Tipping Shuttle Drivers
Oct 8, 2012 | 10:14 am
#31
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 940
What I find more confusing is the double tipping:
You can take an airport shuttle - you can tip the driver (separate company, etc).
You get to the hotel driveway, the bellman come take your luggage to the lobby, which is common at mid-high end hotels. You tip that person.
Another bellman/porter (could be different people) take your luggage from the lobby to your room, and you have to tip that person too.
It makes sense if it's the same person carrying your luggage from the outside all the way to the hotel room, and you tip them well. The service is important, but it seems like it was set up to collect more tips. It doesn't make a lot of sense, so it's no wonder some people are confused and/or turned off by the tipping culture.
Oct 8, 2012 | 2:43 pm
#32
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I actually made a thread about this five years ago. When I'm on leisure trips I rarely tip. When I'm on business trips we have a company policy to tip $1 plus $1 for every bag they carry for you. So I keep singles, tip and then expense it.
Most of the shuttle drivers I encounter seem to be surly and unhelpful and I remember back to my days of shuttle driving when I worked really hard at my job. If people do what I did, I tip them. If they do less, I don't.
Most of the shuttle drivers I encounter seem to be surly and unhelpful and I remember back to my days of shuttle driving when I worked really hard at my job. If people do what I did, I tip them. If they do less, I don't.
Anyway, I tip all shuttle drivers $1-2 depending on their attitude and how much they do, but I certainly don't not tip these days.
Oct 8, 2012 | 3:01 pm
#33
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That's a rather offensive attitude -you have probably never worked in a service job. In many states food servers are paid less than minimum wage ($3.00 per hour in some states) because tips are factored on as part of their wage. The IRS taxes people on a tip minimum because they figure there is a certain amount of tips thet certain classes of workers receive.
Yet you expect others to help you because you are 75. How would you feel if I told you to handle your own bag because no one in my working life helped me so why should help you?
I tip others that provide a service because I've been blessed with the ability to travel without struggling to make ends meet. The difference between a couple of dollars for people who make under $10 makes a big difference in their life but has no real effect on my annual income.
When I worked with Frank Sinatra I remember him telling me "always take care of the little people, they do so much to make our life comfortable". Frank would go off on anyone who was rude or obnoxious to a busboy, cocktail waitress or other service employee.
Yet you expect others to help you because you are 75. How would you feel if I told you to handle your own bag because no one in my working life helped me so why should help you?
I tip others that provide a service because I've been blessed with the ability to travel without struggling to make ends meet. The difference between a couple of dollars for people who make under $10 makes a big difference in their life but has no real effect on my annual income.
When I worked with Frank Sinatra I remember him telling me "always take care of the little people, they do so much to make our life comfortable". Frank would go off on anyone who was rude or obnoxious to a busboy, cocktail waitress or other service employee.
Last edited by slawecki; Oct 8, 2012 at 3:07 pm
Oct 8, 2012 | 3:18 pm
#34
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I follow local custom. There are countries where tipping is either unusual or only for extraordinary service. Not so in the States. It's functionally part of the service person's wage. Like it or not, you pay for the service one way or the other. There's no such thing as a free shuttle. It's just a built in cost associated with the room. If the hotel paid more and charged more, it wouldn't really matter.
I also tip very well to key people with whom I deal on a regular basis, such as the evening doorman at a hotel I stay at all the time. When I need a cab, I know one will materialize while others fume
I also tip very well to key people with whom I deal on a regular basis, such as the evening doorman at a hotel I stay at all the time. When I need a cab, I know one will materialize while others fume
Oct 8, 2012 | 3:30 pm
#35
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I drove a car rental shuttle for a while many years ago. Most customers don't tip, maybe 30-40% did. I helped with luggage (except when it was obvious that the customer didn't want help), directions, etc. I never expected tips, but certainly appreciated them. I also never felt badly towards customers who didn't tip. The job paid minimum wage, and I went in expecting to collect enough tips to make about 1.5 times min wage overall, and that is about what the average was. So if you want to give a buck or two, go ahead, the driver will appreciate it. If not, just ignore the guilt trips from the "tip everything that walks" crowd here.
Oct 8, 2012 | 4:50 pm
#36
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"i don't recall ever getting a tip. so, why should i tip others."
confused me into thinking you don't tip 50% at happy hour.
