Originally Posted by CMK10
Last weekend I traveled out to San Francisco with my brother. We had a rather enjoyable stay at the SFO Airport Hyatt Regency with the exception of one issue. It has long been my policy to not tip Hotel Shuttle Bus Drivers as I was taught this by my travel guru father and other travel happy friends. However our driver this weekend seemed incensed by our refusal to tip him. He stood at the bottom of the stairs with his hand all but out. Now we had carried our bags on ourselves and this driver had picked up a friend of his and dropped him off in a remote industrial area so there was no reason I saw to give him any money. I thought nothing of the incident until we had to ride the bus later, he refused to get out of his seat to help us with our luggage and he spent a good deal of time glaring at us. While we alighted from the bus at the hotel the third time I heard him muttering. Is my policy of no tipping incorrect? Should I rethink my staunch refusal for handouts?
Now you've got ME wondering about my personal tipping policy. I can't think of a time when I EVER tipped a rental car shuttle driver. The thought never crossed my mind. When I think back, 99% of the time I've always lugged my own bags on & off the shuttle, so I guess I've never really felt that a driver went "above & beyond the call of duty". Once or twice a driver grabbed a particularly large piece of luggage from me, but I didn't tip for it. I suppose in a rare instance I could have parted with a few dollars, but, overall, I don't look at this a service that deserves a gratuity, particularly when the rental cars at most airports are miles from the baggage claim, so I have no choice but to take a shuttle. Plus, most of the time, I've never seen the drivers help anyone with luggage.
In short, as you describe the situation, I don't see anything wrong with your actions.
For some reason I had car rental shuttle drivers on my brain when I wrote my reply. However, as I reflect on my interactions with hotel shuttle drivers, I would say that my response still applies, though I'd be a little less emphatic about it. If I have a lot of luggage and the driver carts the bags to the front desk for me, I would likely give a gratuity.