Montego Bay Taxis: Red Plates, Route Taxis and JUTA

What does a red plate mean in Jamaica?

A red plate means the vehicle is registered as a public passenger vehicle (PPV). The Transport Authority's route taxi requirement sheet calls them "PPV plates (red plates)", issued only after the Authority approves a road licence. It also requires "any person who operates a PPV either as a Driver or Conductor" to have a badge.

The U.S. State Department tells visitors to "only use licensed taxicabs having red and white license plates or transportation services recommended by your hotel". It notes that private cars, which are not licensed to carry the public for money, have white plates with blue letters.

What the plate does not tell you is which licence sits behind it. Under the Authority's licence categories, route taxis, hackney carriages and contract carriages all use red plates, and each has its own fare rule. That difference, not the plate colour, decides what you pay.

Three licences behind the same plate

Route taxis are what Jamaicans use daily. They run between named points, pick up and drop off along the way, and each passenger pays their own fare. The Jamaica Tourist Board says they carry "TAXI" markings and a checkered black and white pattern, and that drivers must show their Transport Authority driver ID.

Hackney carriages are the classic street taxi: you hire the whole car. The Authority's licence page describes a vehicle that "stands or plies for hire on thoroughfares", limited to four passengers travelling together, with red plates and a black and yellow checked band.

Contract carriages are licensed for "the use of the vehicle as a whole" under a contract, and cannot stand for hire in public places unless the spot is designated. The Authority has separate contract carriage requirements for tourism-sector vehicles, such as those operating from a hotel or pier.

Why JUTA and JCAL are not ordinary taxis

Tourism transport has a second regulator. On top of the Transport Authority road licence, contract carriages serving visitors are licensed by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), whose FAQ refers to its licensees as JTB-licensed entities. TPDCo's contract carriage page sets the fee at J$5,000 per vehicle per year plus J$800 for each additional driver, with licences expiring on 31 March.

The Transport Authority's contract carriage requirement sheet links the two systems. Tourism-sector applicants must supply a letter from their contractor listing the vehicle's chassis, engine and registration numbers and, where applicable, its decal number. The vehicle also needs red PPV plates and PPV insurance.

JUTA (Jamaica Union of Travellers Association) and JCAL are the two taxi companies MBJ Airports names at Sangster, and both also run transfer desks. The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises visitors to "use Jamaican Tourist Board (JTB) approved taxis and minibuses for excursions, airport transfers and sightseeing". It adds that most hotels have assigned JTB drivers who carry photo ID and display a blue JTB sticker on the front windscreen.

The trade-off is price. Contract carriage fares are agreed with the operator, not taken from the Authority's route or hackney tables. We found no published JUTA or JCAL tariff for Montego Bay, so ask for the total in writing, or at least out loud, before you load bags.

How do you get a taxi at Sangster International Airport?

MBJ Airports names two taxi companies at Sangster: JUTA Taxi and JCAL Taxi. They "share a common Authorised Airport Taxi desk located just outside the Customs exit". The airport's page publishes phone numbers for both but no fares.

If your hotel or tour company booked a transfer, you go to a different place. The airport's transfer and tour operator list places those desks in the Ground Transportation Arrivals Hall, where customer service staff direct arriving passengers. Juta Tours has desk 1, JCAL desk 3, and Knutsford Express, the scheduled coach company, desk 36.

How much do Montego Bay route taxis cost?

The Transport Authority raised route taxi and hackney fares by 8% on 2 June 2026 and a further 8% on 1 July 2026. From 1 July, the route taxi formula is J$132 plus J$8.64 per kilometre, per passenger, rounded to the nearest J$10. Children, students in uniform, disabled passengers and senior citizens pay half.

The St James table lists fares from each point into Montego Bay:

The hackney schedule from 1 July is J$375 plus J$75 per kilometre for the car, J$39 per five minutes of waiting, or J$1,197 an hour. Its sample table lists Kingston-area routes only and has a separate, higher night column.

Worked example: Coral Gardens into town

Coral Gardens is 11 km from Montego Bay in the route taxi table.

• Route taxi, two adults: 2 × J$230 = J$460.
• Route taxi, four adults: 4 × J$230 = J$920.
• Hackney at the Authority's formula: J$375 + (11 × J$75) = J$1,200 for the whole car, for up to four people.

For one or two people, a shared route taxi costs far less. For four people with shopping bags, the private hire is closer in price and saves the stops. A contract carrier's quote for the same trip can be higher, because it is agreed by contract, not fixed by the Authority's table.

Checks before you get in

Look for red plates first. For a route taxi, the roof globe should read "TAXI", and the car should carry "ROUTE TAXI" lettering, its association logo, a fleet number and its route. A hackney shows "HACKNEY CARRIAGE" or "TAXI" and its fare schedule. For a hotel or tour driver, ask to see the photo ID and look for the blue JTB sticker the UK advice describes.

If an operator's tourism licence matters to you, for example before a full-day hire, TPDCo's licensing FAQ says its Licence Processing Unit holds the database of licensed entities. If the car has white plates, it is not licensed to carry you for money, whatever the driver says; walk back to the desk or call your hotel.