Small work - Good money.

Allen Parker says on Sep 29, 2008, 08:41:

Hello Salsero
Sounds like a good idea.What area are you in ?I am in medellin and posted forum this mourning looking to meet people here. Give me a shout or look at new post "Looking For Help in Medellin" CU SOON

parker13

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Mongo says on Sep 29, 2008, 10:57:

I'm no taxi expert, but it sounds like a good idea to me. I think the tourists would like the fact that they don't have to deal with paying the taxi drivers directly. Thats just another thing to add stress to travelers in an unfamiliar country. Gringos might really go for it!

"Here in Colombia, it's about adding life to your years, not years to your life." Brian Andrews

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papiChulo says on Sep 29, 2008, 11:56:

Think about it ;-) / -Salsero-

let us know how that works out for you.

avoid the unhappy and the unlucky

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rocinante says on Sep 29, 2008, 12:12:

In Colombia taxis are metered. The out of town fares are fixed (eg. Medellin to Rio Negro airport, 48.000)

Anyone getting ripped off in a taxi in Colombia should not be travelling. Implementing a system like this where there is absolutely no necessity, well doesn't make sense and there is no return on investment.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Not that the US president actually runs the US." Feb 5, 2008

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tomtom33 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Sep 29, 2008, 12:48:

Philly says on Sep 30, 2008, 05:55:

Well, where I live, I would not say the taxistas follow the regulations. They do not have meters in their taxis. I very rarely pay the same amount for the same trip. If I feel like they are trying to charge me too much, I pay what I believe is fair and if he has a problem with it, I tell him to call the police and when have this discussion with the officer.

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rocinante says on Sep 30, 2008, 06:57:

I stand corrected. I thought it was a country wide thing, the meters. Implementing meters makes more sense than these value cards.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Not that the US president actually runs the US." Feb 5, 2008

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pavo says on Sep 30, 2008, 07:04:

The business already exists in Colombia but no prepaid cards. There are many private "limousine" companies as they call them. You pay by the day or the trip. You can get a driver with any kind of car you want. And yeah, if you are getting ripped off in Colombia, consider it an idiot tax.

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ujay says on Sep 30, 2008, 07:53:

most taxis here ,you can booked it by the hour ,by the day ,and do it over the phone when you call for one .all so easy ,why get a pre paid card.

http://www.jukelightning.com

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feldz0084 says on Sep 30, 2008, 08:47:

...not only in Carta, but almost all over the whole coast. cinco mil barras en quilla for city jaunts or you can give a hefty FU.

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pedro (☼Travelguide writer) says on Sep 30, 2008, 10:28:

dwmte7 says on Sep 30, 2008, 11:02:

i think the medallo haks rock. they're great. if they pinch you for a penny...so what. what about a hak in n.y. or madrid, or san francisco or los angeles or worst of all, lagos nigeria.

like grand pa always said, 'if it works, don't fix it.

dwmte

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tomtom33 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Sep 30, 2008, 12:33:

Saltador says on Sep 30, 2008, 12:40:

tomtom hit the nail on the head. It's not an idiot tax, it's an "I'm on vacation trying to relax and don't feel like arguing with this dickhead over 50 cents tax".
50 cents, a dollar or two extra, no big deal right? Until you multiply it over a two week period.
I have also given the ladrones what I thought was fair and told them to call the cops if they didn't like it. But every taxi ride shouldn't have to end up in an argument.

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-Salsero- says on Sep 30, 2008, 15:35:

So, would you guys sign up for a card like this? - I would! :-) No hassles, just easy like a breeze.

Now, this is not a business for me, still I think it could work - especially if people start talking about it on forums like this. Of course I would buy one - who dosn't want hassle-free vaccations ?? (there is a reason the all inclusive travels gaining market shares every year)

And of course it will always be some people who disagree. If I claim that McDonald's is a fantastic concept, some people will still say "Naaa - It won't wok, who would like to buy crappy burgers, and I always steak my own burgers anyway - it's cheaper that way"

But that's just the normal day of any business. You can't (and should not) make everybody happy. Just find your niche and do it.

If you like what you do, and you can make a living on it - Go for it I would say.

In fact, If anyone would like to try this -please PM me, and I will be one of your first customer! :)

- Salsero -

If it's right, It's smooth and nice.

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Mark_D says on Sep 30, 2008, 16:23:

So would you have to pay more for a trip with this card or would it be the same price as a regular taxi ride?

In the later situation, you probably wouldn´t make much more than a regular driver.

In the first, what´s the difference in being ripped of by a regular taxi driver? It would probably cost you less overall than paying exagerrated prices through this scheme.

Just some thoughts on it.

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papiChulo says on Sep 30, 2008, 17:46:

-Salsero-
how about those pedal bikes like a rickshaw that seats two in the back... you know what I'm talking about for a touristy place like Cartagena?
I think that might work... I just think I pre-paid taxi service would be a little difficult to work in other parts of Colombia like Medellin or Bogota... theres's just too any taxis for me to bother with calling a specfic number IMO.

avoid the unhappy and the unlucky

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-Salsero- says on Oct 1, 2008, 07:37:

papiChulo,

It might be a good idea. On the paper, the tuktuk (bicycle taxi) in bangkok should not stand a chance agains the ordinary taxis with aircondition, cd players and all that crap. In reality, most toursits love this kind of transports, and use them once in a while just for the experience. And then the Tuk-tuks are even more expensive than the normal taxis! So yes, if you targetgroup is tourists, then hasslefree tourist experiences is a good call. That's what most tourist seek: To experience something new. The more experienced tourist might not go for the offer, but remember that they where also "new to the scene" sometime in the past, and maybe then they would have tried it if it had been aviable at that time.

More ideas - please share on the forum! :)

If it's right, It's smooth and nice.

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El Polo says on Oct 1, 2008, 08:04:

Your job, is to answearing the calls for the telephonenumber on the prepaid card (that means your mobile number) and forwarding the pickup information to your driver-Salsero

A problem can be shaky cell phone reception, a few missed phone calls, and the tourist who paid for ten rides up front, might think he's getting ripped off, which equals to bad business, and goes back to what you were trying to avoid in the first place. Also, once your business starts expanding, it might be a little hard to keep tabs on everyone, driver and customers included. Another problem can be late night phone calls at 3:00am from the party going tourist, could be an inconvenience for yourself, you might be sleeping. I think your best bet would be looking into a metered taxi, keeps everyone honest while providing good service, you would just have to find a way to market it to your target crowd. just my thoughts

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Monita Linda says on Oct 4, 2008, 20:27:

I don't know about Medellin, but in Cali taxis have "meters", which calculate how much you have to pay.

Poor but Preppy ______Colombia: the only risk is wanting to lay.

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El Polo says on Oct 13, 2008, 06:04:

http://www.eluniversal.com.co/noticias/20081007/ctg_loc_taximetro_desd...

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