Tap-tap cabA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire, with a driver, for a single passenger, or small group of passengers, typically for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
s (also known as
camionettes) serve as mass transportation in
HaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Creole- and French-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago...
. Tap-taps are privately owned, but publicly operated as a form of
shared taxiA share taxi is a mode of transport that falls between private transport and conventional bus transport, often with a fixed or semi-fixed route, but with the added convenience of stopping anywhere to pick up or drop off passengers and not having fixed time schedules...
. They are one of various forms of transportation such as the
Guaguas of
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
named after a sound, in this case, the sharp taps on the metal panel signifying a passenger's request to be dropped off. Urban Tap-taps are small
pickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling heavy loads....
s, sometimes mini-vans, with benches and a sun cover, able to maneuver in heavy traffic.
Tap-tap cabA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire, with a driver, for a single passenger, or small group of passengers, typically for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
s (also known as
camionettes) serve as mass transportation in
HaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Creole- and French-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago...
. Tap-taps are privately owned, but publicly operated as a form of
shared taxiA share taxi is a mode of transport that falls between private transport and conventional bus transport, often with a fixed or semi-fixed route, but with the added convenience of stopping anywhere to pick up or drop off passengers and not having fixed time schedules...
. They are one of various forms of transportation such as the
Guaguas of
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
named after a sound, in this case, the sharp taps on the metal panel signifying a passenger's request to be dropped off. Urban Tap-taps are small
pickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling heavy loads....
s, sometimes mini-vans, with benches and a sun cover, able to maneuver in heavy traffic. For longer journeys between cities or across the country-side, larger trucks known as
gwo machins, and buses, known as
auto buses, are used. Both versions are elaborately decorated by their owner with bright colors and other artistic elements, which stands in contrast with some of the bleak city blocks in
Port-au-PrincePort-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti.The city of Port-au-Prince faces the Gulf of Gonâve, at . The bay on which the city lies, which acts as a natural harbor, has sustained economic activity since the civilizations of the Arawaks...
and
Cap-HaitienCap-Haïtien is a city of about 180,000 people on the north coast of Haiti. It is the capital of the Nord Department...
. Christian phrases and secular slogans usually in
FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
, although increasingly seen in Haitian Creole and
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
, are often imprinted. Although one may see a number of smaller tap-taps making cross-country trips,
gwo machins and
auto buses are more frequent due to their ability to better handle Haiti's rugged
infrastructureInfrastructure can be defined as the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function....
.
Most tap-taps operate over fixed routes, departing only when full. One can usually ride a tap-tap for approximately five gourdes, but the charge will depend on the distance you ride or your overall destination for longer trips. Characteristic of similar situations in the
Third WorldThe term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned or neutral with either capitalism and NATO or communism and the Soviet Union...
, foreigners are often charged more due to their perceived socio-economic advantage compared to everyone else. As a tap-tap passes, simply shout 'alé' to join the ride, but when ready to get off, say 'mesi chofè' and pay as you leave.
Tap-taps are also notorious venues for local gossip and politically charged, but light-hearted
kompaCompas is a Haitian musical genre derived from African and European roots. It is also known as kompa, kompas, kompass, compas direct, or konpa direct...
music.
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