Tap-Tap

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Tap-tap cab in Port-au-Prince.
Tap-tap cab in Port-au-Prince.
Tap-tap bus used for longer journeys.
Tap-tap bus used for longer journeys.

Tap-Tap cabs (also known as 'camionettes') serve as mass transportation in Haiti. They are a form of shared taxi. They are one of various forms of transportations such as the Guaguas of Puerto Rico 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 trucks with benches and a sun cover, able to maneuver in heavy traffic. For longer journeys between cities larger trucks and buses are used. Both versions are elaborately decorated by their owner/drivers, making them bright spots in the drab streets. Each tap-tap bears its own unique designs and markings making each one, though similar in color, different from the rest. Christian phrases and ideologies in Haitian Creole are nearly always imprinted. Tap-taps can actually navigate well on rough terrain and some even go cross-country, however the buses are more frequently used because they are suitable for long travels.

Most tap-taps operate over fixed routes, departing only when full. One can ride a city Tap-Tap for approximately five gourdes.