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Tipping hotel van drivers

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CFI2766

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2005
Posts
1,293
I'm curious, should I be tipping hotel van drivers?

Thoughts:

1. I'm a new FO, I bring home a little over $200 a week. I'm not able, right now, to tip van drivers. Should I be getting dirty looks for not tipping?

2. If so, shouldn't I be tipping the bus drivers who take me to and from Camp Creek? I don't see that happening...
 
If they put your bag into/out of the van, you owe them a gratuity, IMHO. Poverty is no excuse. One could argue that per diem is intended to cover "incidental costs" on trips.
 
I'm curious, should I be tipping hotel van drivers?

Thoughts:

1. I'm a new FO, I bring home a little over $200 a week. I'm not able, right now, to tip van drivers. Should I be getting dirty looks for not tipping?

2. If so, shouldn't I be tipping the bus drivers who take me to and from Camp Creek? I don't see that happening...


Don't tip at all your first year. Most people dont. Just throw your own bags in the van. If they insist, let them. Just say thanks. I only tip if the van is on time and if they're nice about it. People have to work for my money!
 
Tip The Van Driver Thats What Your Per Diem Is For !

701EV
 
I've got a buddy who drives a hotel van. To them tipping is a joke 'cause those van drivers make more than most FOs and FAs. Think about it.

At a big crew hotel, in a large business city, you could do 4 runs an hour and get a buck from each person on the van. That's 5 bucks per trip, 20 bucks an hour. Plus your $5.15 from the hotel.

Now if you're talking Valdosta, well, give the poor guy a buck or two. But I feel FOs, FAs, and even cheap captains need not tip.

Besides, who ever tips us? We're in a service industry too.
 
Tip The Van Driver Thats What Your Per Diem Is For !

701EV

Wrong! My perdiem is for eating and drinking on trips.

By the way, I WILL encourage my crew to tip the van driver for special favors, like running us to a bar or restaurant or "adult entertainment venue".
 
Wrong! My perdiem is for eating and drinking on trips.

By the way, I WILL encourage my crew to tip the van driver for special favors, like running us to a bar or restaurant or "adult entertainment venue".

I can see this. This makes sense. Above and beyond gets a tip.

But if the guy is simply fulfilling the contract that ASA has with that particular hotel, I'm much less inclined to part ways with the $20 to $30 a month that tips would take out of my budget.
 
My number one rule:

When I walk out of the terminal and that van isn't there, no tip. I wait, they lose.
 

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