Tipping the Van Driver?

I actually wrote my post before I read yours, Mark :) So believe, me, no insult or offense was taken! I couldn't have, cause I hadn't read it yet!

I wrote and posted that entire post in the wrong forum! I put it in the Lav in the post about tipping at Starbucks! So I cut and pasted it here where it belonged, never having read your post. Hence my post about 'situation awareness' to myself in the lav :D
 
Seggy said:
When I am captain, I will make sure the new hire FOs and FAs have enough money to tip the drivers. Set the example
Click to expand...

Really? How? By handing them the $$ to tip?

NOT tipping someone because you feel they are giving you something that is your right.
Click to expand...
I never said it was my right - I said the Company pays the hotel to provide the transportation. Kinda like how Colgan contracts the FBO to fill up your plane. Do you tip the line guy that fills up your plane? Why not? Corporate guys do.
 
"Why not? Corporate guys do"

You think when a corporate guy tips a fueler, it comes out of his pocket or does his company end up taking care of it?
 
DE727UPS said:
"Well, then, I'm a "loser." Bluntly, I can't afford the extra $1 or 2 a day"

And that van driver from the Hurstbourne Holiday Inn in SDF was specifically complaining about "Northwest Pilots". There ya go...hehe.
Click to expand...

Good thing I don't fly for Northwest! :)

No offense to Kellwolf, you're one of the good guys.
Click to expand...

None really taken. I just get a little bent outta shape sometimes. I wouldn't mind tipping if I could afford it, but if it's between me getting that Hershey bar out of the snack machine b/c there's no food places open at 11 pm or the driver getting $1.....well, I win.
 
DE727UPS said:
You think when a corporate guy tips a fueler, it comes out of his pocket or does his company end up taking care of it?
Click to expand...

Oh, of course the company is taking care of it. Just like the company (airline) is taking care of paying for the transportation to and from the hotel.
 
kellwolf said:
None really taken. I just get a little bent outta shape sometimes. I wouldn't mind tipping if I could afford it, but if it's between me getting that Hershey bar out of the snack machine b/c there's no food places open at 11 pm or the driver getting $1.....well, I win.
Click to expand...

Pack like I do and spend $12 on a 4-day. Then you can afford to tip ;).

Yes, that was sarcasm. If you are packing like I do, you can't afford to tip OR eat out.
 
I tip a buck if I have the money in my pocket, but I don't lose any sleep if I don't have it. That being said, I generally try to make sure I have some change (ones) when I start a trip. Also, if I don't have the money on me, I make sure that I actually lift my own bag into/out of the van myself.

Once I upgrade, or get in a better financial situation, I will tip more.

G
 
wheelsup said:
Really? How? By handing them the $$ to tip?

I never said it was my right - I said the Company pays the hotel to provide the transportation. Kinda like how Colgan contracts the FBO to fill up your plane. Do you tip the line guy that fills up your plane? Why not? Corporate guys do.
Click to expand...


If I notice a guy not tipping, I would cover for them. Three dollars as opposed to one dollar when I am captain isn't going to make that big of a difference for me. I would tell the van driver that this is from the crew. Hopefully, when the FO upgrades he would pay it forward and do the same. This is obviously when I upgrade at the regional level.

Completely different comparing tipping the FBO guy and the van driver. They both provide a service, but FBO guys salaries are based without tips. Van drivers aren't.
 
I think what upsets me the most with the whole tipping ordeal is that 99% of the time if the CA/FA tip, it's an automatic tip. No regards for waiting/preheating/etc. FlightAware is simple to use - the whole world knows when we are arriving. Be there (+/- 2 minutes), have the van warmed up when we get to it in the morning, etc. I will definitely tip in those instances from now on.
 
wheelsup said:
I think what upsets me the most with the whole tipping ordeal is that 99% of the time if the CA/FA tip, it's an automatic tip. No regards for waiting/preheating/etc. FlightAware is simple to use - the whole world knows when we are arriving. Be there (+/- 2 minutes), have the van warmed up when we get to it in the morning, etc. I will definitely tip in those instances from now on.
Click to expand...

I think you're assuming that most hotels have a dedicated driver who's only job is to wait around and pick you up at the airport when it's time. In fact, the van driver is usually also working the front desk at the hotel or performing some other function when they're not driving the van. Sometimes things happen and they can't be there waiting.....sure, waiting more than 10 or 15 minutes will start cutting into their tips, but do you really think stiffing them is going to make them more motivated to be there next time, or will it exacerbate the problem?

In any event, why should it upset you when other people tip? It's everyone's right to tip as they please. Nothing pisssed me off more than when I had a captain who would see me pull out a dollar and tell me to put it away because the driver was a few minutes late picking us up....some people just take the "command" role a bit too far. Don't be that guy.

The bottom line is, flight crews are pretty low on the priority list for a lot of the hotels that we stay at; this is reflected in the fact that hotels change so often, many places don't want to renew the contracts after they've dealt with flight crews for awhile. Stiffing everyone is only going to make that reputation worse.
 
Alchemy said:
In fact, the van driver is usually also working the front desk at the hotel or performing some other function when they're not driving the van. Sometimes things happen and they can't be there waiting.....sure, waiting more than 10 or 15 minutes will start cutting into their tips, but do you really think stiffing them is going to make them more motivated to be there next time, or will it exacerbate the problem?
Click to expand...

