Driving a taxi in the USVI (leases, insurance, to buy)

[blickcd]

I was wondering how taxis operated and were regulated in the US Virgin Islands, and how lucrative a job that was in tourist areas.

For example, in the mainland US, I'd say the average driver leases their car for a 12 hour shift from a fleet operator that maintains the cars, provides insurance, and a dispatching service. The driver is otherwise self employed and has to buy their own gas. Whatever money they make in that 12 hours is sort of random, though with experience a driver can usually count on raking in a certain amount in that 12 hours. For example, decades ago when I moonlighted for a local cab company on weekends, I could usually count on making around $100 per shift.

Job requirements vary by location but usually include having a valid driver's license, good driving record, pass a police background check, and obtain a local taxi driver's license by paying a fee and taking an exam that tests knowledge of the city in which they will be driving.

[STT Resident]

The taxis are privately owned by locals, are licensed, and the fares are regulated by the VI Taxicab Commission. If you were thinking of running a taxi here it's impossible for anyone other than a knowledgeable local to operate here. The island roads aren't well marked and it takes years to find your way around sufficiently to transport passengers. There's a lot more involved but that's it in a nutshell if you were thinking along those lines!

[Maineac]

This is a real bad idea for a multitude of reasons that I won't delve into, but the previous poster can guess where it would go. It's "impossible for anyone but a knowledgeable local to operate here" does not mean you won't be able to find your way around the island, but rather means that you will not get a taxi medallion, nor will you be allowed to drive a taxi by the powerful "local" taxi driver's lobby. Any time there is money involved, they want all of it and do not want to share, and are a sufficiently sized voting block to prevent competition or new people entering the business. I know quite a few taxi drivers, and the only ones "from away" spent years developing "connections" and end up getting leased someone else's buggy at ridiculous expense. I know one very hard working lady from the DR that makes about minimum wage and works 7 days a week every opportunity she gets. And the guy that owns the safari (someone else owns the medallion) gets the lion's share of the fares. Cash.