Public transportation in Haiti is considerably less luxurious than in developed countries. Travelers who want luxury accommodations and transportation should not visit Haiti. As the poorest country in the western hemisphere and among the poorest in the world, Haiti does not have the infrastructure for a modern working public transportation system. Resourceful Haitians have however improvised a public transportation system that includes taxis, taptaps, and busses.
Taptaps
Taptaps are the Haitian version of communal taxis. They squeeze a couple dozen, or more, people into the back of a very old battered light pickup truck. Benches usually line the sides of the pickup bed. It may be painted with bright colors, or not. There may be a roof to protect passengers from sun and rain. Standing passengers need to pay attention; the driver will not slow down for low hanging branches or other obstacles.
Passengers will be jammed into the taptap along with goats, chickens, and other assorted cargo. Travel light; passengers must carry their luggage in their laps. A driver's assistant collects fares. At their destinations passengers tap to signal the driver to stop. Vehicle and road maintenance is spotty at best. The ride will be bouncy and breakdowns are possible.
Most popular travel routes have frequent taptaps, but there is no organized schedule. To catch a taptap, stand along the side of the road until one comes along. When it stops, squeeze in.
In areas too remote for regular taptap service, the few who own vehicles often pick up their neighbors to provide an informal taptap service.
Busses
In each city there are designated locations where the busses to other cities wait for departure. These locations are not marked, so travelers must ask the locals the location of the bus stop for the destination city. At the bus stop, ask the driver to make sure it is going to the desired destination and climb aboard. It is also a good idea to ask the fare ahead of time and to shop for the best fare and most comfortable bus.
Haitian busses have no scheduled departure times. They leave when they are completely full and the driver can collect no more fares. Passengers arriving early get the best choice of seats, but have to wait the longest to depart. Street vendors will come to the windows to try to sell food, drinks, and anything else someone might buy.
Haitian busses have no sanitation facilities. If necessary, the driver can stop along the road to allow a passenger to use the bushes. Women should wear fairly long full skirts.
Taxis
It is also possible to hire taxis in most Haitian cities. A taxi can be hired exclusively for an increased fare. Otherwise the driver will pick up additional passengers. It is also possible to hire a car and driver by the day. In all cases it is a good idea to negotiate the fare in advance.
In some Haitian cities small motorcycles are used as inexpensive taxis. They seldom carry more than two or three passengers.
An intercity trip, of a distance that would take an hour or two in the developed world, can require the use of several different machines and take most of the day in Haiti. Travelers planning such a trip should start at dawn to reach their destination by dusk. They will not soon forget the trip.
Further Reading
Doggett, Scott and Connolly, Joyce, Dominican Republic and Haiti, Lonely Planet, 2002.
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