Tipping the Van driver....

[FL000]

I swear flightinfo is one big circle. http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=35625

 

[sluminginpit]

Tipping has gotten out of control. I was in a gas station the other day and there was a tip jar on the counter. For what me pumping my own gas and giving him my money. This country has become a land of entitlement. I fly someone 1000 miles and don't get $hit, yet I should automatically tip the van driver for 1 mile, why, he makes a salary! The family comes first always, if you have the money and the person has performed something you would like to tip for its your choice. No one is wrong or right for tipping. Ty Webb, don't pass judgement on others it's really "LOW CLASS!"

 

[crashpad]

Think of it as insurance to get good service. Am I the only one who tips crew schedulers as well?

 

[terryhfly]

If the van is late (we only stay there everynight of the year) or if the guy or girl is a real a** "No Tip For You". I actually had a driver say Fu__ You when I didn't give him a dollar. He was 45 min late and I had to move my bags. Nice.

 

[Lexy]

Did you ever notice that it seems that crews are the only ones that tip? I rarely see a regular person tip the van driver at all. I give a $1 unless like others said, they are very late or jerks. If they drive me to a restaurant or mall etc, then usually $2 each way.

 

[3blade]

I almost never tip the van driver, I'll tip the waitress b/c she makes 2 bucks an hour. The van driver does a lot less work and probably makes more in tips, its total B.S , and if you're a new F/O I feel you're even less obligated to tip the driver. The Van driver is an hourly worker and so am I. No soup for you!!!!

 

[spitfire1500]

This is such an important item it should make the cover of "Who Cares "magazine!!

 

[91100 100 set]

dont forget inflation

derka derka derka

I believe it's spelled "dirka dirka" with an "i". I haven't laughed so hard at a movie in a long time. That scene with the guy in the back of the jeep making that face had me rolling. Lucious avatar BTW.

I'll usually give the van driver a buck IF we don't have to call after waiting for them more than 5 minutes. I'll call from the plane as the folks are getting off, "yeah, we'll be out front in 10 minutes" (never trust ops to actually call, even when they say they did, because they rarely do in my experience).

I hate waiting for the van, I really hate it when the van pulls up after you've waited 15 minutes and right after another crew happens to stroll out to the curb.

 

[atrdriver]

I give $1 each way, unless they don't touch the bags, then they don't get squat. If they give me a ride for food, then i usually give them $5.

 

[Ty Webb]

Kiss my a$$. It's not a lousy "buck" add it up for the year and see how much cash you're thowing away.

Kiss your own ass- you certainly seem to be showing it. I do add up the tips . . . they're deductible, junior.

And those F/A's you talk about? Most of the granny F/A's working here probably have rich husbands who send them to work here so they could get the travel bennies.

The only people I see who don't tip are the ones with a complete lack of class, and it's pretty apparent you fall in that category. I'm sure you're a really classy guy, otherwise. If you ever get an interview at a decent airline, make sure you tell them how you feel about this subject.

 

[Ty Webb]

I fly someone 1000 miles and don't get $hit, yet I should automatically tip the van driver for 1 mile, why, he makes a salary!

I doubt he makes a salary. He probably makes an hourly wage, which is supplemented by the tips that he gets from airline crews. Ask him who tips and who doesn;t, and you'll probably learn something about the company you are in.

No one is wrong or right for tipping. Ty Webb, don't pass judgement on others it's really "LOW CLASS!"

If the van is on time, and the bags are handled properly, a tip is customary, unless you are a person with no class, IMHO.

PS., this subject is covered during Indoc, at least it was when I went through. I wondered what kind of person would need to have it spelled out for them . . . now I know.

So, where did you grow up? Did you travel much with your parents (I mean by air, or ship, not by bus)? Did they tip? Just curious.

 

[liv'n_on_credit]

Tipping has gotten out of control.

AMEN! It's gotten WAY out of control.

I tip waiters/waitresses if they do a good job because there are many things they can do to make it a good meal that some don't do(fill drinks more often, take finished plates, do a special order, etc.), but what special things does a van driver do? I don't need him to carry my bags, I can handle moving them an extra 2 feet from the curb to the van. As far as being on time, that's his JOB, not something done extra/above and beyond his job duties.

Also, those of you who are so insistent on tipping the van driver, why don't you tip the front desk clerk for having our keys out and ready? How about the maid for a clean room? How about the hotel manager for running a nice hotel? How about the hotel janitor for keeping a clean lobby in the hotel? If you feel that you need to tip people who do things for you, why just the van driver?

Bottom line...you Pro-tippers go ahead and tip if you want, that's your choice, but don't get mad or think bad of me when I don't tip.

 

[Ty Webb]

Bottom line...you Pro-tippers go ahead and tip if you want, that's your choice, but don't get mad or think bad of me when I don't tip.

Tipping the van driver is customary. If you don't want to, then don't, but it looks cheap and tacky.

 

[saabservant]

It is disappointing to hear that some do not tip properly. As has been said, it is only customary, but it reflects a lot about who you are, and how you are perceived, and how you perceive yourself.
A tip says "thank you" for your personal involvement with me, for helping me along my way as a PROFESSIONAL business traveler. Your own w-2, however low it may be, is irrelevant, as is your family's college fund. That worker is probably raising a family too, on less money than you make, even a second year FO or FA. Spending and budgets always expand to fill the size of your check, no matter your income....how small a man can be, to suffer, find success, and not have the grace to share or show appreciation...

I'll tip 2.00 each way, unless there is no help with bags(always fun getting the road salt on your uniform), or the driver is surly or extremely late. A buck or two for the housekeeper, if the place is clean and supplied. It adds up, sure, but how many of us buy 4.00 coffees, and then don't have the ability to give, too? Still hiding that per diem check from the spouse, too?
It's not exorbitance, it's generosity; good human spirit.

No Scrooge here....

 

[FishandFly]

It is disappointing to hear that some do not tip properly. As has been said, it is only customary, but it reflects a lot about who you are, and how you are perceived, and how you perceive yourself.
A tip says "thank you" for your personal involvement with me, for helping me along my way as a PROFESSIONAL business traveler. Your own w-2, however low it may be, is irrelevant, as is your family's college fund. That worker is probably raising a family too, on less money than you make, even a second year FO or FA. Spending and budgets always expand to fill the size of your check, no matter your income....how small a man can be, to suffer, find success, and not have the grace to share or show appreciation...

I'll tip 2.00 each way, unless there is no help with bags(always fun getting the road salt on your uniform), or the driver is surly or extremely late. A buck or two for the housekeeper, if the place is clean and supplied. It adds up, sure, but how many of us buy 4.00 coffees, and then don't have the ability to give, too? Still hiding that per diem check from the spouse, too?
It's not exorbitance, it's generosity; good human spirit.

No Scrooge here....

By my math you hand out around $1536 per year.

I drove a van a van a long time ago and got quite a kick out of finding out that I was making more than the first officers that were tipping me. All I was doing was driving back and forth 5 miles, turning the steering wheel twice, and lifting 100lbs worth of luggage at each end. Fact is, I didn't deserve it.

The only time that I expected a tip was when I had to wait a long time, or if they had 15 bags of luggage. I felt that was beyond the call of my job description. NOT taking flight crews back and forth.

This experience led me to believe that tipping that has become "customary" is ridiculous.

If you want to tip someone, I think you should tip the person who is working just as hard in a job that does NOT get a lot of recognition. Not the person driving the van who does nothing above and beyond his job all day long and still ends up with an extra $50 bucks in his pocket.

 

[semperfido]

... 3-5

 

[sluminginpit]

For a $2 beer at the bar your tip a buck (50%)

Waiters use to get 10%, now 20%

I went to dinner last week, they added 20% to my bill automatically for a tip!

This is not a tip, this is a service charge, and promotes poor service. Why do we constantly tip for bad or no service at all. It is customary to tip Skycaps $3-$5 per bag, who made that up!

Kudos to thoose who tip all van drivers, that's you choice. However I work hard for my hourly wage and feel it is my right weather to tip or not.

Ty Webb, you seem offended that others don't follow your lead in tipping? You seem so classy yet have no class at all. You critizize my upraising because I disagree, classy.

I traveled alot with my family, and stayed in high end hotels that treated the customer with respect. My parents tipped well and often. However I am currently 34 years old and as you know the world has changed and the service industry sucks.

Next time you wait for the van 30 mins, lift you own bags in and out, then give the driver a tip, I just want to say thanks. Thanks for breeding a society that expects to be rewarded for marginal service which through time will continue to get worse and decline. But hey don't forget, "TIPPING IS CUSTOMARY".

 

[Ty Webb]

By my math you hand out around $1536 per year.

Your math needs a lot of work. 15 overnights a month, 12 months per year = 180 nights. Even at $2. ea way and a buck for the maid, it's still only about $750./yr, which is tax deductible. Hell, I spend more than that on cigars.

Per diem is to cover expenses while on a trip, such as meals, phone calls, tips, etc. If you choose to not do the customary tipping, that's your choice, but don;t try to justify it. It's just being cheap . . . maybe you view that as a compliment, but I sure don't. To me, the simple act of tipping goes beyond a simple exchange of a buck, it says something about you . . . that money is more important than character. I'm sure you don;t see it that way; how could you?

As for the rest of your story:

I drove a van a van a long time ago and got quite a kick out of finding out that I was making more than the first officers that were tipping me. All I was doing was driving back and forth 5 miles, turning the steering wheel twice, and lifting 100lbs worth of luggage at each end. Fact is, I didn't deserve it.

I'll bet you didn't. . . . .

This is one of those subjects, I guess. Over and Out.

 

[Ty Webb]

I went to dinner last week, they added 20% to my bill automatically for a tip!

Maybe they recognized you.

This is not a tip, this is a service charge, and promotes poor service.

I agree.

Ty Webb, you seem offended that others don't follow your lead in tipping? You seem so classy yet have no class at all. You critizize my upraising because I disagree, classy.

Just curious how you justify this.

If you re-read the string, you'll see that no one advocates tipping when the van is late, or the service is lacking.

 

[rightrudder]

Tipping maids is customary. I usually leave a dollar. They work very hard and are often paid min wage. I would feel bad not leaving the maid a tip. I also tip the van driver, unless late or rude.

In a past life, I had to travel for business, and these tips are a customary courtesy.