SDQ Taxi Drivers and the Tourists they try to rip off

[jalencastro]

You'll like this

Taxi drivers will accept pesos or dollars, and probably euros for that matter. The price from the airport is quoted in US$ because most visitors do not buy pesos at the airport and will pay the fare in dollars.

jalencastro, I can see how the fare to the Zona Oriental would be less than to central SD.

On one of my past trips to DR [for my buddy's bachelor party to be exact], I actually paid a taxi driver with STRIPPER MONEY to take me from some strip club in la capital to Juan Dolio.
For those who are curious, at the strip club we were forced to 'buy' stripper dollars, or chips in this case, which we would pay the girls with...dont ask my why, it's just a way for them to take your money....so at the end of the night I had $1,000RD in chips and not a damn peso on me....no ATM machine in sight and time to go back to the hotel....Call it a shot in the dark, I approached a young taxi driver in an Integra and told him I would trade in my chips for a ride to Juan Dolio. Convinced him to take the chips and come back to the strip club and use it later. He agreed and off we went.
You're right Chiri, they will take $ USD, $ RD, and yes $tripper $$$/chip$

 

[mountainannie]

basic rate?

I have not heard the basic rate at 110 pesos for Apolo in the last three years. It was 120.. then 140... now often 150.....

as a NYer I am always aware of how long we stand in traffic and am used to tipping---but these rates are still a great bargin.

but I do ask for cabs Con Aire... although I used to find that most of the cabs from Apolo were pretty good, lately I have been finding that sometimes that means that there is a tiny stream of slightly cool air that blows on the driver, who has shut all the windows.... and the cabs look like they are one step away from being a carro publico.... and the shocks have all gone..

One great thing I have found is that you can hire them by the hour for 300 pesos so that if you several errands to do, it is just wonderful to have them wait. They always hand you their card, and finally, after years, I found a great driver, with a sleek new Toyota Camry, great AC, DVD CD player, so I call him a day in advance to schedule my errands and get transported like royalty. a chauffered limo---- Heaven!!

 

[Chirimoya]

It is a good idea to get a "chofer de confianza" - a trusted taxi driver.

If a particular taxi driver strikes you as reliable, ask for his card and make a point of asking the central exchange for his unit number, or get his cel number and call him direct.

 

[bob saunders]

Jose Elias Jaquez - Cedula deleted(Goes by Elias) 809-786-1202 cellular. Reliable and fair, has been a taxi driver in Santo Domingo for the past 22 years. Understands English but only speaks a liitle. Married to my wife's cousin, non-drinker so at least you know you have a sober driver.

 

[jalencastro]

wow

One great thing I have found is that you can hire them by the hour for 300 pesos so that if you several errands to do, it is just wonderful to have them wait. They always hand you their card, and finally, after years, I found a great driver, with a sleek new Toyota Camry, great AC, DVD CD player, so I call him a day in advance to schedule my errands and get transported like royalty. a chauffered limo---- Heaven!!

for ONLY 300 pesos an hour? is there some minimum they require like 3 or 4 hours? because this is definately a bargain to be driven around and have someone wait on you....hmmmm :ermm:

 

[mountainannie]

no minimum that I have ever heard

for ONLY 300 pesos an hour? is there some minimum they require like 3 or 4 hours? because this is definately a bargain to be driven around and have someone wait on you....hmmmm :ermm:

never heard a minimum

they are usually just fine with the 300 pesos for an hour. Try it.. They do drive you around....

of course, the waiting on you.. well, that you have to work out with them separately!!

 

[jalencastro]

wow!

never heard a minimum

they are usually just fine with the 300 pesos for an hour. Try it.. They do drive you around....

of course, the waiting on you.. well, that you have to work out with them separately!!

any contacts? PM me with details because this is a bargain if ever I heard of one for a personal driver in Santo Domingo! it ssure beats having to drive around all day long when running errands and having to fight for parking! :smoke:

 

[mountainannie]

my personal driver?

any contacts? PM me with details because this is a bargain if ever I heard of one for a personal driver in Santo Domingo! it ssure beats having to drive around all day long when running errands and having to fight for parking! :smoke:

ah, you want the name and number of my personal driver? the one I found after discarding perhaps 150 cards of other drivers? So that when I call him, he will be busy driving you around? Now, I am happy for him to prosper and will be glad to share him for the big trips where he is going to make a lot of money .. say driving to PC or LT from the Capital......

