Opening a Bus or taxi or hi end gua gua business

[ctrob]

Hearing from Dr1 people is such a great asset however it is not law. But you got to admit this would be a money maker if it could be done with the correct marketing and planning.

After they run you off the road, make sure you have your marketing plan to show them. They'll be impressed.

I think this is just someone trying to get everyone cranked up by asking for advice, then not taking it. All in 3 whole posts. How does one spend 20 years coming to the DR, belong to a "good" family, doctors, lawyers, etc and not have a basic knowledge as to how things work?

I guess it's possible, but it just sounds strange.

 

[Mauricio]

I will praise the day that the power of the transport unions is broken, especially Fenatrano. Their arrogance and aggression, even in the slogans on their guaguas: "exigimos participation en las rutas alimentadores del metro" "juancito sport por que te r?es, vas a Najayo", etc. While the biggest thugs are them.

 

[CaptnGlenn]

perhaps if you brought in a trained elephant from India you could give tourists rides on that, other than that the other posters are dead on........but there are business opportunities in this country that i can't reveal since one-hour film processing is on hold.........

I LIKE this idea... and I'll tell you one thing... no taxi driver is gonna' eff around with a ****ed off elephant. LOL that's one BIG animal with an attitude! I do think you could get a better bargain on a Cambodian elephant or maybe one from Thailand though ... Pi2 should know where the better bargain is. LOL

 

[CaptnGlenn]

WOW... automatic "clean up" of my ummmm..... expressive vocabulary. LOL I like that TOO!!!

 

[PeterInBrat]

Why not try something easier, like money-changing in the streets?

 

[southwardbound2]

I will praise the day that the power of the transport unions is broken, especially Fenatrano. Their arrogance and aggression, even in the slogans on their guaguas: "exigimos participation en las rutas alimentadores del metro" "juancito sport por que te r?es, vas a Najayo", etc. While the biggest thugs are them.

Off topic, but just an request ( NOT a criticism!) with a good example on this thread. I am learning Spanish. And I love it when DR1ers write in Spanish; I read DR1 partly for this reason. BUT, it would be very helpful if people would be so kind as to also write an Engish translation as well. This would be so helpful! Google Translate just doesn't work many times and isn't DR specific.

 

[avi8or57]

YOU ARE TREADING IN DANGEROUS WATERS MY FRIENDS, FUGGEDABOUTIT!!!!! Better off trying to sell pinchos in the malecon, if Politur doesn't chase you, that is!

Seriously, not a good idea in a land of so much envy, greed and corruption! There might not be any tourists anyways in 10 years the way things are going in that area, who knows.

 

[Givadogahome]

Thomas Karrer runs a pretty much one man show which these days (although not exactly what you were considering), is almost exclusively a small shuttle service for businessmen and tourists with a bit more cash. He seems to make a decent living out of it, does Airport pick ups (people are talking like you are going to get shot at for picking people up at the airport which is as usual on DR1, dramatic. To start a cab firm would be a mistake, to have a small one or two car set-up with no on car advertizing possibly could be done but I doubt easy) general run a rounds, cross country trips, the lot depending on the clients needs. As has been said, What some people on DR1 say is personal experience, not law or even in many cases the norm, I could think of other things to invest in but if you an see a market you can cover then why not.

 

[bachata]

My business was a one vehicle business, picking up folks at the airport via internet email requests. I had a website offering these pickups.

Once the taxi folks started noticing my van driving in a couple of times a week, the "I'm just picking up friends" excuse didn't cut the mustard with them any more.

My driver started parking in the parking lot, walking in and holding a sign for the person, and subsequently walking back to the vehicle to leave. That got the "Why do you have to hold a sign to pick up your friends" routine.

After a few more times of this behavior, the drivers got increasingly menacing towards the driver, including stopping him in the parking lot and pulling him out of the vehicle and pushing him around, before finally warning him the next time, it would be worse.

That's when we pulled the plug on SDQ deliveries.

We continued on with POP deliveries that were less frequent(once every 7-10 days) and encountered the same attitudes and treatment within a couple months time.

That's when I gave up.

To clarify a little, this all transpired back in 2002, but I have no reason to believe they've become any friendlier to folks encroaching on their "right" to move all tourist traffic.

I wish Thomas all the best.

When I was doing same business I was offered many times; we will burn your car we will kill you and all kind of amenasas...
I remember one day at Playa Dorada POP some of the taxi drivers were pulling my passenger out of my minivan, I got so mad that day that I got paranoid and said to the leader of the crew here is going to run blood on the pave of this parking lot if you don't let board my customers.... Some of the driver started telling all the BS in the world but finally I left with my people...
Next day I went to talk to Indio and Macoris the big boss of the taxi union and they promised respect any time I can prove I was doing an arranged transportation service.

Just become part of a driver union, that is the first thing you need to do to start on business. Unions from POP and STI have always been in war for this matter but at the end they have to respect each other...

JJ

 

[Givadogahome]

Hmmm, interesting, he's been at it many years. But like I said, advertizing and waving signs about might get you noticed, and bring you negative attention, but then again I see a million name signs when entering SDQ and no one caring about some guy with another sign. If you're doing a private booking only service then I'm surprised someone can bring so much attention to themselves.

 

[rice&beans]

In my driver's case, he was a 6'4" white American man.

Not too many American folks holding signs at airports. The ones that do it more than a couple of times, get noticed.

I knew him well, good guy. I hired him once to bring me to PP when I had my car shipped here from the States........