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Kevin STT Taxi #67317
09/07/2015 03:18 PM
09/07/2015 03:18 PM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 41
Seminole, FL
B
BoatLifeIsGood Offline OP
Traveler
BoatLifeIsGood  Offline OP
Traveler
B
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 41
Seminole, FL
Does anyone know if Kevin is still around in STT for taxi service to ferry dock?

BVI Sponsors
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: BoatLifeIsGood] #67318
09/07/2015 03:41 PM
09/07/2015 03:41 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
RickG Offline
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RickG  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,951
St. John, USVI
Give him a call (340) 643-0025

Cheers, RickG


S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423
Grenada
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: RickG] #67319
09/07/2015 04:05 PM
09/07/2015 04:05 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,151
Ontario, Canada
warren460 Offline
Traveler
warren460  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,151
Ontario, Canada
And yes, he is around.


Warren S/V Scuba Doo
Lagoon 50 (winner of best crewed yacht under 55 feet at the St. Thomas crewed yacht boat show).

https://www.cyabrochure.com/ebn/2307/pdyrX/6642/4///
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: warren460] #67320
09/08/2015 09:36 AM
09/08/2015 09:36 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
JasonHelmbrecht Offline
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JasonHelmbrecht  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,359
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
He is definitely still around. I saw him at the ferry dock yesterday and commented that the airport process is changing and to be sure you've contacted him a couple of days in advance of your arrival.


JasonHelmbrecht
Coconut Breeze Villas
Cane Garden Bay
reservations@coconutbreezevillas.com
www.coconutbreezevillas.com
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: JasonHelmbrecht] #67321
09/08/2015 10:44 AM
09/08/2015 10:44 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 528
Ohio
jagmansr Offline
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jagmansr  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 528
Ohio
Jason,
what's changed at the airport?

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: jagmansr] #67322
09/08/2015 10:49 AM
09/08/2015 10:49 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
Rumor only, the taxi cab mafia does not want independant drivers allowed in for pickups.
G

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: GeorgeC1] #67323
09/08/2015 11:20 AM
09/08/2015 11:20 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
LocalSailor Offline
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LocalSailor  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
Port Authority which operates the airport has always had a contract with a single Taxi Association to operate the taxi stand there. -- That agreement does allow for non association members to pickup with 'prior'arrangements -- this contract is currently being re-evaluated, that is what Kevin is talking about IMO - in any case you should always have made prior arrangements with Kevin as he is often very busy.

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: LocalSailor] #67324
09/08/2015 12:22 PM
09/08/2015 12:22 PM
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,675
An island state of mind
tradewinds Offline
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tradewinds  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 5,675
An island state of mind
He said the Port Authority wants to charge him something like $500/year.

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: tradewinds] #67325
09/08/2015 01:15 PM
09/08/2015 01:15 PM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
LocalSailor Offline
Traveler
LocalSailor  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
Charging independent drivers a yearly fee may certainly be a point on the bargaining table.
$500 ----If you work 250 days a year that is $2.00 a day.
When you have a regulated service like the taxi stand at the airport that requires taxi drivers to wait their turn in line overseen by the dispatcher some drivers will have long waits for a fare and may only be able to do 2, maybe 3, pickups a day while spending wasted hours of off time waiting in line for their turn.
When an independent driver comes in a few times a day for their 'prior arranged' pickups, has no wasted hours waiting in line at the airport so can carry other fares all day, pays no association dues, and stands at the front of the line with a sign for "The XXX Party" the regulated Association drivers certainly take notice.
The organized Taxi drivers constitute a strong political power and a cohesive voting bloc in STT, strong enough to seat or unseat our $85K/yr legislators, surely affect our Gubernatorial elections, and rarely take credit cards for payment.

I always recommend Kevin because he does a great job and I have known him and his family since he was in school - he is a good friend, a hard working entrepreneur and a fine example for the Community.

