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.

 

[lnjohn]

How often do you go to Cozumel that $150/year storage fee is worth saving a $8 shuttle ride to centro? That's a pretty decent hike to their shop from the airport. (I understand there are other reasons and benefits to using their storage.)

I go 3-5 times a year and in baggage savings that savings is usually made up on the first or 2nd roundtrip flight. Bags are typically $65 each way for checked in luggage and I have extra fins, masks, parts, regulator all in Cozumel, so weight is another issue.

 

[lnjohn]

Great tips thanks! Question, volaris and the other budget air carriers to Cancun get terrible reviews. Are they as bad as spirit airlines the the USA or Ryan air in europe( late, bait and switch, coerced payment for regular services, super cramped seats? I do see the nonstop cheap flights TJ to Cancun. How much worse are those budget airlines than supermen or the US airlines that fly to coz and Cancun?

I sat in a Volaris premium seat last flight and it was much softer. I have not run into any bait and switch, I actually like their overbooked policy, they start letting you know days in advance so you can plan. The seats don't recline, there is lack of padding, and it's very much like Spirit and Frontier. The planes have been clean and the passengers and crew and friendly and pleasant to fly with. I always have to remind myself not to stand up when we get come to a stop at the gate. The passengers all sit calmly in their seats until the flight attendant comes to your row and dismisses you. Almost like church used to be where you stay in the pew until the priest walks by. Watch for coupons, the V.Club is currently free to join when you book and always select the English/Peso option to maximize savings. There are often delays, but that is Mexico. I have been delayed on American Airlines flying to and from Mexico as well.

 

[Shawn C]

I am speaking from my own experience. Not sure why that offends you unless you’re involved in the taxi cab business there. And cabs don’t need to be lined up. You just need to hail an empty one. Or talk to any local with a car and make a deal. I dropped someone off at the airport for THIER departing flight , walked inside to see them to security, and then tried to get a ride back . I had no luggage. I was quoted a price four-8 times higher than the shuttle price for a cab. So I walked out of the airport and paid a lower reasonable price. What I should have done is just seen my friend off at the curb and then taken the cab back to the hotel for an earlier agreed on price. Except I think taxi mafia bans that under threat of violence. My mistake.

I understand, now, why several of us were shaking our heads by what you wrote:

The shuttles are only a deal at exactly the right time please and price. If you’re leaving the airport more then 30 minutes after a place landed the prices quadruple cause the shuttles are gone. .

This reads like you meant that the shuttle prices increase four times, not the taxi fares.