The Moto Taxi: Preferred Mode of Transportation

There are lots of ways to get around in Haiti. Some are different than what you might find in other capital cities. There are no subways, trains, or yellow taxis, but there are taptaps and moto taxis. You can’t really ride a bike around, but you can walk or drive a car. However, with all the options, my favorite mode of transportation has to be the moto taxi. What is a moto-taxi you ask? A moto taxi works like a normal taxi: a driver who takes you where you want to go. They don’t have scheduled routes, they go where you want them to and the further you go, the higher the fee. The only difference between a moto-taxi and a normal taxi is the fact that you are sitting on a questionably put together motorcycle and at the mercy of the driver.  Instead of the safety (and comfort) of a car with “walls” and a “ceiling” and maybe some airbags and a soft seat, you are straddling the back of a motorcycle, trying not to burn your legs on the tail pipe, wondering where to put your hands (I prefer the clutch-of-death on the back of the seat approach), and repeating to yourself “think thin, think thin” as you weave through impossibly narrow gaps between cars. 

I love it. 

I love it for many reasons:

1. They take you right where you want to go. Instead of taptaps that go on certain streets and routes only, the moto takes you straight ot your destination. No walking. 
2. Convenience: you can never depend on cars to go anywhere. The keys might be missing. They might all be broken. Flat tire. Expired registration. You can never predict if you’ll have a car or not, so the moto offers you a way to still be able to get out and do things. 
3. Traffic--Port-au-Prince is insanely overcrowded and doesn’t have the infrastructure to handle the amount of people and cars that are here so that equals traffic. Anytime other than before 8am on a weekend you can almost guarantee you will sit in terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad traffic...but not on a moto!  Motos zoom around, between, beside (and almost any other preposition you can name) cars without having to just sit and wait your day away. 
4. It’s hot. I don’t mean hot-hot, I mean temperature hot. Always always hot here. Imagine sitting in a car (with no A/C) for hours in traffic. No breeze, no wind, just the feeling of sweat dripping down your back as you wait and wait and wait to move another quarter of an inch towards your destination. Now, imagine you are moving fast, with the wind in your face, the cool breeze...that’s more like it.
5. The awesome-tough-badA factor. Most blan aren’t even allowed to walk down the street in the middle of the day. Many have never taken a taptap and most would never consider climbing on the back of a moto. I secretly enjoy the “wow” look I get when people ask “How did you get here?” and I casually respond “Moto."
6. All around the city at corners, busy intersections, or gas stations there are groups of about a half dozen or more guys sitting on motorcycles waiting for patrons, the same way taxis will line up outside a theater or train station waiting for people. Some people have a certain moto driver they always call, but we prefer the “walk to the moto-station and find someone” approach. 

So, if you are ever wandering around in Haiti and need to go somewhere, I recommend taking a moto. And, to help you with choosing a moto driver, below is my guide to choosing a moto driver:

1. Look for the oldest person there. Find someone who looks dependable and might have a wife and kids. They’re probably going to take less chances on the moto.
2. Avoid anyone who calls you “sista” or says you’re beautiful or asks you to marry them. That’s annoying.
3. Choose someone with a lot of zip-ties on their bike, but make sure you understand the purpose of the zip-ties. If the zip-ties are holding the brakes in place: no. If the zip-ties are decorating the bike like badges of honor: yes.
4. Always go with the guy with the extra helmet if you don’t have your own. You don’t want to have your head examined at a Haitian hospital.

Happy moto-ing!