Meaning
An unlicensed, illegal taxi — a private car operating as a public taxi without the proper permit or 'red plate'. 'Robot' operators are common and cheap, filling the roads alongside the licensed route taxis, but travelling in them carries more risk, since they run outside the regulated, insured system. The word names the whole informal, off-the-books side of the transport hustle, and to 'ketch a robot' is to take one of these unofficial cars, trading a little safety for a cheaper, quicker ride.
Examples
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Mi couldn't find a route taxi, so mi tek a robot.
I couldn't find a route taxi, so I took an unlicensed one.
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Nuh jump inna every robot yuh see.
Don't jump into every unlicensed taxi you see.
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Di police a clamp dung pon robot taxi.
The police are cracking down on unlicensed taxis.
Origin
'Robot' here means operating mechanically/illicitly outside the rules — an unlicensed car working as a taxi.
How it’s used
An illegal/unlicensed taxi, often just called a 'robot'. Contrast the licensed [[route-taxi]].