Bali’s Taxi Scene: From Copycats to the “Taxi Mafia”

Bali’s taxi and ridesharing situation is an interesting one. In this day and age, we are so used to using apps for everything, including Uber (and Grab in South East Asia) to get around. We prefer to use ride-sharing apps in foreign countries because it’s easier, we are less likely to get scammed, it is a cashless transaction (so we can collect those credit cards points!), and we don’t have to worry about language barriers.

In the south part of Bali, there is only one company that has earned the title of being reputable, while the others go to great lengths to mimic them. Farther north, an aggressive ‘Taxi Mafia’ has been established, who try to rid their communities of ride-sharing apps or taxis from other parts of the island.

Below is a rundown of what tourists should expect when hailing a taxi in Bali.

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How To Spot A Blue Bird Taxi

In the southern areas of Bali, such as Seminyak and Kuta, the Blue Bird taxi company is known to be trustworthy. You can even download the Blue Bird Taxi app to make sure you ride an authentic Blue Bird taxi. They use a meter and do not haggle tourists for higher fares. Unfortunately, virtually every taxi looks like a Blue Bird! Their competitors go to great lengths to mimic them. Some of the replica Blue Birds look so authentic that it takes a double or triple check to ensure they are the real deal.

Here is what to look for:

1. Taxi head sign has the Blue Bird logo
2. Meter inside the taxi
3. Sunscreen with official logo
4. Identification number on the side and/or back of the car
5. Authentic Blue Bird logo on the car

A few more things to look for are: 

• Driver wearing an authentic uniform
• Headrest in the car will have the logo
• Dashboard with the driver’s ID card and an identification number
• All official Blue Bird taxis are the same shade of blue

Below is an imposter on the right beside an official Blue Bird taxi on the left. Notice the difference in colour, head sign and ID number.

Here are a couple more Blue Bird imposters.

The ‘Taxi Mafia’

Further north in Ubud, the island’s cultural heart, there are visible signs falsely warning tourists that ridesharing apps such as Uber and Grab are illegal. These signs have been put up by local taxi drivers who have banded together to create a ‘Taxi Mafia’. Their goal is to prevent ride-sharing apps like Uber or Grab from operating as well as taxi companies from other areas of Bali (like Blue Bird).The Taxi Mafia believe that because ridesharing apps offer fares for a fraction of the cost of regular taxis, it is too difficult to compete. This is partly because these drivers contribute up to 30% of their salary back to their local communities. They also have to factor the costs for the return journey, which ride-sharing companies do not.Each village in Bali is divided into smaller sub-villages called banjar. Within these sub-villages, local residents work cooperatively to contribute to daily aspects of life ranging from religious ceremonies to road repairs. If an outside company or a taxi from a different village operates on foreign turf, they are profiting off the community and not giving anything back.The taxi mafia has been known to be quite intimidating and aggressive towards ride-sharing drivers and passengers. This creates massive problems for tourists in Bali, as they have to haggle, have exact change on hand, and try to communicate with the driver, who may not speak much English.

The quoted fares are mega inflated, often 5-10 times what the actual fare should be. For example, we were quoted $150,000 rupiah (approximately $15 CAD) for a less than 10 minute ride, which ultimately only cost us $30,000 rupiah (~$3 CAD). In comparison, we travelled from Seminyak to Ubud (a one and a half hour ride) for $200,000 (~$20 CAD) in a Grab!

By being aggressive and confrontational, the Taxi Mafia is not doing themselves any favours in the eyes of tourists. Although I can understand both sides of the issue, making life more difficult for tourists and ripping them off is not the best way to maintain a positive reputation, especially on an island that depends so heavily on tourism. I am not sure what the solution is to keep everybody happy! Only time will tell.