Taxi Advice

CanadianGurl · #1 06-20-2006, 10:45 AM

Hi Everyone,

I am just putting information together that I might need to survive my first week or so in SD as a primarily speaking english female.

I am wondering about transportation. I have a rather long commute to my worksplace from what I can tell, so I hope to understand the public transit system fast.

However, I am thinking the beginning of the week I will use taxi services to get use to the city. I know this is not exactly economical, but safety is priority for me.

Can anyone recommend a few taxis in Santo Domingo, that I could depend on for safety and reliability?

Thank you

GringoCArlos · #2 06-20-2006, 03:53 PM

We've always used Apolo Taxi in Santo Domingo - they have cars everywhere, and their drivers rarely try to rip me off on the fare. And once, one of their drivers RETURNED my wife's cell phone that was left in his taxi.

Tele: 809-537-0000

amanacer · #3 06-20-2006, 08:25 PM

I used taxi lindo, very cheap and simple, will try to find their number. In general the way to go is to use call taxis, but it also depends where you are taking them from, zona colonial would be the worst - they will assume you are a rich tourist. Always agree on fare before.

elmojito · #4 06-22-2006, 05:33 PM

Call Miguel: 1-809-916-0877

kingofdice · #5 06-23-2006, 02:03 PM

Apolo and Lindo are good taxis. Don't make some of the mistakes I have, like handing the taxi cab driver a note with a street address or try showing a map.. I got taken for a 30 minute ride, when the distance was 2 kilometers once. Then the cab driver demanded 400 pesos.

Also, I have ran into trouble where you have a friend that wants to go along too. So he gets dropped off on the way. That counts as one trip, so then when the paying person gets to his destination, the 130 peso fare becomes 260 pesos, because the taxi stopped along the way, even if only for 2 seconds to let someone out of the taxi. Some taxis will let it slide, but I have found more often than not, even if the first drop-off is one the way, alot of taxi drivers expect double payment.

Apolo Taxi once returned a digital camera that I left in the back of a taxi. Talk about being honest. I gave the driver 500 pesos for finding me in the Outback Steakhouse in S.D., while I was crying in my beer over jumping out of a taxi and leaving my new camera in the back seat.

But, if you make 2 trips a day in S.D., the minimum even with Apolo is going about 260 pesos a day. That's about $8 bucks or 40 dollars a week. That starts to get expensive after a couple weeks, unless you have an expense account to absorb.

GringoCArlos · #6 06-23-2006, 05:19 PM

Yes, the taxi fares may add up, but it's STILL cheaper and less trouble than owning a car in Santo Domingo. Fuel, repairs, car washes, insurance, choques, etc add up even faster, and then you have to worry at night if someone is going to steal the darn thing.

Ken · #7 06-23-2006, 06:59 PM

If you are going to be making regular trips and no your schedule, you can work out a deal with a driver and get a reduced rate. Get a card from the driver with his name, unit number, personal cel phone and company phone number. Or if your schedule isn't firm enough to know when you want to be picked up, you can call the driver on his personal cel phone when you are ready. Drivers like these arrangements and are willing to give better price to regular customers.