Well then their wage doesn't depend on tips, does it (my response was based off of what Seggy posted)? If you are hired as a front desk clerk you are paid as a front desk clerk, not below min wage hoping for tips. If that is not the case, you should renegotiate your pay!

why should it upset you when other people tip? It's everyone's right to tip as they please. Nothing pisssed me off more than when I had a captain who would see me pull out a dollar and tell me to put it away because the driver was a few minutes late picking us up....some people just take the "command" role a bit too far. Don't be that guy.
Click to expand...
Upset was the wrong word, I'm not really sure what the "correct" word would be. Anyhow, I would never tell someone to not tip, that is their prerogative, just like it would be mine to tip or not tip. I'm not sure what gave you an indication that I would be "that guy".

Tipping for bad service encourages the bad service (or at least doesn't help correct it) and then the tips become expected. The fact that I am "expected" to tip for bad service is what I have an issue with. (there, that is what I was trying to say!)
 
from what i see i agree with you eric. everyone should tip at their own will. i think tips is an acronym. i dont remember what the t stands for but the ips is something like in proportion of service. something along those lines. if you dont tip fine does not make you a bad person but dont tell someone else what to tip unless they ask. that is my opinion. for the record i tip when it is necessary. i will tip a van driver. :)
 
amorris311 said:
if you dont tip fine does not make you a bad person but dont tell someone else what to tip unless they ask.
Click to expand...
Well this is the second time someone has said this - I just want to clarify - I never said I would tell someone to not tip.

I said I was "upset" at automatic tipping (and subsequently clarified what I meant by that), but no where did I say that people should NOT tip if they want to. I could care less what others do, as long as it doesn't effect me getting to an overnight on time or home in one piece :).
 
wheelsup said:
If you are hired as a front desk clerk you are paid as a front desk clerk, not below min wage hoping for tips. If that is not the case, you should renegotiate your pay!
Click to expand...

That's kind of an elitist statement from you, wouldn't you say??? Yes, everybody can renegotiate their pay as easily as all the Mini Major pilots out there, right?! I mean, a front desk clerk has minimal job skills (not knocking the clerk, or anbody in the hospitality industry...I was there for two years as a waiter and bartender), yet you say they can just renegotiate their pay. I think some of our other "small lift providers," or whatever y'all are calling yourselves, said you were paid less than the van driver...so just renegotiate!

You can take a guess where I stand on this issue. I'd wager anybody who has worked for tips themselves, are usually more prone to tip. Just a guess...
 
Stone Cold said:
That's kind of an elitist statement from you, wouldn't you say??? Yes, everybody can renegotiate their pay as easily as all the Mini Major pilots out there, right?! I mean, a front desk clerk has minimal job skills (not knocking the clerk, or anbody in the hospitality industry...I was there for two years as a waiter and bartender), yet you say they can just renegotiate their pay. I think some of our other "small lift providers," or whatever y'all are calling yourselves, said you were paid less than the van driver...so just renegotiate!

You can take a guess where I stand on this issue. I'd wager anybody who has worked for tips themselves, are usually more prone to tip. Just a guess...
Click to expand...

I worked at a restaurant while in high school first as a cook, then as a waiter. About 6 months into the job as a cook I told the boss I was leaving for a better paying job unless he paid me $X/hr. Guess what happened, he paid me more money, because I was worth two of the people that worked with me (they were lazy, I was not).

You know as well as I do that renegotiating your pay rate as a hotel front desk clerk is a completely different ball game then renegotiating your contract under the RLA, so you trying to make the connection just well, is stupid.

If the front desk clerk or mx guy was hired to be a front desk clerk or mx guy, he will be paid a wage that reflects not getting tips. If he gets tips for doing a good job, bonus, that's gas money. My issue, again, is tipping for poor service. If you automatically tip a guy for being late, not warming the van up, etc. where's the motivation to do better? C'mon, I'm not being evil, I'm being realistic. I'm just saying what others are thinking. You can hang me out to dry, but I know there are other people that feel the same way.
 
Seggy, Nessa used to work front desk at several hotels. None of the van drivers made below minimum wage. None. Most made more than minimum wage. I honestly don't care if someone tips or not. Like I said before, I probably would if I could afford it, but I can't, so it's a moot point.

Oh, and tips is:

Too
Insure
Prompt
Service

Which means if the hotel shuttle takes longer than 15 minutes to make a 5 minute drive (especially if I hear "He's on the way" more than twice), they shouldn't get a tip anyway.....
 
wheelsup said:
Well this is the second time someone has said this - I just want to clarify - I never said I would tell someone to not tip.

I said I was "upset" at automatic tipping (and subsequently clarified what I meant by that), but no where did I say that people should NOT tip if they want to. I could care less what others do, as long as it doesn't effect me getting to an overnight on time or home in one piece :).
Click to expand...
i wasnt making this post in regards to you. rather i was just making a point. sorry for the confusion.
 
kellwolf said:
Seggy, Nessa used to work front desk at several hotels. None of the van drivers made below minimum wage. None. Most made more than minimum wage. I honestly don't care if someone tips or not. Like I said before, I probably would if I could afford it, but I can't, so it's a moot point.
Click to expand...

Yes bellmen, bartenders and concierges at the NY Marriott Marquee could make over $100,000 a year. Why, tips? We make WAY more than min wage based on our hourly pay, but we are still poor as dirt, just above the poverty line.

Van drivers might make 30,000 a year without tips, add tips it can go up to 50,000 and a livable salary.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top