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.

 

[ReefHound]

Agreed. A lot of blood pressure and angst on limited holiday time over a few dollars just to be righteous. If i lived there for quite some time, things obviously add up, but paying an extra $40 over two weeks isn't worth it for me. Fine if it is for others. Everyone can travel however makes them happy.

Maybe learn some Spanish and have a guy there who's reliable and can help you out over your stay.

If you lived there for some time you would likely be unhappy that people like you waltz in from "rich" countries and upset the normal price structure. Locals complain that they cannot get a taxi to pick them up in the barrios or stop for them on the street because why provide a local for a ride based on zone rate when you can gouge a tourist for 5x the amount?

 

[gopbroek]

If you lived there for some time you would likely be unhappy that people like you waltz in from "rich" countries and upset the normal price structure. Locals complain that they cannot get a taxi to pick them up in the barrios or stop for them on the street because why provide a local for a ride based on zone rate when you can gouge a tourist for 5x the amount?

Exactly, overpaying and throwing money around is ugly americanism, while it makes the individual taxi driver happy it causes resentment from the local population (not limited to expats). The taxi's often refuse to service the non cruise ship / tourist hotel areas then get upset when the Bike taxi's or uber or anyone else steps in to fill the breach.
The Taxi rates are set by a state agency but the taxi unions are a significant political force throughout the state, so it is what it is. Personally I think the rates are out of date and need a revision but that is political decision ($$$).
I think that if you take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the rates (tools provided on the sticky to this thread or use El Graduato's app) you will find that the majority of the in city trips, for up to four persons is around $28 MXN plus a minor surcharge for taxi queues and hotel / bar pickups (its Mexico use pesos not dollars, again don't be a dumb ugly american tourist, how would you react in America if a Mexican visitor demanded that you be payed in Pesos?) in any case even from your hotel, the rate is about $40 MXN.
I do not ask or haggle with Taxi drivers, once you start negotiating it's a private contract. I get in tell them where I am going and at my destination I had them $50, which is a significate tip over union / State government negotiated rate. If the driver offers you change tell him to keep it and get his phone number for future trips or if you need a day charter, I will then give him an additional tip. If he demands more ask for the rate card (they typically go into memory loss at this point) and if belligerent tell him to call a cop and simply walk away.
PS: DO NOT LISTEN TO WIFE when she says 'just give him the money'

 

[mediumone]

If you lived there for some time you would likely be unhappy that people like you waltz in from "rich" countries and upset the normal price structure. Locals complain that they cannot get a taxi to pick them up in the barrios or stop for them on the street because why provide a local for a ride based on zone rate when you can gouge a tourist for 5x the amount?

We used to stay in Playa, and saw the drivers ignore the locals repeatedly. We'd sit on a bench or the curb until the locals were picked up, then hail a taxi. They drivers were thoroughly ticked off when they found out that we weren't the pigeons they were hoping for. We were once kicked out of a taxi two times in succession when we refused to agree to their quoted price, which was 3 times the correct fare. The third taxi didn't try the same nonsense.

I understand the sentiment of not wanting to stress over the small stuff while you're on vacation, but please appreciate how much more difficult that you're making life for the locals.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

we have done this on a few trips to various places when we knew what the cost should be. although it can often times turn into a physical altercation. most people do not want to risk that.

but i do remember on one trip to playa / cozumel that we actually did negotiate the rate to go to the airport when heading home. the fella sent a different driver to pick us up. he drove like a mad man all the way to the cancun airport and then asked for quite a bit more than we had already negotiated.

i paid him what was agreed to, and politely told him to go **** himself.

That's basically what I do. My wife is Russian and doesn't mind one bit.

i am sure many would agree that this is a horrible way to end a vacation and leaves a very sour taste in your mouth that can be hard to get rid of.

Not at all. I forget about it once I step into the airport.

 

[brsnow]

At least it gives people something to talk about.

 

[springsboy]

Haggling would be a fine system, except that's not the system they chose.

Define "they". Did the drivers determine the rate card or was it dictated to them by the government? You have a choice to ignore the rate card and haggle.

 

[MidOH]

I hate haggling. I'll go to another island first. CZ people need to understand that. I'm on vacation, I want to relax. Just offer me a fair fare, and everything's fine.

Flip side of that coin, when people try to rip me off, I take that as a personal insult.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Define "they". Did the drivers determine the rate card or was it dictated to them by the government? You have a choice to ignore the rate card and haggle.

They are whatever authority makes the rules. They probably gave some thought to what kind of system would best serve Cozumelenos. Assuming the intent of the regulated fare system was to even the playing field, so drivers wouldn’t favor foreign visitors over locals, flouting the system does not help achieve that. We are the visitors, the guests. If you want to be a good guest, play by the rules.

 

[brsnow]

They are whatever authority makes the rules. They probably gave some thought to what kind of system would best serve Cozumelenos. Assuming the intent of the regulated fare system was to even the playing field, so drivers wouldn’t favor foreign visitors over locals, flouting the system does not help achieve that. We are the visitors, the guests. If you want to be a good guest, play by the rules.

It is not up to tourist to enforce the rules. It is up to the Cozumelos, I don’t go on vacation to work. Literally the opposite.

 

[34109411]

It is actually a beautiful drive. Total of 8-9 days of driving from Massachusetts. MA to Eagle Pass, Texas usually takes us 3 days. Eagle Pass, TX to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico is 4-5 days of driving in Mexico. We typically try to limit ourselves to no more than 8-10 hours of driving each day and get on the road at 630-7am each day to avoid driving at night.

This year I kept track of fuel costs and tolls in Mexico.
Total cumulative miles from US to Mexico: 4030 miles
Miles in Mexico: 1800 miles (~2890 km)
Days on road in Mexico: 5 days
Number of fuel stops in Mexico: 7
Total fuel cost in Mexico: 6614.96 pesos (392usd)
Total fuel in Mexico: 292.37 litres (77 gallons)
Total toll costs in Mexico: 2,823 pesos (167usd)

The main reason we did this was so we could have tanks on the island. Also, trying to hail a taxi with 8-10 tanks and wet dive gear can be difficult. I've tried before Otherwise I would look at long term vehicle rentals on the island but I wanted something reliable with 4x4 drive.

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