Grahame & I thrown out of a hotel where we were working just for telling tourists about the local buses & guaguas. These guys protect what they see as their turf and they aren't too careful how they do it, either, so Kozy, be careful.
Never known anything other than getting in the same frame of mind to work with these guys. If you allow them to intimidate you then they have you, if you have no Dominican backup then try and make friends with someone with a bit of weight, if you makea connection it can be sorted out without any trouble.
Buy a gun anyway!!:cheeky:
Buy a gun anyway!!:cheeky:
There are thousands of them and they have a long history of getting what they want.
It is probably healthy to fee intimidated at this point.
It is probably healthy to fee intimidated at this point.
Guns
Don't think guns will get you anywhere but deeper into a maze of problems you cannot imagine. Might protect you in a moment of chaos, but could cause much longer terms of misery of which you may not be aware. Communicate intelligently with your enemies, because you probably hold more ammo. Use it sparingly, wisely and with more patience than you may be used to.
In other words, watch your ass, because nobody else will.
Don't think guns will get you anywhere but deeper into a maze of problems you cannot imagine. Might protect you in a moment of chaos, but could cause much longer terms of misery of which you may not be aware. Communicate intelligently with your enemies, because you probably hold more ammo. Use it sparingly, wisely and with more patience than you may be used to.
In other words, watch your ass, because nobody else will.
Hire two local police agents on their free time, use them as pit bulls... Dominican sindicatos only understand when your teeth are bigger than theirs and the bite much worst...
Hire the two "pacifiers" and any trouble will be dealt with quick and effectively.
You just need to hire them for a few weeks and then once every so often. Once they learn to leave the "crazy" gringo alone, you'll be able to carry on for good.
If for any reason there's a particular guy that's the ring leader, just have your pit bulls pay a courtesy "visit" to "smooth" things over...
Money is power in the DR, the more the merrier you'll be! Use it to achieve things that you can't personally or talking like grown-ups with legal rights...
May or may not work in your case
A few years ago, I managed a condo complex in Sosua and was occasionally faced with similar problems. I knew a couple of drivers and explained to them that some tourists arriving for the first time were a little worried about taking taxis here in the DR and insisted on being picked up. However, I made it point to call a taxi every time people wanted to leave the complex and talked to the driver when he showed up, telling him that the people now trust taxis and bla bla bla. It creates a bond and a "friendship" works for me.
A few years ago, I managed a condo complex in Sosua and was occasionally faced with similar problems. I knew a couple of drivers and explained to them that some tourists arriving for the first time were a little worried about taking taxis here in the DR and insisted on being picked up. However, I made it point to call a taxi every time people wanted to leave the complex and talked to the driver when he showed up, telling him that the people now trust taxis and bla bla bla. It creates a bond and a "friendship" works for me.
But he is not legally authorized to do tourist transportation. Sindicatos de Taxis Turisticos in the DR will no bother him only if his vehicle is registered and stamped with the logo of “ transporte Turistico “ . Some time they request to see an “ orden de servicio “ endorsed and signed by the tour operator.
JJ
JJ
JJ, remember a couple of years ago we had a problem getting you into our Playa Dorado hotel until we called the hotel manager. They really play hardball.
Oh yeah, Taxi unions in the DR are as strong as the government, I had many issues with those guys in the beginning like Earl said, and at that time my vehicle was already registered and stamped by the tourism department .
JJ
JJ
a gun is in such case for a single person no solution, they would love about it and they together have anyways many more guns to fight a single one.
we had the same probs of course also over here on the east, demolished cars, broken bones and we had gunfights.
there are only 2 ways to go on:
one would be to make your deal with that syndicate(i hate that one because it is not the right way, but it is the harmless one).
the other way is to be together with people who have power in your surrounding area to show them that it would be painful for themselves to fight that lil spot.
anyways the mean point is that you are legally entiteled to do the transfers from the airport to your guesthouse/hotel. if you are not, or if your car is not registered as a transfer vehicle within tourism aso they would even have the law on their side.
not that they care much about the 'law',
if you wanna fight with the cabby syndicates you should be very aware that you fight with power, no kiddies club, no space for much words. such may make it neccessary to get some strong backup to watch your back.
be sure on your papers first,
if they are right contact ole pals in your area who do those transfers for themselves and stick together to show up like one unit.
if that's not your thing i would agree with prior posts which recommend to make your deal with them.
good luck
Mike
we had the same probs of course also over here on the east, demolished cars, broken bones and we had gunfights.
there are only 2 ways to go on:
one would be to make your deal with that syndicate(i hate that one because it is not the right way, but it is the harmless one).
the other way is to be together with people who have power in your surrounding area to show them that it would be painful for themselves to fight that lil spot.
anyways the mean point is that you are legally entiteled to do the transfers from the airport to your guesthouse/hotel. if you are not, or if your car is not registered as a transfer vehicle within tourism aso they would even have the law on their side.
not that they care much about the 'law',
if you wanna fight with the cabby syndicates you should be very aware that you fight with power, no kiddies club, no space for much words. such may make it neccessary to get some strong backup to watch your back.
be sure on your papers first,
if they are right contact ole pals in your area who do those transfers for themselves and stick together to show up like one unit.
if that's not your thing i would agree with prior posts which recommend to make your deal with them.
good luck
Mike
So from these posts I understand, that if I own a hotel/resort/condos I cannot provide transportation of my own guests from/to airport unless I am expressly authorized by the tourism department to do so?
At the airport you might no have any problem to pick up foreigner as nobody knows they are tourist but yes in the tourist areas where the Taxi turisticos make turn in front the hotels.
Do you know how much the drivers pay to the sindicato for this right or ?medallion ?as the Yellows taxis in New York? For example in Playa Dorada Puerto Plata the cost for this ?Franja? as we say in the DR is about RD $ 700,000.
JJ