Tipping the hotel van driver

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Bigey said:
I see your point more clearly now. I think we're finding we more so agree than disagree.

My point was being under the idea that they HAD to wait for you and HAD to be nice for you to give a tip (i.e. if they hadnt of waited, and were just nice, they didnt deserve a tip). Does that make more sense now?
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I figured it wasn't as clear.

What I've realized, though, is that it seems most people cannot accept a simple and honest 'thank you' as a form of appreciation. Seems like everything requires some sort of monetary instrument of appreciation.

If I were a van driver, I wouldn't think twice about helping a fellow lady or elder load up some bags and I wouldn't expect any tips in return nor would I think bad about them if they didn't tip me. I think that's common courtesy everyone should have.
 
I pre-tipped the bartender at NJC 2008. I didn't tell him that I was the guy running the event, gave him a good hunk of cash and said, "This is what I'm drinking, don't let my glass stay empty" and he took great care of me.
 
Bigey said:
I think this is where we're going to agree to disagree.

I feel that not tipping, it should be justified. The position they work is one with an expected tipping service. If they are nice and courteous, they deserve the tip. If not, then no. But it shouldnt be that they're nice and courteous yet the person still finds it optional.

I'm not saying for the person to make a scene if they dont receive the tip, but i think it's extremely POOR taste to not tip.

I dont tip because of what others think. I tip because i think of what it's like to be in their shoes. I understand how much a dollar means to them vs. how much it'll mean to me.
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Well, and I guess we'll agree to disagree because that's where I think they shouldn't NEED to rely on tips. If they took that job, they should budget for their wage. It's the same with first year FO pay. You shouldn't budget for more than min guarantee.
 
AngelFuree said:
Well, and I guess we'll agree to disagree because that's where I think they shouldn't NEED to rely on tips. If they took that job, they should budget for their wage. It's the same with first year FO pay. You shouldn't budget for more than min guarantee.
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Makes enough sense. But i'm not sure how it is in other states, but i'm pretty sure tipped positions have a much lower minimum wage. At that point, they really do rely on tips for their budget.

In places where they're guaranteed the minimum wage, I can see someone budgeting for that.
 
Doug Taylor said:
I pre-tipped the bartender at NJC 2008. I didn't tell him that I was the guy running the event, gave him a good hunk of cash and said, "This is what I'm drinking, don't let my glass stay empty" and he took great care of me.
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Bartenders and strippers. Pretip them a healthy amount and you will be well taken care of.

But, really?...... REALLY??? A 5 page thread on tipping van drivers???? Comon now let's not blow it out of proportion.

It's a personal preference, to each their own.
 
How about:

"Chicago-Style Hot Dogs: Pay for it or just use extra relish and sneak up to the salad bar?"
 
Out of curiosity, if someone in a tipped position desires the tip, why don't they just provide exemplary service? Kinda seems case-closed to me...
 
Drove the airport shuttle for the Salt Lake Marriott back in the early '90s, airline crews were always the worst tippers. $2 per person seemed to be the standard among other guests, maybe a few bucks more if they had a lot of bags, skis/snowboard or other heavy stuff.
 
Most other people go to a hotel maybe 5-10 times a year max, where airline crews probably go to a hotel in excess of 100 nights a year, depending on their schedule.
 
From my perspective while I was driving a hotel van (maybe others who did it have a different viewpoint): Regional FA's and FO's got a pass. Everyone in that position knew how much they were being paid. Frankly, my W2 might have been nearly double of some of those FO's for a silly part-time job I took to make going to school & flight instructing financially feasable. All crews who were unprofessional towards the van driver (in the minority) were dropped off and mental notes were taken for future reference.

So it's more about professionalism than tipping, IMO. Which leads me to my final point in my rant. And I say this with all due respect. Some of the people on here really may benefit from working line service. Go take a 100LL bath, pump a lav, and interact with the corporate crews. There's no other job that I know of that will outright humble you. After driving a van and working the line, I really appreciate where I am now. (Thanks line guys!)
/End rant.
 
