Question Are You Tired of the Taxi Ripoff?

[living4experiences]

I've just arrived in Cozumel and have been ripped off four times by taxi drivers! I thought I did enough due diligence to be informed about what I should be paying from point A to point B, but the taxi Mafia has little care about adhering to their rules. The first three drivers refused to provide me the rate card. The fare should have been 260 pesos from Casa Mexicana to Iberostar. The first two drivers quoted 350 pesos to which I countered with the correct fare. The price was lowered to 300 pesos. Once I mentioned I wanted to see the rate card, they all of a sudden didn't understand what I was talking about. I walked away and headed down the road on foot to catch another taxi. Driver number three said 300 pesos and also refused to provide the rate card. Now I was running out of time to get to my destination, so I paid the $300 pesos.

Coming back from iberostar, with no option, I was forced to pay the $300 pesos from Iberostar to Casa Mexicana. Once we arrived, I waited till my stuff was out of the van and then I asked the driver for his rate card, to which he did not know what I was talking about. I then typed the question into Google Translate and showed it to him. He looked dumbfounded and wouldn't answer, even seeing the question in his own language. I then went to the front of the van and took a picture of his license plate. He conveniently found a rate card. This rate card was in USD for cruise ship passengers only, for transportation from the International and Punta Langosta Piers. It occurred to me now that the drivers are charging regular tourists the cruise ship passenger rates all the time. This was not a zone rate card and it was not in Spanish or Pesos. When I asked to take a photo of the rate card, he refused. Now I'm angry and telling him that by law he needs to show it to me. He finally let me get a photo, but he didn't make it easy and wouldn't let me touch it. He says that Casa Mexicana is at Punta Langosta Pier. So somehow that means I'm a cruise ship passenger?

I would be interested to know what the community here does in these situations in Cozumel. Besides taking a picture of the license plate, what other photos should one gather in the event of filing a formal complaint? I'm not saying I would take time from my vacation to do so, but this might be enough of an intimidation to the driver that I'm not a customer that will be taken advantage of.

I'm thinking that Maybe I should just get in the cab, knowing the price, and pay it at the destination. If he has a problem with it, then that would be another issue.

 

[ggunn]

I would like to point out that many prices are set by the government in Mexico, and are not negotiable. Gasoline, Tortillas, and Taxi Fares are just three of them. Locals do not haggle for a lower price on these fixed-price items. Nor do they need to argue with the vendor to get the item or service for the government set price. The set price is the set price. If a vendor tries to charge more than the set price, the buyer can contact PROFECO, or just threaten to call PROFECO, and the price will be reset to the government price level and the vendor punished or warned. Only tourists pay more than the government-set prices, because of a number of circumstances; ignorance of the official price, too lazy or too rushed to argue, lack of the ability to speak Spanish, lack of change, feeling that they are rich and the vendor is poor and overpaying is a kindness, etc. All of these reasons for paying a taxi more the government-set price has caused a lot of problems for the folks who live in Cozumel and have an income based on the peso economy.

It seems to me that an ameliorating factor could be if PROFECO were to make widely and readily available the table of taxi fares on the island. Post it prominently at all the taxi stands, require that it be on display in plain sight in every taxi, put it in the Blue Book (is the Blue Book still a thing?), publish it in newspapers and tourist guidebooks, etc. and make it easy to interpret for non Spanish speaking folks. Asking tourists to do the research when the information is difficult to come by and/or to argue with taxi drivers over a couple of bucks difference in a fare is going to be a hard sell.

Any time an area where the local residents' incomes are low becomes a tourist ldestination, this kind of thing is bound to happen, and it's not just taxi fares that are affected. I don't think that there are any easy solutions.

 

[nanches]

I would like to point out that many prices are set by the government in Mexico, and are not negotiable. Gasoline, Tortillas, and Taxi Fares are just three of them. Locals do not haggle for a lower price on these fixed-price items. Nor do they need to argue with the vendor to get the item or service for the government set price. The set price is the set price. If a vendor tries to charge more than the set price, the buyer can contact PROFECO, or just threaten to call PROFECO, and the price will be reset to the government price level and the vendor punished or warned. Only tourists pay more than the government-set prices, because of a number of circumstances; ignorance of the official price, too lazy or too rushed to argue, lack of the ability to speak Spanish, lack of change, feeling that they are rich and the vendor is poor and overpaying is a kindness, etc. All of these reasons for paying a taxi more the government-set price has caused a lot of problems for the folks who live in Cozumel and have an income based on the peso economy.

What happens is, the taxi drives would rather vie for over-paying tourists as riders rather than pick up locals who pay only the set price. It got so bad, the government and the Taxi unions finally made an agreement for each taxi to refrain from servicing the tourist zones one day a week on a rotating basis. That plan backfired, when most of the taxis who drew the short straw for the day and were excluded from the tourist zones just took that day off. Most of them would rather not work at all than be forced to service the locals. Now, the mototaxis are trying to fill that void. That void exists, because tourists continue to overpay the taxis, and the taxis would rather service "rich" tourist who throw around their money than locals who live on a tight budget and want (and have a right) to pay the government-set price. Tourists don't over pay for the other government-set prices, only taxi fares, and many of them continue to defend the practice, even when they understand the consequences to the locals who do not have the economic resources the tourists do.

It may feel good for you to help one "poor" guy (the taxista) by overpaying such a small amount (small to you), but your actions are detrimental to thousands of others who live here and you are not directly interacting with on your visit.

It is true that not every good or service is up for bargaining, but I have lived and traveled through a large part of Mexico, over many years, and taxi prices are always up for negotiation throughout Mexico. And a taxi driver trying to overcharge a tourist is not uncommon. If you don’t like the price being offered, just walk away and wait for the next taxi.

 

[ggunn]

It is true that not every good or service is up for bargaining, but I have lived and traveled through a large part of Mexico, over many years, and taxi prices are always up for negotiation throughout Mexico. And a taxi driver trying to overcharge a tourist is not uncommon. If you don’t like the price being offered, just walk away and wait for the next taxi.

Agreed in general, but the way things are on Cozumel at present, the fares are fixed. The problem is that what that fixed fare is for a particular trip is not easily determined by a typical visitor to the island.

 

[El Graduado]

I have posted this many times before on ScubaBoard, but it seems few people pay attention. https://everythingcozumel.com/taxis-city/ That is a link to my website that has the taxi zones and rates. It is pretty easy for a typical visitor to the island to use to determine what the correct taxi fare should be for where he is going.

I'm thinking that Maybe I should just get in the cab, knowing the price, and pay it at the destination. If he has a problem with it, then that would be another issue.

That is exactly what I do, when I (rarely) use a taxi. Sometimes they aren't happy because I don't look Mexican and they thought they were going to be able to stick me for more, but there has never been a big beef about it.

 

[nanches]

Agreed in general, but the way things are on Cozumel at present, the fares are fixed. The problem is that what that fixed fare is for a particular trip is not easily determined by a typical visitor to the island.

I get what you are saying, but, even in places where there are taximeters, like in Mexico City, drivers don’t always turn them on/use them. And there may be other towns/cities where there is a “set price” but things just don’t always work that way in Mexico. But, yeah, Cozumel IS out of control with its prices, in general! Many prices are almost equivalent to US prices. It’s the most expensive place I’ve ever been to in Mexico, and many Mexicans have sworn they’d never go back because of the high prices and how they were treated at beach clubs. I put up with it for the diving, only. And yeah I find the taxi prices high and am frustrated that there aren’t local buses to get around more cheaply. BUT I agree on a fair price with the taxista or I walk away. No need to be unpleasant or trash the profession. “Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”

 

[ggunn]

I have posted this many times before on ScubaBoard, but it seems few people pay attention. https://everythingcozumel.com/taxis-city/ That is a link to my website that has the taxi zones and rates. It is pretty easy for a typical visitor to the island to use to determine what the correct taxi fare should be for where he is going.

OK, but IMO it should be much easier even than that. A laminated or printed plastic sheet, Spanish on one side and English on the other, on a beaded chain hanging from the back of the front passenger's headrest in every taxi, for instance, would be nice. If it is official, why hide it?

Also, I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of visitors to the island don't know about you or your website.

 

[nanches]

I have posted this many times before on ScubaBoard, but it seems few people pay attention. https://everythingcozumel.com/taxis-city/ That is a link to my website that has the taxi zones and rates. It is pretty easy for a typical visitor to the island to use to determine what the correct taxi fare should be for where he is going.

That is exactly what I do, when I (rarely) use a taxi. Sometimes they aren't happy because I don't look Mexican and they thought they were going to be able to stick me for more, but there has never been a big beef about it.

Ok, I really don’t want to get into an argument with anyone, but just to give an example of how the rates are variable (dare I say negotiable?)… on your website you say that the rates in the photo below were set in 2016. You cite a price of $105 pesos from Playa Azul to downtown (or vice-versa). In summer of 2023, I paid $100 pesos for this trip. In summer 2022, I paid 100 pesos one day, 90 pesos another and 70 pesos still another day. Because of this, I would request a ride into town for $70 pesos, be willing to pay up $100, and walk away if they asked for more than $100.
My point is that it is not so cut and dry with pricing as it is in other countries.
Final point, be courteous when negotiating prices. I’ve met a couple of rude taxi drivers (really just 2) on Cozumel, but the VAST majority are very courteous and have the kind of patience I could only dream of having.

 

[El Graduado]

on your website you say that the rates in the photo below were set in 2016.

They were, and they are still valid. No changes since 2016...

OK, but IMO it should be much easier even than that.

Write them a letter with your great suggestions. I am sure you will see immediate action taken.

Also, I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of visitors to the island don't know about you or your website.

Obviously. What I said was "I have posted this many times before on ScubaBoard, but it seems few people pay attention. Taxis & City Buses - EverythingCozumel That is a link to my website that has the taxi zones and rates. It is pretty easy for a typical visitor to the island to use to determine what the correct taxi fare should be for where he is going."

You know, I have been posting solid information about Cozumel on ScubaBoard for a few years now, and it always seems that some visitors who come to the island once a year for a vacation think they know tons more about the island than I do. I am done. I am signing off and going to leave it to folks like Gordon who know it all, so that they can do a better job than I do to help you. Good luck.

 

[nanches]

They were, and they are still valid. No changes since 2016...

But you totally ignored the rest of my post… and my main point: the rates vary quite a lot, in practice. And sometimes taxi drivers charge less than what you posted, so yeah, it seems that, in reality, they are negotiable.

 

[Saboteur]

Our hotel had a posted rate of 200 P to airport. I asked the driver how much. He says 250. I say sign says 200. He says “is old sign”. 50 P is roughly 4 bucks. I wasn’t going to haggle over 4 bucks. I figure I’m fortunate go to Mexico and he’s working hard to earn a living, it’s very little compared to what we spend overall. It’s a bit irksome… maybe they’d get better tips if they were honest and exchanged a few pleasantries.