www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I read the following article this morning regarding "legal taxis" in CR. Here is a link to the article.



http://insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2005/august/16/nac08.htm

Remax,

Thanks for the link to the article..

The 56% increase is unbelievable, making our little jaunts around the gulch cost closer to 800 colones than the previously-enjoyed 500.

What's more disturbing is the "traffic slowdown" charge, which kicks in anytime the cab is moving less than 10 kph; I can see where this could be abused by less-honest taxistas.

Disturbing to me is the fact that now cabbies will be able to charge more if their vehicles are "handicapped accessible." The regulations don't, as I understand it define precisely what that means.

On the plus side, there will be no doubt as to whose is a licensed cab and whose is a pirata (gypsy cab).

For newbies: Here are a few taxi facts about San Jose:

1. Taxi drivers ("taxistas") are obligated by law to use the taximeter on any trips which begin between 5:00 a.m. and midnight. Do not let the drivers outside the BM rip you off.

2. Licensed taxis will display a yellow triangle on the side doors, showing the cab's license number and areas/zones it serves.

3. Try to have exact change for the fare, as drivers never seem to carry change.

4. Know the city well enough to avoid "hjoy riding," a common tactic used by less-honest taxistas to add time/distance to the meter.

5. Use the Spanish phrase "Ponga la maria, por favor." if the driver has failed to turn on the meter. Ponga la taximeter may also be said. Both are correct, the latter is more precise and more polite.

If the cab lacks a meter (pretty much anywhere outside San Jose and environs) be sure to negotiate a price before climbing into the cab. It can be interesting to let the cabbies bid for your business, although none will seriously undercut the other in price, you might save a buck or two.

Always be polite but firm, and write down the taxi's license number if you have a problem. Never threaten a cabbie; the local law is on their side more often than on yours. Avoid pirate cabs, as they will seldom save you any real money. Sometimes however, they are the only transportation available, particularly during the wee hours of the morning.

The normal fare between the Juan Santamaria Airport and most downtown hotels is USD$12.00; this will undoubtedly also increase to a whopping $18.00 or more with the newly approved fare increase. Your hotel has the right to add additional "service fees" for calling the taxi for you; as an example, Sportsmen's Lodge charges $17.00 for an airport pickup as of last Saturday when I spoke to their front desk.

Hope all this helps.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

A lot of good stuff in that post. I'd like to add a couple of comments.

While uniforms and rate cards might help newbies, it means absolutely nothing to me. The rate increase is a far more significant change, but hey, with gas prices what they are I suppose those guys really need it to make any money. I already knew how to spot a pirate cab, knew the meter rates and knew what a reasonable flat rate was if I went off meter. Most rip-offs if their even detected are minor though they do add up. I don't imagine most people are going to bother taking down the taxi number to call in a complaint over a doubling of their correct fare from 500c to 1000c.

All this really means is the cabbies will resort to different tricks like the one mentioned in El C's #4 to jack up their revenue. This is actually a reason NOT to use the meter if you know what a fare should cost, as it removes the incentive to take a roundabout route. As most of you map-readers know, I know my way around SJ reasonably well and I've encountered the problem of cabbies trying to jack the fare in that way. If you don't know your way around you wouldn't even realize it was happening (rate card or not). Some cabbies just don't know their way around town, but I can't believe all of them are really that ignorant. Sometimes it has to do with one-way streets or avoiding heavier traffic, but it still is advisable to pay attention to where you are going, so you can learn your way around and better tell when they may be trying to pull something.

My last comment is on the possibility of an $18 airport fare. I don't know if the change in mileage and wait time rates also apply to flat fares like that but if it does it makes the alternative of taking the public bus from in front of the airport to Coca Cola and then a local cab for a total of $3 more and more appealing. Oh yeah, and what happens to the jacked up flat rate cabbies have been charging for fares to the Motel Eden?

you can also take inter-bus for $5 from your hotel to the airport,book the day before..........

Maybe this will help cut down on those 3000-4000c returns from Motel Eden (about 1.5 miles).

Lets put this in perspective. The 800 colones rate is effective on November 15. At that time the exchange rate will be about 490. So 800 will be about $1.65.

After the next price increase next week gas will be about $3.25 a gallon and who knows what it will be in November. Be real guys the increase is well deserved.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I have to agree.Being a business man in the US who has to buy gas to keep my business going I understand rising gas prices efect us all.Taxi fares have always been very cheap so the price will go up a bit.Last time my personal driver took me to the airport for for 10000col I told him it was time to up his fare as I knew his expenses had to be rising.Thnks for the lead on Interbus Osgood that could be a good idea.rbc100

Re-read my post guys. I said basically the same thing about rising gas prices and the cabbies right to earn a living (I also mentioned Eden). Understanding is one thing, that doesn't mean we have to be particularly happy about yet another small example of the inevitable creep of inflation. Forget about cab fares. How long do you think carriers like AA are going to be able to afford to offer $230 airfares from Tampa to SJO with jet fuel costs rising and other airlines like Delta going belly up from the squeeze. I'd say get your trips in while things are still cheap.

I did and do not see where anything we said disagreed with your post.

_________________
Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine