FLL taxis - car seats/booster chairs

I just wanted to chime in. We were planning on NOT bringing the carseat, my daughter will be 3 years old and is 37 lbs now - 40 lbs is the minimum weight for a booster seat. She will be in a taxi from FLL to port (10 minute drive). I read the second post, but does this apply to public vehicles? In Ontario where I live the law is similar but does not apply to public vehicles (i.e. taxi, bus). We have done a few taxi rides at home without the child seat.

Actually the law in Ontario changed a few years ago, now children must be restrained at all times and there is no exclusion for grandparents and public vehicles.

The reference is here http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/handbook/section2.1.8.shtml

So if you bring your own car seat, will the taxi driver take you? Or they will refer you to use van? There are 4 adults and 1 toddles in our company.... Just trying to see what's the best way to get transported while in FLL. I will use the service 3 times: FLL to hotel, Hotel to Cruiseport, Cruiseport to FLL.

So if you bring your own car seat, will the taxi driver take you? Or they will refer you to use van? There are 4 adults and 1 toddles in our company.... Just trying to see what's the best way to get transported while in FLL. I will use the service 3 times: FLL to hotel, Hotel to Cruiseport, Cruiseport to FLL.

This is a very "OLD" thread....I think you're already getting good information on the thread you just posted a few days ago...at least current info.

However..to answer your question...you'll have no problem getting a van type taxi in the FLL taxi lineup...and yes with your own carseat you'll have no problem with the taxi driver's.

I appreciate you answering my question. I just called cab company as well and they confirmed that will let me in with my toddler and my seat so I guess I am taking it and will take whichever will be better price. 1 taxi for 4 adults and toddler probably won't fit but the operator said that maybe. Anyways 2 separate taxis are better then one private van so I guess I will do that... Or the default scenario I will take a GO VAN which as I understand I don't need to pre-book. With my car seat, I will have no problems in getting into any cab, so the transportation from hotel from port, and then from port to FLL should be no issue whatsoever.

I would tip the driver a few extra bucks for the time spent installing and uninstalling the car seats. :cool:

One more suggestion -- for kids who are old enough and heavy enough to use a booster seat, get a Bubble Bum inflatable booster seat (deflates and can be thrown into a carry on easily) or a backpack booster seat that can be carried by the child and also have space for toys or a few small kids items. Both are easy to travel with and take up very little additional space.

We traveled with our Bubble Bum earlier this year with our 5yo on a Panama Canal sailing. We were able to use it in our rental car in Florida before departing and in taxis/shuttles once we arrived in California. We also used them to/from the airports, as it allowed us to do one way car rentals rather than having to pay to park our car at the airport for 2.5 weeks.

We have traveled often with a car seat.

This will be the first flight my son will be sitting without a carseat. Our carseat is big...it's a Britax Marathon. Flights can not stop you from safely restraining your child in a safety seat as long as is approved for air use and not expired. My son has slept on pretty much every flight because he's in his own comfortable and familiar seat. In the airport he is happy with the carseat clipped to one of those carts so he has somewhere to sit anytime we're waiting around and while we're running though the terminals.

I have installed the seat into countless taxis. Only once did we get a cab that wasn't equipped for carseat installation and we just waited for the next one.

I worry just as much, if not more, about him being safely restrained when in ports where I'm unfamiliar with the driving conditions etc.

The carseat has also gone on a small boat to an island off cozumel....the carseat likes to get around.

We're trying the Bubble Bum for the airport to port drive this time since he's 5.5 and will stay awake for short drives.

I think its important not to let child safety standards slip when we get into vacation mode. Our carseat waited in the corner of our cabin btw....and the stroller in the other...it was tight quarters at times.

Thank you for the info, lastminutemama. Planning our first vacation with our 1 yo and nervous about whether taxi drivers will be upset about waiting to install a car seat. I called a couple of hotels to inquire about whether we could install car seats on their shuttles and they seemed confused.

The last time DD flew (3 1/2 years old), we checked her car seat (all other times we either had one at the destination or rented one). The only reason we even travelled with it was because we were doing a lot of driving throughout Southern CA and she was already too tall for most basic car seats that rental car companies would have (but not old/big enough for a booster). We did not use it on the plane as she would have been miserable in it. She was also way too tall for CARES--did great in the regular seat.

We could not have used it on the rental car shuttle or hotel shuttle if we had wanted to (there were no seat belts) which was fine.

We never cruised with a car seat (1-3 hour drive to ports). We just walked around ports, used a water taxi or enjoyed the empty ship.

In a few weeks we will be taking her to New York City (1 month shy of 5 years old) and we will be taking our Bubble Bum. She's used it a couple of times in the last few months and it's great.

Duplicate post

Shuttles are hit or miss as some don't have belts and many don't have anywhere you could tether te seat anyway....assuming yours needs tethering.

We've only ever had one angry driver and that was when I refused to use the cab as it wasn't safe for a carseat. It was actually leaving FLL that we had a driver comment tha I was refreshing to see people actually using safe travel as he said many don't restrain their kids at all from that location.

If you're going airport to hotel to port a car renal through costco can sometimes work out to the same price or cheaper for a group.

Don't let others people's opinions keep you from doing what you think is right regarding your child's safety...and enjoy your trip!!!

A rental car is an option. I didn't realize they can be so cheap in FLL. I'll have to toss that idea by the hubby. He'd be the one driving because I have terrible navigational instincts and just don't enjoy driving in unfamiliar places.

Thank you!