Do you tip the shuttle driver?
 

I do if (s)he deals with bags, but when I only have a small carry-on, I don't.

Rarely.. I did have some extra heavy luggage in Houston one time, and the bus driver helped me haul that stuff from the bus all the way to the elevator that night. He definitely got a nice tip!

I'd like to extend the question to cover Cab drivers.
It was always strange to me that taxi drivers should get tips too.

Always ^ good Karma :)

+1 on tipping shuttle drivers, if they help with any luggage.

IIRC, taxi drivers are splitting the fare with the taxi company. If the driver is knowledgeable of to get quickly to my destination and manages to miss the majority of the pot holes (in Baltimore), then I do give a couple dollars as a tip.

+1

When Jabba the Shuttle driver sits in his seat and watches me, he get's a smile and a thank you. When the driver jumps down and offers to help me, I take them up on the offer and gladly tip.

I generally tip a dollar a bag. FWIW I notice when we share a bus with flight crews that they generally seem to do about the same.

I also tip airport-parking shuttle drivers but I rarely tip car-rental shuttle drivers, which I admit is inconsistent.

I usually tip if I have cash. Usually I am taking an airport shuttle due to an unexpected night near the airport.

I do unless they are rude or I have luggage and they don't offer to help me with it. If they are inside the hotel talking with the staff and don't help me with my bags I don't.

I did a park and fly at a BW last year and I didn't tip either way. Going the shuttle was full and it was one of the smaller busses and the driver was inside talking with the hotel clerk and didn't offer to help anyone with their luggage. coming back they had two signs that said "tips appreciated" posted and it was just a van and the driver didn't help me with my bag that way either (large rolling duffel that weighed almost 50 lbs) so I didn't feel obligated to tip then. Had they helped me with the bag then yes I would ahve tipped.

If they help with the luggage, of course! About $1-2/bag

Always if they help with the bag, or offer me a bottle of water. $1 per bag and $1 for the water. If they don't get out of the driver seat then nothing.

As far as cabs 10% of the bill if the cab is clean, no more than $1-2 if not. Also I'll add $1 per bag if they load it and remove it from the trunk. If they don't, then go back to the 10% rule...

I am in the 1- 2 bucks a bag camp. Or if I use the shuttle to get dropped off somewhere and will need to be picked up later. I always try to make friends with them when they drop me off.

I do it a bit differently -- usually $1 per person --- but we usually travel pretty light --- typically just a roller bag a piece and do most of the bag handling ourselves.

Airport remote lot shuttle drivers get $1 per trip

Rental car drivers get nothing.

Bob H

I believe that tipping cabbies (and barbers/hair stylists) has been part of established American tipping practice, in addition to servers (but unlike ... oh say ... 7/11 cashiers!), so that the IRS expects at least some tipping to be declared, so not doing so, unless they're notably rude or unhelpful, actually penalizes them?

I usually don't need any help with my bags - however, if I see the driver helping others customers (who usually don't tip) - I always tip $1 or 2.
They can't be making that much money driving the shuttle and if I can help just a bit, it's a good thing.

+I .. Yes, tip hotel shuttle drivers.

As long as the shuttle drivers are getting paid over minimum the hotel wouldn't be required to declare their tips if the drivers claimed they weren't getting any and I would assume that they would have to have a chauffers license and would make above minimum wage. If the hotel had to report tip income it would also mean they would have to pay employer taxes on them.

As far as the 7-11 cashiers goes, there is a huge street festival I go to the first weekend of august in Chicago every year and there is a 7-11 right in the middle of the action and their parking lot is set up as a stage area, and believe it or not that weekend they do have a tip jar set up there.

The IRS looks at "occupation" and expect those putting "cab driver" to declare (some) tips. In my experience, shuttle folks do other things as well for their primary job, with titles such as "porter" that wouldn't raise that flag.

Definitely tip the shuttle driver. I'm thankful that that's not my occupation and I like to give him/her a little something to show my appreciation for the service.

I tip the driver a couple of bucks only if I have a bag. If I have only a carry-on that requires no help from the driver, I don't tip.

I'm with Tomphot...:D

I tend to leap up and help the driver with most of the bags (just the way I am)... and then tip..

If they leave it to the pax they can't really expect a gratuity....

not REALLY HH
 

off to travelbuzz it goes


thanks

squeakr

co mod HH

I go about $1 per bag, if they get out of the car and help with baggage.

Always tip. Why not... :)

Also a great way to use all those $1 coins :D

A bit different but related... the Hilton I frequent has a shuttle to my office, removing the requirement for me to rent a car. They take me to the office and pick me up each day, and I tip the driver $5 each way. Not only good karma, but they're saving me a ton in rental car fees and time getting / returning the rental car.

I always do regardless of how many bags I have. They have a thankless job and for the most part all of them at ATL are friendly, polite, and fun to talk to.

Hell yes. At the end of the day it's a free ride.

If a shuttle driver gets off his butt and helps anyone with their bag they get $1. As for cabbies most all lease the cab for a set amount and they pocket all tips. If either keep gabbing on their cellphones they get a big zero tip (usually I give one (1) warning to stop gabbing).

MisterNice

Nope.

One time in HNL I was returning my car at HNL and heading to their tiny inter-island terminal. The shuttle was empty but the driver said he had to take the normal route and go to the main terminal first before dropping off at the inter-island terminal. Puzzled because there wasn't anyone else on the shuttle. I was running late and got off the shuttle because I saw a cab dropping someone off for pickup of their car. Rep saw me get off the shuttle and asked what happened...said he'd drive me to the terminal personally. $20 tip for a 3 minute ride and I didn't miss my flight (even though the next one was leaving 1.5 hours later)^

How do you warn them? What do you say? Curious because I hate when cabbies talk on their phones the whole way.....

At LAX
 

nay, but there as anywhere else, I do make it a point to say thank you.

Shuttle drivers will generally get a couple bucks from me if they help with the bags, and generally nothing if they don't. I did have one stop for me and let me on the bus the other day, and even though I had no bags that day I gave him a couple bucks.

I did have a rental car shuttle driver in Galveston that went out of his way, after his official hours were over that day to help me (we'd returned the car after the office was closed, and were standing waiting for a cab to the port to get us, which was running much later than it should have been. Shuttle driver was returning to park for the day and offered us a ride over to the port. It was after a long series of flight problems and lost bags, and we were genuinely concerned about actually making it to the ship before it left that day. He got a $20 for that, and my undying appreciation (which probably doesn't really mean a whole lot to him)).

Cheap.....note to self do not visit Westchester NY

Yep, and the hotel van driver can be your best friend if you want to be dropped off and picked up somewhere else. ;)

Don't generally buy into bribery for doing your job. YMMV

Particularly not where you're doing so to get something in return that is not part of the normal service and might disadvantage other customers.

I usually say "I would prefer you not talk on your cellphone when driving". Almost all will stop talking and the rest get no tip. 1 or 2 times I called the PUC and once they actually sent me a refund about 2 mo later (I always get a receipt). I was floored.

MisterNice

Why is that? Because you're afraid you'll have dchristiva as your passenger and not get a gratuity...or because 1 person in an entire county admits to not tipping you have made the assumption that the other 953,942 in Westchester will do the same?

nope, never