But I do not know you. And that would be... like a VERY big thing, right?

I do not want to be uppity about it... but you have been on the Board here since 2004... is it that you live out of town?

Just know that any Apolo driver will be your private driver for 300 pesos an hour.....

I tip mine extra.

Now, if you live on the North Coast and are just coming into town for a day and want him, perhaps... maybe... if you PM the dates

I could let you use OUR car!!!
:smoke:

*where is the bunny? who took the bunny.....

 

[jalencastro]

LOL, yes mountainannie, I do live out of town! NY to be exact so every now and then when I do come to the island and visit I usually get a rental car. Although sometimes it would be nice to have a driver and not have to deal with the hassle of driving myself all over the capital, especially if i do not know the area or neighborhood.
It's ok, if you could please clarify what you mean by an Apolo driver then I will know where to start looking. 300 pesos per hour is a bargain by any means...thanks!
where is the bunny by the way? yikes!

 

[mountainannie]

No problemo!

LOL, yes mountainannie, I do live out of town! NY to be exact so every now and then when I do come to the island and visit I usually get a rental car. Although sometimes it would be nice to have a driver and not have to deal with the hassle of driving myself all over the capital, especially if i do not know the area or neighborhood.
It's ok, if you could please clarify what you mean by an Apolo driver then I will know where to start looking. 300 pesos per hour is a bargain by any means...thanks!
where is the bunny by the way? yikes!

OK,,no problem... For a fellow NYer Sure, I will give you his name and number, providing, of course, that you just read the number, memorize it, then swallow the paper it was written on and be really careful about who you give it to?

AND if, when you come down you could bring a couple of GOOD copies of some concert music for the DVD CD player in the CAR,,, which is a late model Toyota Camry, and looks like a limo, by the way, and has a killer AC system...

Since no matter WHAT we buy here on the street for our 50 pesos just skips and stalls... and skips and stalls.

Mind you, we will PAY you for the DVD.. CD but you know, we are used to paying you know the knock off price.. so if you can find decent ones at 5 bucks????


I think the car and driver in the long run is much better than a rental...

i mean, lujo, right? Who needs to stall in traffic?

Let me know when you are coming

YES WHERE IS THE BUNNY_?????

 

[jalencastro]

LOL! I will see what I can do, give me a list of what you are looking for and I will see if I can get my hands on anything for you. FYI, I dont plan on going back to DR until 2010 so I have some time!
We'll be in touch....off to find the bunny!

 

[bienamor]

Anni I am disappointed, I was under the impression that you were the help anybody anywhere type, now we find your limit is a taxi driver? :bunny::bunny:

got to check the more on smiles to find the bunny

 

[mountainannie]

Yes, well,

Anni I am disappointed, I was under the impression that you were the help anybody anywhere type, now we find your limit is a taxi driver? :bunny::bunny:

got to check the more on smiles to find the bunny

There it is, every one has their limits and boundaries. For years I did not know where mine were until they were crossed... but see, I am learning

 

[ctp1812]

A good way to get a decent deal at the airport. I have learned this from renting cars. I am a little silly but I always bring my girlfriend with me to the airport and then send her home in a taxi. The guys that work in the car rental return center always have good hook ups, either their friend is a cab driver or one of the runners working there can give you a ride. I usually pay 20 bucks to get my girl home. LAST time it was very late and we had to call one of her local cabs and we paid 1000 pesos, but that was at 12:30 in the morning and she lives in herra or what ever that place is called down by the cabanas on geo washington. The mafia tried to get me for 80 dollars because they thought I didn't have another option.

 

[rafael]

Jose Elias Jaquez - deleted (Goes by Elias) 809-786-1202 cellular. Reliable and fair, has been a taxi driver in Santo Domingo for the past 22 years. Understands English but only speaks a liitle. Married to my wife's cousin, non-drinker so at least you know you have a sober driver.

