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Tourists who arrive at Cancun International Airport require transportation to the Hotel Zone and many hire a taxi service, and now those visitors can avoid being overcharged by taxi drivers by using a new app. The app is available for download by both Android and IOS users and can be a useful tool for tourists and residents who utilize taxi services for getting around. Launched by the Mobility Institute of the State of Quintana Roo, or IMOVEQROO, the app allows users to check rates for specific routes that they hire transportation for.
The development of the app comes after hundreds of complaints were found on social media regarding the abuses of taxi drivers when it comes to charging customers more than the authorized rates. Additionally, the app includes the authorized rates for hired vans, as there have also been complaints about overcharging from these drivers as well.
Users who wish to download the app can download based on the municipality in which they will be using these types of public transportation. Within the app, users will input their pick-up and drop-off locations on a map and the cost for the entire journey will be displayed for the user to see. This allows users to verify if the amount being charged by the taxi or van driver is the same as the authorized allowable charge.
Recently there was a slight increase in taxi rates, of around 50 cents, that went into effect on May 1st. This increase was an authorized increase that is now already figured into the price that you will see when searching for a rate verification within the app. The increase only affects the prices for certain routes, including the most commonly traveled routes by tourists, which include routes between the airport, the Cancun Hotel Zone, and the downtown area.
Not only will this new app help visitors determine if they are being charged correctly but it will also help tourists avoid getting into a fake taxi by being able to verify the prices through the app. Fake taxis are a major problem for the city, as visitors flying into the Cancun airport generally do not know how to distinguish a regulated taxi from an unauthorized taxi. These illegal taxi drivers often wait outside the airport for unsuspecting visitors and in many cases will charge exorbitant fees that are not anywhere near what is legally authorized.
For a taxi ride from the airport to the Cancun Hotel Zone visitors can expect to pay around $25.00 if they book their ride in advance. The price can increase to as much as $50.00 if the ride is not booked prior to arriving at the Cancun International Airport. When traveling between the downtown area and the Hotel Zone visitors can expect to pay less than $10.00 and less than $5.00 for travel within the Hotel Zone.
More and more people from all over the world are visiting Cancun, as the Mexican Caribbean city has greatly grown in popularity over the past few years. Millions have visited the city already this year and millions more are expected throughout the rest of the year.
Most of these visitors have no choice but to use taxis as their way of getting around during their visit, even if just from the airport to their hotel. This new app will help protect those tourists from being overcharged by taxi and bus drivers so they can have more money to do what they came to the city to do, and that is enjoy the beautiful beaches of Cancun.
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Daniel
Saturday 24th of June 2023
Any news on the app release date?
Kelli
Sunday 29th of May 2022
I went to a restaurant in the hotel Zone last night, Porfirios. The server called for cab for us, and when she got there, she demanded 1,000 mx / $50 usd when the driver from the hotel charged 25 dollars. It didn’t feel right so we got out and had what seemed like the valet call a cab. How do we report a cab? I got information off the cab.
liz
Wednesday 25th of May 2022
The app is avaliable on my mexican app store but not my friend's American one. So will it be avaliable for all visitor's?
James James McCaig
Monday 23rd of May 2022
What’s the name of the app
D Cauble
Monday 23rd of May 2022
Nice article. Would be even better if it provided a link to the app! Searched ios store and found nada!
The Cancun Sun
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
We apologize and see they have not officially launched them in the app stores yet.