1. Taxi - this mode of transportation is used mainly by foreigners - since it is so expensive in comparison to other modes of transport. For all but one location that I traveled to during my stay, a ride would cost 150 pesos, which is $3.94 US for the entire car, not per person. We used this when going to the Pekin congregation here in Santiago, but it cost 200 pesos each way - which is $5.25 US. We had to do that trip twice in one day, and got lost both times. When riding in a taxi it is a nice car, Toyota Camry style, with AC.
2. Public car - This is a very interesting transportation option. There are designated routes within the city, kinda like a bus route in a major city. The routes are posted on the windshield of the car. The main street that we are staying near has three routes that go up and down. But the trick is knowing where they turn off the main road and start going another direction. A public car is what we call in the states a major clunker. Actually I think most of the public cars would have been taken off the road long ago. Remember that there is no emissions testing or anything here, so most anything goes. All of the public cars are toyota corolla size cars, which in the states would mean a 5 seater. Not here. It is a 7 seater, and it doesn't matter how big you are. Today I took mom to the local Walmart (La Sirena) and she got to ride true "Dominican style". There was the driver in the front with two other passengers. Keep in mind, the two other passengers don't know each other, but you get really close. In the back seat, there was mom, me and two other persons my size. All four of us in the back seat of a Toyota Corolla. It was very interesting. Earlier this week, I had to be the middle person in the front seat. My left buttock was on the emergency brake and the right one was on the seat belt thing. My thigh was right up against the gear shifter and I kept knocking it out of gear. How embarrassing. Worst was I had to put my arm up and over the person to my right and practically put my armpit in their face. But of course, sweat is a normal smell here. The cost of the public car is 20 pesos each way per person - which is $.52 US. Obviously a cheaper mode of trasnport, especially if you are single.
3. Gua-Gua - (pronounced waa-waa) - This mode of transportation is used for travel outside the city. This transports a little different than a bus, because you can get on and off where you want. It is similar to a 20 passenger van. They play movie while riding. We saw Dennis the Menace in Spanish while we were riding from Santiago to Puerto Plata. You would not want to use this means if you have luggage or large bags, since there is no underbelly to storage them. If it can't fit on your lap, don't bring it. The cost was about the same as the bus, but more convenient to take since we could get off right in front of the resort we were staying at.
4. Caribe Tours or Metro Tours - This is similar to our Greyhound in the states. You purchase a ticket, load your luggage underneath and sit back and enjoy the ride. The one thing I didn't like about this ride is that the locals only want to sleep on the ride, since they have seen the country so many times. So they close the curtains. :( I wanted to be able to see the outside. The trip from Santo Domingo (Capital in the far south coast) to Puerto Plata (far north coast) was about 4 hours and cost about 330 pesos or $8.68 US per person.
5. Private vehicle - I have been able to ride several times in private vehicles owned by the brothers and sisters. As you saw from my post about Luperon, you squeeze people in as tight as you can. A brother in Puerto Plata told us he had 12 people in his Toyota 4Runner one time. The only time seat belts are required is in the front seats in the city. This only applies to private vehicles. There is no inspections here, so anything goes as far as the condition of the vehicles. You are required to have insurance, but it really only covers medical, not your vehicle.
6. Motoconchos - This mode of trasnport is by motorcyles. Many people here own their own motorcyle or scooter/moped. But, you can also take a motoconcho for a think 10 or 20 pesos. I noticed that all the people I saw riding on the back of them do not even hold onto the driver. If you think the motorcyles in the states wizz in and out of the traffic, it is nothing compared to here. Most people also hire the motochoncos to pick up their propane bottles from their houses (used for the stove) and take them and get them filled. Here is a picture of one:
The gentlemen on the front of the motoconchos are the hired drivers - you see most anything on the road here - even a backhoe
This isn't something you see everyday - the motorcycle on the right is a motoconcho - the one on the left has two passengers (the one in the front is a woman) - either the motoconcho's motorcycle ran out of gas or wasn't working because the woman on the left has her foot on his motorcycle and they are pushing him
This gentleman used his motorcycle to herd his cows home - we were coming home from a Bible study
Many vehicles here run off of gasoline, diesel and some off of gasoline and propane. The cost of propane used to be about half of gasoline, so many cars converted over. Now the price is about the same for both. Before I learned about the propane, I remember I would be riding in a public car and their gas needle be all the way to empty and was worried that we wouldn't make it, not knowing that there was a large propane tank in the truck of the car. The cost per gallon here is about $5.80 US. One time the public car was out of propane so we pulled into a propane station. Everyone is required to be out of the car while it was filling. Interesting experience.
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