Puerto Vallarta: Do You Uber?

Uber vs. Taxi vs. Private Drivers

We have come to the conclusion it is a personal choice on which transportation service you use. However, the airport is a federal zone and strictly regulated on who can pick up arriving passengers. In Mexico, the taxi unions are strong. There has been resistance to Uber, called Uber Wars, referring to the shouting matches that have happened between drivers, especially when Uber first came to Puerto Vallarta. Apparently there was some shoving, too, involving taxi drivers and their newly arrived competitors; nasty words and, we have been told, a bloody nose or two. Puerto Vallarta has grown to a size where there’s room for everyone. The taxi union has fought Uber with, so far, no conclusive results. Some hotels have posted notices discouraging patrons from using Uber but they have gone unheeded.

If you choose to use Uber in Puerto Vallarta it requires an app on your phone. This precludes some people from taking advantage of the service because they either don’t have cell phones or they refuse to upgrade from the antiques that serve them well for everything else.

To avoid confrontations with taxi drivers, sit in the front seat with your Uber driver. The taxi drivers will have no idea you are in a service car, but simply riding shotgun with a friend.  There are mixed reports on whether one can call an Uber to the airport, as well as being dropped off. Apparently locals and some tourists have used the service for transport to and from the airport in Puerto Vallarta without problems. Your payment is made through the phone app, so there is no exchange of cash, which is a sure giveaway. If you feel inclined to tip, be discreet.

Bottom line: there are many transportation services to choose from in the resort destinations of Mexico. Whether you take an airport taxi, hire a private transportation company or call an Uber driver with your app, you are helping an entrepreneur who is being their own boss, as much as he or she is able.

Thanks to our Guest Blogger Adam Garcia for this great article!  (Opinions expressed are his own…)

About Vacation Villas of Mexico Founder, Vanessa Cole

The founder of the company, Vanessa Cole, lived in Puerto Vallarta for 10 years and in Cancun for 2 years. She has worked as a Villa Specialist in Vacation Rentals in Mexico since 2001.

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Vanessa earned a degree from the University of Texas in Austin, majoring in International Business and Latin American Studies.  Fluent in Spanish, she has worked and traveled all over Mexico and South America.

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