Last edited by LocalSailor; 09/08/2015 01:21 PM.
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: LocalSailor] #67326
09/08/2015 02:08 PM
09/08/2015 02:08 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
I have no horse in this race, one way or another, but I can certainly see where the organized taxi drivers might have some gripes with independent drivers.


Carol Hill
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: Carol_Hill] #67327
09/08/2015 02:27 PM
09/08/2015 02:27 PM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 219
Texas
Whitesail Offline
Traveler
Whitesail  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 219
Texas
we have used Kevin for both our trips, do the taxi drivers give the same level of service?



[Linked Image]
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: Whitesail] #67328
09/08/2015 02:44 PM
09/08/2015 02:44 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
I don't doubt that he gives a greater level of service, but I can see the organized drivers' point, that perhaps he should pay for being able to access the airport..


Carol Hill
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: Carol_Hill] #67329
09/08/2015 02:55 PM
09/08/2015 02:55 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
I thought they did pay. I know they run tickets through exiting the airport. Perhaps there is a grace period and they don't pay. Will ask Stanley next trip if he can still pick me up.
G

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: GeorgeC1] #67330
09/08/2015 03:18 PM
09/08/2015 03:18 PM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Carol_Hill Offline
Traveler
Carol_Hill  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,478
Central Florida!
Sorry, I probably misunderstood. I thought from what LocalSailor was saying, that he didn't currently pay anything.


Carol Hill
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: Carol_Hill] #67331
09/08/2015 04:00 PM
09/08/2015 04:00 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 528
Ohio
jagmansr Offline
Traveler
jagmansr  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 528
Ohio
Another point of view. Seems we normally land in STT around 2:30. Factor in the usual 3 planes all unloading which translates to a few hundred people all wanting a ride either into town or to the ferry. Granted you are now on island time BUT the way they operate, it takes al least 45 minutes for a cab to get " fully" loaded and depart the airport. (It seems, one at a time)With Kevin (independent) you know once you have your luggage you will in fact get out much quicker and when dealing with the ferries every minute counts. Without Kevin, I can clearly see a couple times we would have missed the last ferry of the day.

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: jagmansr] #67332
09/08/2015 04:56 PM
09/08/2015 04:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 594
Michigan
I
IWIWSE Offline
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IWIWSE  Offline
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I
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 594
Michigan
As Carol said, I've got no horse in this race.
I assume no one is required to join the organization.
If the independent drivers are getting more fares and
making more money, then rather than grousing, the
organized drivers may want to reevaluate their organization.
Having said that, I'm sure the drivers and the people of
St. Thomas can make these decisions without my help.
The only vote I cast is with my money.

Mike

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: jagmansr] #67333
09/08/2015 05:04 PM
09/08/2015 05:04 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 192
WI. St. Thomas
TomSW Offline
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TomSW  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 192
WI. St. Thomas
Why is there an "organized taxi association" to begin with? I think the free market would do just fine if left to it's own devices. Though I do understand the cronyism that exists here. Hard to overcome.

Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: IWIWSE] #67334
09/08/2015 05:05 PM
09/08/2015 05:05 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
maytrix Offline
Traveler
maytrix  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
Exactly Mike, although as we're seeing here in Boston and other cities, Taxi drivers don't want to change. They just don't want to see other methods in use. If Uber wasn't good, people wouldn't use it. Rather than change, they just complain and try to make Uber illegal. Seems similar in STT.


Matt
Re: Kevin STT Taxi [Re: GeorgeC1] #67335
09/08/2015 09:58 PM
09/08/2015 09:58 PM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
LocalSailor Offline
Traveler
LocalSailor  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,347
USVI
Quote
GeorgeC1 said:
I thought they did pay. I know they run tickets through exiting the airport. Perhaps there is a grace period and they don't pay. Will ask Stanley next trip if he can still pick me up.
G


Paying for your entry ticket and parking time is not what this fee consideration was about.
Stanley aka "The Love Cab" is also an entrepreneurial hardworking taxi driver and may be able to explain the situation better than I can.

Last edited by LocalSailor; 09/08/2015 10:00 PM.

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