Taxi service near the airport

[ggunn]

I have a question. Gordon keeps pointing out that the van and taxi drivers are with the same union. Are they also the same company?????

The airport shuttles are run by the taxi union (or so I am told by someone who lives on the island). The taxis are owned by the drivers; some of them go in together and split the hours, others subcontract out the hours they want to take off. I don't know who owns the shuttle vans, but I've been assuming that it's the taxi union.

I have no knowledge about private hired transport at the airport.

 

[DandyDon]

You won't see any Gypsy cabs on Coz, and that's probly good. They are pretty standardized and radio connected to an extent.

 

[1KWIK_69]

The airport shuttles are run by the taxi union (or so I am told by someone who lives on the island). The taxis are owned by the drivers; some of them go in together and split the hours, others subcontract out the hours they want to take off. I don't know who owns the shuttle vans, but I've been assuming that it's the taxi union.

I have no knowledge about private hired transport at the airport.

Are they a union or a business? Either way, I would think competition with taxis would force them to charge a more reasonable rate for a ride to the hotel. It would benefit you as well as those of us that want to take a taxi.

I seriously doubt that the ban on taxis picking up at the airport has anything to do with infrastucture. It's all about slicing up the tourism dollars. If two or three people can take a cab from the airport for $10 total in a taxi, there's no excuse for a van with 10 people in it charging $100 ($10 per rider) or more for the same ride. It's a monopoli, plain and simple.


I remember one trip in 2005 where our dive boat had mechanical problems. Rather than trying to limp the boat all the way to our hotel to drop us off, they opted to go straight to the marina. Then the dive shop guys had me drive one of their trucks with my girlfirend riding up front with me, and the tinted windows rolled up so the taxi drivers wouldn't see us, while the dive shop guys rode in back. The dive shop guys were afraid the taxi drivers would start a fight if they saw them giving us a ride. The two dive shop guys got in to a big Spanish argument with each other over how to get us back to the hotel! :shocked2:

Apparently things have changed a little since then because the shop we're using on this coming trip offered to transport us by land to their pier for our dives since the hotel we chose this time doesn't have a pier.

Still, it was a big lesson for me on how much power the unions have down there to protect thier slice of the pie!

 

[1KWIK_69]

While on the subject, parking by the cruise ship piers is way worse than at the airport, and yet, tons of taxis show up there when the ships dock and thousands of pod people are wanting a ride. Somehow they make that work. Why can't the taxis line up along the road near the airport to pick up as well?

You'll never convince me it's for any reason other than to allow the van company or owners to make a bigger profit than they would if taxis could also pick up there.

 

[DandyDon]

While on the subject, parking by the cruise ship piers is way worse than at the airport, and yet, tons of taxis show up there when the ships dock and thousands of pod people are wanting a ride. Somehow they make that work. Why can't the taxis line up along the road near the airport to pick up as well?

You'll never convince me it's for any reason other than to allow the van company or owners to make a bigger profit than they would if taxis could also pick up there.

They don't have luggage. Even the ferry line doesn't get as many bags as the airport.

To allow taxis to pick up at the airport would require an additional lane to be built, then the airport would tack on fees.

 

[1KWIK_69]

They don't have luggage. Even the ferry line doesn't get as many bags as the airport.

To allow taxis to pick up at the airport would require an additional lane to be built, then the airport would tack on fees.

There's the lane in front of the terminal, the whole parking lot, and the road out front.

Plus, keeping people hovering around the airport in that little area waiting for the vans to be loaded is a great window for the time share guys to find their next victim.

 

[DandyDon]

There's the lane in front of the terminal, the whole parking lot, and the road out front.

Plus, keeping people hovering around the airport in that little area waiting for the vans to be loaded is a great window for the time share guys to find their next victim.

I've never been bothered by the hawks outside. I think that would cause local problems.

If taxis were allowed to pickup there, I am sure that the airport would tack on a fee.

 

[ggunn]

There's the lane in front of the terminal, the whole parking lot, and the road out front.

Plus, keeping people hovering around the airport in that little area waiting for the vans to be loaded is a great window for the time share guys to find their next victim.

Well, it's all speculation on our part, isn't it? It is what it is, and I'll deal with it accordingly. It really makes not a whit of difference why it is what it is, but probably all the reasons we have bandied about have some role in the decisions that were made. I am certainly not naive enough to believe that money issues played no part.

You can wish all you want that things were otherwise, but you know how far that will get you.

 

[judydivescoz]

There's the lane in front of the terminal, the whole parking lot, and the road out front.

Plus, keeping people hovering around the airport in that little area waiting for the vans to be loaded is a great window for the time share guys to find their next victim.

Perhaps you can call the powers that be and offer your services as a traffic consultant!!!

 

[1KWIK_69]

Back to the issue of differences between the airport and cruise ship pick up locations. People from cruiise ships may not be hauling all of their luggage, but a lot of them have dive bags, and most are carrying shopping bags, back packs, purses etc...

I just think the luggage difference isn't a valid reason to not allow taxis at the airport, and I see no reason the airport would have to charge a fee. Some airports might do it, but not most, including Grand Cayman.

I know this is not a huge deal, but it is an issue that comes to mind every time I'm booking a trip or getting off the plane. I like having the freedom to choose what's best for my situation, without having some business or union step in and take choices away to protect their personal interests. I'm all about letting the free market and competition decide. And I'm more than willing to walk a block or two with my light luggage to protect that choice on principal.