TIPPING HOTEL SHUTTLE DRIVERS
 

The hotel we are staying at has a shuttle driver that will take us to the nearest subway station. We will be there for 4 days and will probably need the shuttle driver to transport us to and back from the subway once or twice per day. What would the appropriate amount to tip the driver for each trip? Thank you for any responses.

A couple of dollars each trip should be fine, unless you have a lot of baggage or the driver does an extra service for you.

You can also pass along my favorite tip for service industry employees: go to school.

Wow...I bet that school tip gets you some really great service. Probably some extras you don't even know about...

I would say $1 per person per trip.

fehgeddaboudit is apparently someone who knows scads about education, or the lack of thereof. I am sure all "service employees" are grateful for your sage advice.

So what makes you always think that someone that doesn't sit at a computer or desk all day is uneducated? Or someone that drives the shuttle or takes your bags to your room is automaticaly uneducated. Even if they don't speak english doesn't mean they aren't educated. I have read many stores of immigrants coming here, not speaking the language but were well educated in their native countries but had to work at entry level jobs, save money, and start businesses or finally gain entry to the career they were trained for. I have a floor covering business. When I first started working in this field we had a vinyl installer working for us that was from the Netherlands, had been trained as an accountant, got his CPA when he came to the states and one day just simply could NOT stand it any more. He loved his work as a vinyl installer and the man was an "artist". Anything that was difficult, a new material coming out that no one had ever installed before..we gave all those jobs to this person. So those of you that feel that "others" are beneath you and need to go to school....well, sometimes you don't know the whole story.

Have you ever thought the shuttle driver is working part time to pay for going to school?

Some people don;t have parents who can afford to foot the full tuition and have to work at least part time - as well as earn scholarships - to get an education.

It sounds like the one who needs to go to school is you feh.

Well I think that fehgeddaboudit has now received the response he was seeking. Time to move on.

Decaf, people, decaf.

Read my post again.

I said &quot;go to school&quot;. I never said that these were uneducated people. I never said they were <i>not</i> going to school.
I post --with sincerity-- something that will help every living person on Earth and I get flamed for that?

Get over yourselves.

Actually, a lot of shuttle drivers a very nice, very educated retirees who just want to keep in touch with people instead of sitting around doing nothing. Perhaps YOU are the one who needs to educate yourself &quot;feh&quot;.

And there are, of course, the wonderful people, tons of personality, pleasant looks, loyalty...everything that it takes to be a successful professional person, except they are not very bright and can barely read. They know they are quite fortunate to be gainfully employed parking cars or doing other menial tasks.

Yep, give advice such as, &quot;go to school.&quot; Think of all the money you save.

I tip $1 per person, per trip.

But I question WHY I'm doing it and I don't think fehgeddaboudit's advice is that far off target.

What &quot;special&quot; service does a shuttle driver driving me to the subway do for me? Sure, if I'm arriving or departing the hotel maybe he's helping with bags but the normal &quot;drive to the Metro&quot; in between, he's DOING HIS JOB. Nothing more, nothing less. What do you tip the desk clerk, or the subway engineer? How much do you tip the token clerk for information? None, right, because they are doing their job.

Tips SHOULD be for performing a personal service above and beyond doing ones job. Yet because I've waited tables and hauled bags to rooms, I often tip when I probably shouldn't. fehgeddaboudit seems to have the balls that most of us lack.

So, someone who offers unsolicited advice to service workers then advises others to &quot;get over&quot; themselves.

The irony drips.

I think the man is just tired of being expected to pay extra to anyone presumed to be making minimum wage or below; tipping in the US is way out of hand, and people who pay for services (shuttles, restaurants, hotels that already cost a fortune)are expected to subsidize the employers.

If you don't want to tip, here's a tip for you: move to Japan. There is no tipping there.

If you WANT to tip, then here's a tip for you. Go on a cruise or to many resorts where all the tips are added onto the bill for you.

(works both ways!)

As far as the service being provided, I've definitely noticed that the shuttle drivers for rental car agencies sort of size you up, to decide whether to load or unload your bags for you. Some do, some don't. Those who don't definitely do not get a tip, but I always tip the ones who get down to business and get you and your bigs To The Rental Car Agency!

And is it only me that thought fehgeddaboutit was joking? My dad (a pretty good tipper) always used to make a crack like that, so my giggle is automatic (except he'd say &quot;here's a tip: the spotted horse in the third race...&quot;).

oops! that should read &quot;you and your bags&quot;.

Or my favorite tip, &quot;Buy low, sell high&quot;

&gt;&gt;I post --with sincerity-- something that will help every living person on Earth and I get flamed for that? &lt;&lt;

That was his response. Doesn't sound like a joke to me.

telling someone to go back to school is just plain rude. it's like telling someone to get a haircut. what's the point and really, it's none of your d*mn business.

and like a few others have said, how do you know they don't have more education than YOU?

i just took an airport shuttle to LaGuardia a few days ago and tipped the guy $2 because he was pleasant and helped me with my one suitcase - and more importantly, treated it with care. a tip is a given if they don't throw my stuff around like it's nothing.

We park at the Airport Hilton whenever we fly out of Newark, taking their shuttle to the airport. Always tip the driver $2-$3 if he helps us with our luggage. If he doesn't help with the luggage, he gets nothing, and I get &quot;that stare&quot; from Mrs. Budman. Is that fair -- the &quot;stare&quot; I'm talking about. ((a)) ((b))

I think the whole bruhaha is that some people don't like to tip for services they think they paid for (or other, when is &quot;free&quot; actually free?), that more and more folks have their hands out, and where does it stop? If you have bucks to throw around, fine and dandy, but don't try to make others feel cheap or guilty for trying to safeguard their hard-earned bucks. And yes, I tip for some things (--but again, I ask, why should I tip more for the steak dinner than the pasta dinner, or more for the pricier wine than the glass of house? Both of which I avoid because I'm tired of being gouged...)

Budman, the &quot;stare&quot; is probably because you are wearing &quot;that plaid jacket&quot; again, and you spilled your mug on Mrs Budman when the shuttle hit the speed bump. :S-