Oct 8, 2012 | 6:37 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2008
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flight attendants do the same thing and they dont get TIPS!!
I really hate when i see flight attendants feel obligated to tip them cause if the same guy was on a flight and they did they same thing they get nothing.. And i know they make plenty of money from TIPS, cause my brother used to work as shuttle driver but he never forced people to tip but never said no if someone would. No wonder so many "older" people continue to stay in that industry cause they make sometimes $15-$25 per hours from TIPS alone.
Oct 9, 2012 | 9:02 am
#38
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I really hate when i see flight attendants feel obligated to tip them cause if the same guy was on a flight and they did they same thing they get nothing.. And i know they make plenty of money from TIPS, cause my brother used to work as shuttle driver but he never forced people to tip but never said no if someone would. No wonder so many "older" people continue to stay in that industry cause they make sometimes $15-$25 per hours from TIPS alone.
Oct 9, 2012 | 9:25 am
#40
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Some body, please explain:
What does "free" or "complimentary" shuttle mean?
What does "free" or "complimentary" shuttle mean?
Oct 9, 2012 | 9:35 am
#41
Join Date: Apr 2000
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The only time a shuttle driver receives a tip is if he "handles" luggage (and the customary $1 per bag applies). Handling means, he loads them and unloads them from my arrival point until my departure point (for example, a driver takes them from the cart after baggage claim and loads them onto the porter's cart at the hotel. And I would only require this service if travelling with many heavy bags (unusual -- only long overseas journeys).
Oct 9, 2012 | 10:28 am
#42
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,251
What I find more confusing is the double tipping:
You get to the hotel driveway, the bellman come take your luggage to the lobby, which is common at mid-high end hotels. You tip that person.
Another bellman/porter (could be different people) take your luggage from the lobby to your room, and you have to tip that person too.
Oct 9, 2012 | 10:44 am
#43
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The bellmen don't seem to believe that's the custom. The last time I ran into the double bellman situation in New York, the first one who carried our bags in from the taxi to the front desk made a point to let us know that another bellman would take over from there to the room and that (paraphrasing), this would be our last opportunity to tip him for his role in the process.
Oct 9, 2012 | 12:27 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 940
The bellmen don't seem to believe that's the custom. The last time I ran into the double bellman situation in New York, the first one who carried our bags in from the taxi to the front desk made a point to let us know that another bellman would take over from there to the room and that (paraphrasing), this would be our last opportunity to tip him for his role in the process.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/trave...ing17_ST_N.htm
There are two separate line items here:
- Transporting bags from car to lobby
- Delivering bags to guest room
I always tip for the 2nd service, but I am not familiar with the first (in that I've usually run into the situation where I carry my luggage to the front desk, and they do the rest and I tip for that). I think I will run into it in an upcoming travel where I'm sure they will help take the luggage at arrival (from the vehicle, and this service will be needed). I'm all for doing what's customary, but it does not make sense to me to tip twice for the same service simply because it changed hands.
Oct 9, 2012 | 1:04 pm
#45
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I came across this article and while I don't follow it to a T, it provides some benchmark.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/trave...ing17_ST_N.htm
There are two separate line items here:
- Transporting bags from car to lobby
- Delivering bags to guest room
I always tip for the 2nd service, but I am not familiar with the first (in that I've usually run into the situation where I carry my luggage to the front desk, and they do the rest and I tip for that). I think I will run into it in an upcoming travel where I'm sure they will help take the luggage at arrival (from the vehicle, and this service will be needed). I'm all for doing what's customary, but it does not make sense to me to tip twice for the same service simply because it changed hands.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/trave...ing17_ST_N.htm
There are two separate line items here:
- Transporting bags from car to lobby
- Delivering bags to guest room
I always tip for the 2nd service, but I am not familiar with the first (in that I've usually run into the situation where I carry my luggage to the front desk, and they do the rest and I tip for that). I think I will run into it in an upcoming travel where I'm sure they will help take the luggage at arrival (from the vehicle, and this service will be needed). I'm all for doing what's customary, but it does not make sense to me to tip twice for the same service simply because it changed hands.
And for those of us who travel "light," no tipping is required.