Relocating to Ecuador and don't want a vehicle

Lori Miller wrote:

Is it possible to live in Ecuador and not own a vehicle.  Potentially own a motorcycle or a moped of sorts for local getting around?  Anyone down there with no vehicle?

Dear Lori,

Welcome to the Ecuador forums of expat.com ...

"Anyone down there with no vehicle?"

Yes, most residents and Expats go through life without owning a car or truck.

I lived for years in Quito before I got my new Chevy about four years ago.

It was certainly possible to get around the city via taxi, although waiting time certainly went up when it was raining and-or during rush hours.

Motorcycles -- the consensus seems to be this is a dangerous form of transportation in cities.  The worst in-city moto behavior I've seen was in Medellín, Colombia, where crawling traffic prompts moto operators to dart in and around in a speedy, precarious manner.

The various Expat enclaves in Cuenca apparently draw plenty of taxis.

Quito and Cuenca decided to add rail service to the existing plentiful bus lines.  Cuenca beat the capital to the punch, as the pandemic 'derailed' Quito's effort, at least for the moment.

Staying at several locations near the Gringo-friendly main drag during travel to Armenia, Colombia, it rarely took more than 60 seconds to hail a taxi from just outside my lodgings.  In Old Town, Quito, where my condo is, one sometimes has to walk three to six blocks to find an available taxi during rush hour.

cccmedia

Lori Miller wrote:

It seems vehicle ownership is super expensive,  and almost not worth it to me.

I bought my Chevy new, so, yes, the purchase was expensive.

Lots of cheaper used vehicles are available.  I would recommend buying a used car only from a dealership;  if the deal with a local were to go sideways, one might not have recourse, running into bureaucratic, judicial and-or language-barrier obstacles.

--

However, since buying the car, ownership has been inexpensive, compared to my experiences in decades of car ownership in the States.

For one thing, gasoline is cheap, because it is subsidized by the government of Ecuador.  A couple of years ago, the subsidies were dropped .. and the national backlash was so intense, the government promptly reinstituted the subsidies.

cccmedia

Lori Miller wrote:

And - just rent a car if we want to take a road trip or something.

The only time I ever tried to rent a car in South America was on a trip to a middle-sized city in Argentina two years ago.

The rental agency at the airport had me fill out forms with all my information .. and when I offered up my debit card, it was rejected.  A credit card would have been acceptable, but I don't use credit.

The issue of a valid drivers license is more complicated.

1.  It's not clear for how long a foreign license is good in Ecuador before an Ecuador license must be obtained to continue driving.  It's in the law somewhere but the cops are confused.

2.  Obtaining an Ecuador license is not easy.  It can involve many steps, from a blood test to apostilled documents from the home country to buying an expensive ear-support device if the driver can't perceive high-pitch sounds that normally only a dog can hear.

3.  Different rental agencies, countries and localities may interpret differently the issue of whether an international drivers permit is required in addition to a foreign drivers license.

cccmedia

I had heard a US driver license is valid in Ecuador for up to 30 days after entry into the country, but I'm not sure about that.

My wife tells me the process is helped if you know the right people.

Damon.

On and off for the past seven years, the drivers license topic on this site has been ripe for all kinds of rumors, speculation .. even tips on how to bribe an Ecuadorian patrol officer.

On this site I have never seen a law cited by number or official record that states how many days a license issued by a USA state or other foreign DMV is valid in Ecuador.

Even our top Spanish-language-documents researcher, Osage Archer, has not posted such a number.

So if one is going to post or postulate that number, please pass along a reliable citation (e.g. the precise wording of a law or a report from a respected news service) as well.

cccmedia

If I am going somewhere in, say, Ecuador during a pandemic and my personal car is not available, I would almost always take a taxi.

If riding a bus, you never know who is getting on after you -- could be a covid-carrying spreader who doesn't believe in masking.

If I feel I have to take a bus, I will keep my distance from potential covid spreaders and try to limit my time inside the bus.

Also, a little walking never hurt anybody (except the guy who was walking and was hit by the bus).

cccmedia

cccmedia wrote:

On this site I have never seen a law cited by number or official record that states how many days a license issued by a USA state or other foreign DMV is valid in Ecuador.

Even our top Spanish-language-documents researcher, Osage Archer, has not posted such a number.

So if one is going to post or postulate that number, please pass along a reliable citation (e.g. the precise wording of a law or a report from a respected news service) as well.

cccmedia

I looked hard and about all I could find was this from the Agencia Nacional de Tránsito, that states any foreign license holder, whether Ecuadorian citizen or foreigner whose visa is for longer than 180 days, must at 180 days exchange their foreign license for an Ecuadorian license:

http://www.ant.gob.ec/?page_id=2246

So presumably you're good up to 180 days, as a tourist or even a visa holder - but when you go over 180 days, you've got to get the Ecuadorian license.

This site in English begs to differ - they say after 30 days you should get the Ecuador license, but they do not cite any law:

http://www.adcidl.com/Driving-in-Ecuador.html

This site also in English pretty much goes with the 180 days  They say it's the law but they don't cite the law... 

https://www.life-in-ecuador.com/drivers … uador.html

I'd go with what Ecuador's Agencia Nacional de Tránsito says as being the law, and take the 180 days...

That conclusion makes sense.    Since you can drive on your North American license as a tourist and you can expect 90 days on your tourist stamp, plus 90 more on a tourist extension, there's your 180 days.

The relevant regulation is the Transportation Law Article 10 cited in Brother Archer's link...

"According to Article 10 of the Transportation Law, you can drive within Ecuador on your foreign license as a tourist..."

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So if you're pulled over and the officer shakes his head at your foreign license.. show him you've done your homework and reference "Artículo Diez de la Ley de Transportación.  Ciento ochenta días."  Just make sure in advance that you get your tourist permit extended.

-- cccmedia