How much should I tip my limo driver?

|| 7 years ago

Knowing what to tip can be tricky. There are different rules governing all the different service industries positions that rely on tips to supplement their income. If your visiting southfloridatransportation.com chances are you plan on using a luxury transportation rental in the near future. Whether you are scheduling a sedan or executive car or a Escalade Stretch SUV limousine the guidelines for tipping your driver are constant no matter the rental. Tipping is a way of showing appreciation for a job well done. Or on the other hand if you are not satisfied with the service you can express your concerns by decreasing your gratitude. It is important to keep in mind people working in the service industry often depend on tips to supplement their income to earn a living wage. That’s because a professions like chauffeurs, hairstylists, waiters, and bellhops typically earn far below the minimum hourly wage. Providing compensation this way motivates these members of the workforce, to provide the kind of stellar service that will result in generous tips which, in turn, result in a higher overall hourly rate and allows them to earn a living wage and gives cause for exceptional service.

The industry expectation for tipping a driver that has perform his duties to reasonable satisfaction is between 15% and 20%. Depending on the cost of living in your area you are safe tipping anywhere with in that spectrum.

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There are a couple things you should do before you start pulling out your calculator app to configure your gratitude.

1. Be Sure Tipping is Appropriate

If you are traveling abroad, keep in mind different cultures view tipping very differently than American. Some cultures see tipping as an insult. It is as if you don’t think they can provide for their family so you are offering them charity. In other countries tipping is expected but the suggested percentage is much different. If you have a travel agent they should be able to provide you the information you need. If you don’t have a travel agent check with the hotel’s concierge, they will know the local custom.

2. Is Gratuity Include, if so, Who Much Goes to the Driver

Find out what the policy is for the limo rental company you have chosen to work with, is gratitude included in the rental contract price. How much of the included tip goes directly to the driver. It has been heard if that a company will charge or will offer to include the tip but they keep the majority instead of compensating the driver. Some luxury transportation rental companies do automatic gratuities on particular rental occasions. Occasions such as weddings and proms: the reasoning here is that certain passengers, such as a bride and groom on their wedding day, or a bunch of over-excited teenagers on prom night, are unlikely to have large amounts of cash on them and it is easy to get caught up in activities and forget. Other limo companies have similar policies about bachelor & bachelorette party bus rental, because once the alcohol starts flowing, passengers tend to forget about details like tipping the limo driver at the end of the night. Whatever your reason for renting a limo, make sure you read the fine print don’t assume the tip has or has not been taken care of. Also when you are in a group don’t assume that just because the rental fees were paid that the tip was taken care of. There is nothing wrong with asking the driver if gratuity has been handled. In large groups often if someone picks up the tab they expect others to provide the tip. After all if you got a free ride you should be happy to compensate the driver a little extra.

The rule is to tip your driver between 15% and 20% for a satisfactory experience. It is a starting point and can be alter in particular situations. If your experience is exceptional and your driver has gone above and beyond, then you should do the same. Feel free to exceed the 20% suggested tip. The usual reaction for an exceptionally great job is to tip 25%. The opposite is true for poor service. If the driver does not meet reasonable expectations you are very much with in appropriate behavior to drop gratitude below the suggested 15%. If you want to make sure the driver and the company is aware of your dissatisfaction a 5% tip lets them know you know how to tip but are choosing to tip well below the normal because of your displeasure with the service.

To recap, standard gratuity in the United States is between 15% and 20%. Your driver relies on tips to make a living wage. If your experience is exceptional or disappointing you should adjust your tip accordingly. Find out if gratitude is included or if it should be handled separately. Working for tips is a great motivator for drivers to provide an excellent experience. Thank your driver with dollars, kickback and enjoy the ride.

Reference:

Tips for hiring a limousine. Retrieved from http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/limousine/hiringlimo.html