I have anecdotal evidence (and seen some copies) of taxi bills that excessively charge visitors. One taxi charged $300 to move eight people from The Ritz to Calypso Grill, and others have charged $25 per head, even in a taxi with other passengers, to move short distances up and down SMB. What protections do our visitors have and who can they call if they are being ripped off? How are they able to ascertain what they should be charged?
Auntie’s answer: The subject of taxi fares has come up before and clearly concerns people. A previous column provided information on fare schedules, both for the airport specifically and travelling everywhere else (see Would like to see list of taxi fares).
Regarding your other query, Section 48 of The Traffic Law, 2011 addresses cancelling a permit to operate a public passenger vehicle: “(1) The (Public Transport) Board may revoke a permit issued under section 47 if it is satisfied that a person to whom the permit was issued: a) has been convicted of an offence referred to in (other sections); or b) is, as a result of new information that the Board was not aware of at the time of issue of the permit, found not be a suitable person to hold a permit.
“(2) The Board may suspend a permit issued under section 47 for up to six months on being satisfied that a person to whom such a permit has been issued has conducted himself in such a way as to cause annoyance or nuisance to any member of the public, or generally to bring himself, the Islands or the operation of tourism in the Islands into disrepute.”
It seems that the last part, especially, covers your concerns. If you want to register a complaint, you can contact the Public Transport Unit (PTU) either by telephone (946-1323) or by email.
An official with the Ministry of Transport explained that while the PTU normally looks into complaints made by visitors or the general public against any drivers/operators, “depending on the nature of the report, the complaint may be handed over to the police to investigate”.
People same to forget that taxi drivers are normal working who pay mortgage,light bill, phone bill etc. and contribute to this economy. Like everyone else.also in order to make us$3000.00 per month they have to work day and night which is sometimes up to 17 hours a day in the hot dun and night dew. When regular office people go to work at 8:30 Taxi drive are out from 6am or earlier to do the cruise ships. Check the price of the tour buses and then you will see who is really making the dough around here.
Please!!! Minimum wage is USD 10 per hour. I’ve just been charged USD 45 for a 15 minute ride!
Brunch was $100 for 4 hours & I got to eat & drink as much as I wanted.
What did I get for a 15 minutes drive?
His cost about $2 in fuel max.
Rip off!!
Just got back from Kuala Lumpur. All the taxis there have meters. Most of them refuse to use them.
Like most locals we refuse to use taxis and either drive or have friends drop us off and pick us up from the airport.
When the government does nothing about the crime wave of armed robberies why on earth would you expect them to do anything about rip off taxis,
I too have emailed them with a query several weeks ago.
No response. Imagine that…
bring in uber and finish this parasitic cartel once and for all.
but cayman politicians have not got the guts to do it……
why isn’t the taxi fare matrix available for all to see???
People , just boycott using local taxis if you reside here , end of story. The tourists might be able to afford it and they are stuck with it. But for the rest of us , just say No , Bobo. I use the local buses up & down West Bay Rd, G.T. to Savannah / Bodden Town. Drivers are polite and courteous , other bus riders are fun to meet and converse with. Come up with a plan if you are going out , assign a designated driver or have someone come up & be your own personal Uber to convey you to & fro’
Those cab drivers make around 3k at slow season and from 5 to 7k at peak tourist season. And that is fact. I am in the know. Allow uber and other driver apps, and watch how they will all be very reasonable after that.
And i forgot to add. those figures. Are MONTHLY! making around 3k at slow season and from 5 to 7k at peak tourist season.
what a cream job. Who here makes 5 to 7k monthly, 6 to 7 months out of the year?
For driving a cab!
Taxi’s in Cayman are a joke. We generally only use taxis to and from the airport but find that they charge us different prices for the same journey every time. In the last two years the price has varied from CI$12 to CI$30 for the same journey!
Of course the last thing you want to do is argue and not pay when the taxi driver is in front of your house and knows where you live.
Something needs to be done – a fare meter seems like the obvious choice – charge by the mile as is done is most other places.
That unit doesn’t respond to phone calls or emails. I tried several times to report drivers and there was just no response whatsoever.
Jamiacain quality control at its best
Caymankind racism at its best.