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BiggerUber Select expands to new tourist areas in the Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo.- Uber Select has announced its expansion into San Pedro de Macorís, Juan Dolio, and Boca Chica, providing an opportunity for more tourist taxi drivers to register as driver partners on the app. This expansion builds on Uber Select’s success in Punta Cana and is made possible through a partnership with the Dominican Confederation of Tourist Taxi Drivers (CODOTATUR) and its affiliated associations, including Caña Tours SRL, Sichotratur, and Sitratubochza.
Celebrating its second anniversary in Punta Cana, Uber Select has become a popular high-quality mobility option, offering driver partners additional earning opportunities. Since its launch in May 2022, the service has facilitated over 115,000 trips, with more than 31,000 of these involving Punta Cana International Airport. The most active times for the service are Saturdays and Sundays, particularly between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
The expansion underscores Uber’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with CODOTATUR and its affiliates, aiming to enhance tourism and contribute to the local economy. Uber’s initiative is seen as a key driver in boosting tourism, creating income opportunities for driver partners, and improving the overall visitor experience in the Dominican Republic.
Expand?? They need to fix all the current problems there is already with Uber in DR first. That being all the crooked drivers!! I have sent numerous emails and screenshots to Uber about these interactions that constantly occur but they do nothing. It abundantly happens in the more touristic areas i.e. Airport, resort areas. It’s always a variation of the same thing.
1. Driver will message you almost as soon as they accept the ride with a Hola. Then shortly thereafter they will ask where you are going, you respond stating where, they proceed to tell you that the given fare set by Uber is incorrect and that you have to pay them more in cash. You can tell them No the price is what it is and then will be met with insulting border line threatening messages. They won’t cancel because they want to at least cheat you out of the cancellation fee, which I’m always smart enough to wait them out and make them cancel.
2. They will actually arrive to your destination or close to it but then proceed to do the afford mentioned of telling you the fare is different and/or ask you to pay with cash instead, and also possibly to cancel the trip and pay the increased fare to them instead. Don’t have cash no problem… They will take you to an ATM. Red Flag. If they are already trying to rip you off what makes you think they won’t try to raise it even more or rob you at an ATM?
3. By far the most scariest of all which I have had happen to me twice. They arrive, you get into the Uber and they start the ride, and then they pull away.
Then the whole where are you going and it costing more bit starts. Tell them No and Immediately get out of the car!!!!
Some may say you should report the driver. This has been done, nothing happens. I have been dealing with this for 3 years and contacting Uber about it with no changes. I travel there frequently to see my family who still lives there so it can’t be said this is a one off experience.
Word travels like wild fire in that country so it would be very easy to fix. Uber needs to deploy some secret shoppers (riders) for a few months to these areas. As soon as they encounter one of these crooks immediately terminate them as a driver, and ensure they know why so it gets around quickly that Uber is in fact monitoring their behavior. Some may say that it is a poor country and that they don’t make that much ECT; they chose to work for Uber and they chose to accept the fare at the rate that was shown.
So that means nothing when you are dealing with these people unethical behavior and putting customers safety at risk do to Ubers inactions. Maybe posting this here will help this gain traction as a few years ago I emailed all of the major US outlets about it but nobody picked up the story, which is truly sad. Guess someone has to die first.
This is so true. I’m back and forth between NY and Santo Domingo 5 to 6 times a year and it’s always the same thing. As Earl has mentioned #3 is the favorite it has happened to me about 4x.
Don’t let me tell you about the employed crooks at SDQ airport. Be careful what you put in the security bin and hope it comes out on the other end. Had to make big noise to get my phone back but they kept my watch. Long story and I did report and reply to the survey regarding my trip to DR, but they not responded nor do anything.
Always happens in Puerto Plata Uber lists fare to airport at 385 RD a driver will respond and say the fare is wrong it’s 1400RD to airport I say forget it then there’s this constant back and forth with 2 or 3 drivers with the fare going down to maybe 1100 RD I’ve taken the public taxi to airport for 100 pesos just got to make that walk to terminal