Does Elias work for taxi acuario? I used to use a taxi driver named elias all the time, but the phone# does not look familiar.

 

[rafael]

Not to play devil's advocate, but I don't believe any of you understand the reason why hotel taxis charge more than others.

First of all, they almost always have vehicles in very good condition, with A/C, clean, late model, insurance paid, speak english, etc.

Second, and most important, is they have to wait in line for a fare. Any big hotel has a group of them waiting to be called.

So, while the Apollo, Maxi Taxi, and all the rest are flitting around town all day, earning one 150 pesos fare after another, the hotel taxis can easily sit and wait for hours to get their first fare.

What would YOU say if you were a taxi driver, waited all morning for a fare, then when your turn came, it would be a hundred peso fare to go 4-5 blocks? Then it's back to the hotel, and wait another 3-4 hours for the next fare. Who can survive like that?

While I agree there are taxi drivers out there that are always trying to rip off their fares, most of the hotel guys I've run into have been pretty fair.

Try walking a mile in their shoes.

I totally understand their situation. . . . .but they choose to sit and wait rather than hustle all day long. The other reason they give for charging triple is they use gasoline while mani taxis run on "gas".

I have had that discussion/argument with many of the hotel taxi guys. I ask them if you were staying at jaragua.. . . .would you pay 400 pesos or call a radio taxi and pay 150 pesos? None have ever said they will pay 400.

Saturday night I was at plaza espana and usually avoid the taxi guys that hang out there as they over charge tourists. I had my phone out to call taxi lino and a guy asked if I wanted a taxi. I asked how much to avenida venezuela and was waiting for the 500 peso price quote. Instead he said 200 pesos. . . . we all jumped in a chevy blazer in very decent condition with AC and off we went. . . .

I have not seen a big difference in car quality between the hotel/tourist guys and the radio taxis. . . .and could care less if the car ran on chicken urine. . . .if it gets me where I need to go at a fair price;-)

 

[bob saunders]

Does Elias work for taxi acuario? I used to use a taxi driver named elias all the time, but the phone# does not look familiar.

The taxi is his. Not sure of the company affiliation.

 

[mountainannie]

another issue

I disagree about the Apolo cabs.. sure, a couple of years ago, when I was calling Apolo I could be sure that the cars were always going to be in good condition but lately, not so much... even when I asked for a carro frio, it sometimes meant that the AC was blowing luke warm air onto the driver and the windows were shut..

This is all BH as in BEFORE HECTOR (who is now my one and only driver, as noted, whose number i will share only with trusted and recommended DR1 members=

but another thing about the Hotel taxis, ditto the ones at the malls. They are there for your convenience, and they will dead head the ride, in that they pay the store or the hotel for their space and so they go back empty. The taxis which cruise like Apolo and Edwin, always have a chance to pick up another fare wherever they are in the city.

so that is the biz of it.

Any smart Dominican who wants to start this biz in Haiti is welcome to contact me since I have a very reliable guy over there who can run the radio shop and find cars with drivers and NO ONE is doing it. It cost me $25 to take a TEN minute ride from downtown to PEtionville. We think that there is a tremendous market for this one as there are thousands of Dominicans who are middle class enough to want a private ride or a shared ride but do not want to ride in an open tap tap bus which is about the ONLY public transport available. My friend is fluent in Spanish has a cedula, I will sign on to the project as well... we think it is a good idea for not a big investment.

 

[ExtremeR]

Jose Elias Jaquez - Cedula 001-0037059-2 (Goes by Elias) 809-786-1202 cellular. Reliable and fair, has been a taxi driver in Santo Domingo for the past 22 years. Understands English but only speaks a liitle. Married to my wife's cousin, non-drinker so at least you know you have a sober driver.

Is not a good idea to be posting anyone Cedula on the web as if it falls on the wrong hand it can be used to get false credit and then our friends finds himself in Datacredito for no apparent reason.

 

[bob saunders]

Is not a good idea to be posting anyone Cedula on the web as if it falls on the wrong hand it can be used to get false credit and then our friends finds himself in Datacredito for no apparent reason.

You are quite right. Moderator can you remove the Cedula number?