BCTAv8r said:
Collectively, NJA crews indeed have always tipped very well.
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Keep in mind they actually don't tip out of their pocket. In fact, when they tip they also give themselves the same amount of money and expense the total. I have heard it from a current NJ guy that if they aren't "making" a car payment a month in tips (to themselves) they're doing something wrong.

So to compare NJ tips to another out of pocket tip isn't exactly fair.
 
Bigey said:
Makes enough sense. But i'm not sure how it is in other states, but i'm pretty sure tipped positions have a much lower minimum wage. At that point, they really do rely on tips for their budget.

In places where they're guaranteed the minimum wage, I can see someone budgeting for that.
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I don't think van drivers fall under the below minimum wage category. From a few of the conversations I've had with some van drivers and some overheard conversations they generally make decent money. The hotel we stayed at in RDU paid around $15/hr and that was before factoring in tips.

However I tipped those guys all the time because they used flightaware or similar tracking programs on the internet to get our arrival time.
 
I always throw the guy/gal a buck. They work alot harder than I do for a lot less and they accepted their job with the idea of subsidizing their poor income with tips. You won't hear any server, bartender, or valet attendant say they took the job because of the great hourly wage. I was in the restaurant industry for years and you lived off the tips. Usually the paycheck was just enough to cover taxes. If more and more bags start thinking its OK to stop tipping in the service industry we won't have anyone providing these services.
 
Boris Badenov said:
It is a courtesy. As in "something the courteous do". I'm not saying it should be "required", that's absurd. I'm saying that you're free not to tip, and I'm free to think you're a selfish jerk when you don't. Yay, America!
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Pretty well sums it up for me too.
 
SpiraMirabilis said:
Most other people go to a hotel maybe 5-10 times a year max, where airline crews probably go to a hotel in excess of 100 nights a year, depending on their schedule.
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My thoughts exactly!


I generally will tip $1 each way, unless there is poor service...then they get $0.
 
Bigey said:
What do you suggest to those that literally cant afford to tip (1st year FO)? That's a legitimate reason I think...If it's based off of lack of service, like i said, it's justified.

And how do you find it silly? As people mature we learn when certain behavior is appropriate or inappropriate, agreed? I find it inappropriate not to tip when the action calls for it (above and beyond the norm of the job).
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I just stated that, Bigey. That's one of the main reasons why I don't tip. I don't understand you. You say it's legitimate here and then before you don't.

I simply can't afford it on 3rd year turboprop FO salary.

Plus I simply don't tip van drivers going to and from the airport. I don't believe in it - there's no required explanation of it. But, if they take me from the hotel to a restaurant, I always tip! The former is a required function of my job, the latter isn't.
 
aloft said:
Drove the airport shuttle for the Salt Lake Marriott back in the early '90s, airline crews were always the worst tippers. $2 per person seemed to be the standard among other guests, maybe a few bucks more if they had a lot of bags, skis/snowboard or other heavy stuff.
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Yes, but how often do the regular guests ride an airport shuttle per month?... you'd have to go down to per year, or per decade for some people.

Airline crew ride the airport shuttle about 16 round trips a month. 16 x 2 trips each overnight x 2 dollars per person = $768.

$768 per year out of a $18,000 to $34,000 yearly wage is a LOT of money.

$2 for the average joe's once a year vacation on his $18,000 to $300,000 a year wage is a drop in the bucket!

Ya gotta understand where we're comin' from, man.
 
SoCalAprch said:
I always throw the guy/gal a buck. They work alot harder than I do for a lot less and they accepted their job with the idea of subsidizing their poor income with tips. You won't hear any server, bartender, or valet attendant say they took the job because of the great hourly wage. I was in the restaurant industry for years and you lived off the tips. Usually the paycheck was just enough to cover taxes. If more and more bags start thinking its OK to stop tipping in the service industry we won't have anyone providing these services.
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Driving a hotel van in snowy weather with only a high school diploma required versus flying a turboprop for 8 legs on 14 hour duty in crappy Northeast icing/turbulent weather (with all the other associated qualifications requirements)?

I think the latter is much more mentally exhausting (much more fun, but much more exhausting).
 
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