Anybody got any recent info on airport van taxi's fares, not private taxi's, to the CA ferry dock from STT airport? Less than three weeks out and really upset with the way the gov't has treated our go to guy Kevin C. It has been a while since we were crowded into an airport van and can't remember the price. Info appreciated... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

What happened with Kevin? Planned to call him next week as a relative is joining us on St John.

Go to page two and scroll down until you see the Kevin post. The gov't now requires him to pay a high fee to pick up fare's at the airport. I think it said something like $65. to CA and $95. to Red Hook. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

I want to say we paid $10 each from the CA Ferry dock to the Airport as recently as April 6th. Not with Kevin...

10$+ 2$ bag fee...sometimes

Just what's said should be $10 and $2 ( sometimes)..writing this from Emerald Beach en route to Sonoma.."Oceana" for dinner in one hour..

With the amount of money the Port Authority is now charging to pick up at the airport, if Kevin charges $10 each for a party of 2, he's actually losing money on the fare from the start.

It's the age old story of "you can shear the sheep many times..you can only eat them once." Nothing aggravates novice visitors to the VIs as much as taxi fees/ service.

Learned a couple decades ago that St. John Cabs would pretend they could not hear the request from Ms Lucy's in coral bay.

Took a ride on St. Thomas in the "load em up taxi" several years ago in which I thought the driver was going to assult a passenger who did not know how to tell him how to get to the small rental while we were on the way to redhook. When it was straightened out..the host was there to greet the single lady traveler and the driver began anew the screaming and cursing at the traveler and the landlord.
I've paid 180 bucks for a round trip wih 5 people from Sopers to CGB...I've paid 85$ for a horrific ride from Leverick North Sound to VGYH chandlery to pick up a part, 5 minutes from lot to store, get part, back to lot...to be left there 2 hrs while the driver obviously took other fares. Both ways ghe seemed determined to imitate a roller coaster ride in the back of that pickup. Wasting most of three hours to get a part, I did not need a near death experience going and coming.

I've paid 95$ to miss the ferry from STT to CA..and driver actually told me he wasn't going to charge me more to go across the street to the Windward Passage.

A friend staying at our place on VG wanted to go to the full moon party at Trellis with her two young children..so checked into the tamarind club ..got taxi, paid for a round trip when dropped off (a mistake but honesty should matter) , asked that he return in two hours..he gave them a card...never came back..did not answer phone.


Let it be said, there have been many other pleasant and average experiences over the years as well. Never a single time being taken advantage of from VGYH to condo...a couple times had to get a guest to Leverick for first north sound ferry ..taxi picked up at o dark thirty as agreed..no problem.

But it is a fact that taxis are way over priced by North American standards and it does indeed make a bad impression for visitors. With Cuba opening up providing likely cheaper and less costly access..not sure it's a great time to tax and taxi cost visitors to the BVI to death. As I understand it, in both the BVI and USVI taxi drivers hold a lot of political sway. Unfortunately they may have a big hand in killing the golden goose.

"I've paid 180 bucks for a round trip with 5 people from Sopers to CGB."

A fool and his money are soon parted." Why did you pay that much for any of those taxis? The prices are clearly posted.

Not as bright as you or could well afford it I guess..at the time I was new.. having purchased a charter boat and wanting to get guests to CGB and to pick up a part for boat in other example . I could well afford it and had an investment in the BVI more than a decade ago..I know much better now. . Today I have land accomodations..a boat and a jeep on VG ...don't need any advice or chastisement. . My point was that newbies ..like many of us perhaps once were..will be screwed as we were ..and use that as a reason to never come back. Only offering an opinion...not looking for a P match ..if there is no taxi cost problem these days ...it's all good.

Btw..not even sure fares were "posted" in 2005/2006.. ..but would wager folks are being hit by exorbitant taxi fees in both USVI and BVI daily

sorry, the post was not intended to chastise, didn't realize it was a decade ago. It has nothing to do with how bright any body is. When I hear people paying exorbitant amounts on taxis it stinks. It only sends a message for tourists to be aware. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I agree totally. I do know next to the difficulty in getting to the islands, the complaint I hear often is about the expense of taxi service. I believe that the taxi lobby is very important in both the USVI and BVI politically, thus they are allowed very generous fares. The government sees it as harmless in that for the most part tourists are paying those fares.

In the BVI's the cabbies swing the vote..There have to be a few hundred of them and their families..they vote along with less than 20,000 others ..so they hold the power. The Gov will do little or nothing to ever upset them..the tail wags the dog..

Taxi drivers and unions on *all* Caribbean islands hold a great deal of power. They make their own rules, they break their own rules, they run t'ings in general. It is a job that only takes knowing where the beaches are. I think knowing how to drive is optional for many. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

so you don't think Uber would work? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />