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Tips for bus drivers
I know that Tauck has in the past recommended the equivalent of $4 a day as tips for bus drivers (I'll wait for my green book to see whether that has changed); however, it seems that on this tour, there's not much bus travel. How have people handled this in the past?
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Not all Tauck tours include tips for the driver. I think it is possible that most of the type of tours you have taken with Tauck have indeed included all tips apart from the tour director. We have been traveling with Tauck for a long time now and you have to read each tour instructions carefully about tipping, they are not the same.
MCD, I have taken your upcoming tour but can’t remember about the tips or buses. I suggest you wait for the green booklet before you start worrying about tips. Just to point out that in Australia it is not customary to tip because everyone earns a living wage, unlike in the US where a $7 per hour is quite common, in Australia, when we were there several years ago, the minimum hourly wage was $23 Australian, it’s probably more now. But if tipping was suggested for the driver, then we certainly would have tipped, I just can’t remember the details now.
HOWEVER, this totally is against the entire philosophy of Arthur Tauck and Jr should be embarrassed and ashamed that he's allowed his team to go this direction. For the small amount that is involved Tauck needs to bring back the class of the original philosophy. This minimal cost degrades the brand from premium to being the class of Carnival Cruises and such where everything is ala carte.
Yes, it ticks me off and I hope this doesn't offend other loyal Tauck travelers. Please understand that I enjoy Tauck, I recommend Tauck and I have used them and will again. They just need to stop this silly intrusion into my sentiment as it does make me ocassionally consider other companies.
I find it funny that so many people appear to lose sleep on how much they should be tipping for a specific service, but I play the game and tip like everyone else, but I don’t lose sleep about it.
I have even read here that Sealord tips generously at times to curry favor or get better service.
Yes, it’s a pain in the ass, but if it bribes tour directors to be wonderful, then maybe that is Ok.
I’ve been thinking about the popularity of the small group tours with Tauck and how that affects the tour directors’ tips. Getting tips from a group of 24 instead of 40 has to be a big drop in potential income.
I was on this trip a few years ago. I don't recall for sure if I tipped the driver(s), but probably not, as there was a different driver in every city.
This brings up an interesting tangent - this tour had the best transportation of any tour I've been on - our own plane. How come they don't suggest tipping the pilot or crew? :-) The flight attendants were great and learned most of our names along the way.
Similar story on the China trip - primarily flying from city to city with many different bus drivers. No tip for the drivers from me.
Getting back to the original question - I recently returned from the Scandinavia trip. We had one driver for about 5 days (Denmark/Sweden), a second driver for ~5 days in Norway, and a third driver for 2 days in the middle of Noway, who relieved the "regular" driver for a weekend. Our TD told us she would take care of tipping the 2 day relief driver.
So what would I do if I had a primarily flying trip? Not tip the bus drivers.
Some of us panicked when we saw a new driver and took the TD aside to ask about tipping the first guy for the two days. He assured us that the drivers work that out among themselves and we should go ahead and tip for the number of days we had a driver at the end of the trip. In some countries there are laws requiring drivers to rest after a certain amount of driving time, so when Joe had a day off, and we had a different driver (kept running into Joe around the city...on the sidewalks, that is) we still tipped for the total number of days.
In response to Nitewowl, I have no trouble tipping the driver and TD for a job well done and providing a seamless, worry-free, safe and enjoyable trip. Didn't Arthur, Sr., have a small number of guests that as the owner he drove around himself?? The world of escorted travel was just beginning, and the landscape has changed. Are there actually companies who do not encourage tipping directors??
Interestingly, when we took the A/NZ tour twelve years ago, it was our first tour where we flew during the tour. We had only done European land tours prior to that. After about our third in-country flight (not all on private planes), after watching our TD navigate all of us and our luggage through a busy airport, I casually remarked that I hoped her base salary was a lot greater than those land tour TD's as flying presented a whole new set of logistics to conquer! She said that, no, it was the same. Now, maybe that has changed, and we certainly have done many more trips where air travel is part of the itinerary and it has just gotten more and more seamless. But I still maintain that moving 30+ folks easily through an airport has to be among the toughest jobs out there! Why, sometimes my husband and I, a party of two, bumble our ways through!!
“All customary gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff and local guides and drivers are included.”
The line above was copied directly from the ‘Before you Go’, section on ‘What’s Included” on the Grand Australia and New Zealond page of the Tauck website. I am a native English (American) speaker. What don’t I understand about this sentence?
The customary gratuities for the Tauck Director and local drivers are not included. We ask that gratuities be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.
I think you are confusing what ‘Services’ are included as opposed to ‘Gratuities’ which appear to be thought of as a separate entity. This is all different from most people on the forum who seem to want to tip all and sundry.
We haven't taken near the number of tours that most posting to this thread have, but I have never seen that statement in any Green Book. On every tour where a "local" driver has been involved, tipping of those drivers, just like "local" guides has always been handled by Tauck. What tour? Maybe it is a website error- certainly wouldn't be the first!
The policy in the Green Book for every tour we have taken suggests a gratuity should be voluntarily given to the TD (except for river cruises, small boat cruises, etc.) and coach drivers that stay with and transport the group for the entire tour (England, Scotland, Wales; Ireland; Ultimate Alps; Romantic Germany; Classic Italy; Hidden Gems of NE, etc.).
Gratuities for all other drivers- relief drivers (1 - 2 days while main driver takes required break), city drivers, special minibus drivers for a drive along the Amalfi Coast, van drivers from a hotel to restaurant or attraction (Prague Castle, Pudlestein Hut, Stuttgart/Mercedes museum, etc.), local coach drivers during river cruises, from Prague to Regensburg to Vilshofen, excursion from Linz to Salzburg or Cesky Krumlov, city tours of Vienna, Budapest, etc. are all handled by Tauck.
A final comment that I have posted in the past- Despite all this, a gratuity is still optional, so follow the Green Book or not. If you don't like the idea or policy, don't give a gratuity or don't travel with Tauck. No need to argue or obsess about it.
Bingo! You've said it all!!
Of course you are absolutely correct, tipping is entirely voluntary, but the original poster was specificllay asking about tips, though funnily enough, for a country that is not big on tipping, Australia.
When the topic has come up before, I have said that I have observed many times that I don't think everyone seems to tip the tour director. I'd love to do a survey on this because it's obvious from reading questions here that not everyone reads the green book, a relatively new thing for Tauck, before that it was a big number of loose papers, even less likely to be read. There has to be a number of people who assume tour directors are not expecting tips.
Another thing I have observed in general is that my 'richest' number of friends are the most stingy tippers. Maybe that is why they are rich. Just another reason tipping is such an oddi custom.
Like Sealord said, no one ever gave him a tip for doing his job. Giving tips is even illegal for some jobs. Another cultural difference I have observed in the US that is different to the country of my birth is for example, giving of gifts to teachers, that's a no no in England because it could be seen as bribery. You sometimes see signs in places that say there is a no tipping policy or employees are not allowed to accept gifts.
Whatever, this has been an interesting topic.
I really think that the folks who write the Tauck website info have incorrectly used that term at some point over the years and in some places it has not been corrected. As you know Tauck often just copies the previous itinerary and "Before You Go" when they open a new season for a particular tour. It may take months for incorrect/outdated info to be updated/corrected on the website (sometimes it never is), so people can be surprised when they read their Green Book and even then they may never notice a change.
Compounding the problem, many folks get all their info via a travel agent, and as we and the old regulars from Oz know, that can be hit or miss. Also, as the forum highlights, some people just skim or never read the Before You Go, Green Book, etc.
How about the "No Options Sold" claim? : ) Just kidding. Actually, that refers to the TD not selling anything. Options like the new Classic Italy $285 pre-tour excursion to Capri and the $239 balloon ride on day 6 of Aus/NZ are handled during booking.
In the documents that Tauck provided to us for many tours (such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Switzerland), they had a guideline for the Tauck Director gratuity, and a separate guideline for the driver gratuity. The common link is that we had the same driver for most of each tour.
However, on some of our past tours where the same driver was rarely with us for more than one or two days (such as India or Japan), Tauck documents recommended a gratuity for the Tauck Director, but included no such recommendation for drivers.
Here is the specific wording contained in the Tauck documents for our Adriatic Treasures tour this year:
Tauck Director and Driver Gratuities
Your Tauck Director is looking forward to meeting you!
One of the highlights of your Tauck journey will be your professional Tauck Director. Our Tauck Directors are passionate about sharing their knowledge of local customs, cultural traditions and contemporary topics with our guests, and they choreograph each day's activities and work tirelessly to ensure that you get the utmost enjoyment from your journey. We have chosen not to include Tauck Director and motorcoach driver gratuities in the price of your tour because we truly believe that gratuities are an important way for your to express your appreciation and to acknowledge their genuine, personal interaction and superior customer service.
Unlike most other tour guides, Tauck Directors receive no commissions on your shopping purchases, nor do they earn additional income by selling options to you on tour. Instead their sole focus is on serving you, and making sure you have the best possible experience during your travels.
We ask that you extend gratuities on an individual basis rather than as a group, and we offer the following guidelines to assist you in determining an appropriate amount:
• USD $10 per traveler, per day for the Tauck Director, or the equivalent amount in local currency.
• USD $4 per traveler, per day for the driver, or the equivalent amount in local currency .
Please note: Although gratuities represent the majority of your Tauck Director's compensation, our policy prohibits Tauck Directors from directly soliciting gratuities.
All other service gratuities, including those for local guides, hotel bellmen and restaurant staff, have been included in the price of your journey.
I personally apologize for boring you. As stated earlier, if you view the video narrated by Ken Burns about his business plan ... a tour where everything is included including the tips the hotel bellmen, then the bus driver tipping policy is not so boring. I just finished our second K&T, and I can assure you that the safari drivers are tipped by the the TD, not by the guests. The tipping of the TD I think is totally appropriate because the TD provides a very personal and all inclusive service to the guests. The Tauck business plan that puts it a step above other travel companies is the ‘all inclusive’ nature of the trip. You will not get that at OAT, or NatGeo, or most others. The Celebrity Xpedition was actually a trip where you could leave your wallet at home. But, these are clearly advertised as all inclusive trips. I tip a lot, but I do not expect to be ‘expected’ to tip for services provided by Tauck ... other than the TD. Their basic business plan says that they take care of everything. Not done ‘beating the dead horse. I have sent the following to Tauck for their consideration ... and a follow up cuz I thought the first reponse was not adequate.
“We have done six Tauck tours, and I think I have watched all your videos including the Ken Burns narration of how Tauck got started, including Arthurs visit to the Wigwam at the top of the Mohawk Trail. I was there when I was five years old ... now 72. The point presented by Ken Burns was that Arthurs business plan was a trip where everything is included and it is top notch ... even the tips to the bellmen. We have understood the tipping policy for the TD, and understand the reason, but it has come to light that on some tours it is expected that you tip the drivers. Sorry, I tip for personal stuff ... room service, drinks, laundry, special assistance. The drivers are hired by Tauck, and they are an integral part of the ‘all inclusive’ Tauck experience. They should be tipped by the TD not by your guests who are not supposed to be bothered by such details. This has become a subject on the Tauck forum, and a failure on the part of Tauck to provide the all inclusive experience could have a negative affect on your reputation and your business plan. The TD is providing a very personal service to the guests, and tipping therefore is appropriate. The drivers are providing a service to Tauck, and Tauck should be taking care of the tipping.”
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. I have forwarded your email to management and your suggestion will be taken into consideration for future tour. The gratuity to the director and driver is done an a voluntary basis but we certainly appreciate your feedback.
“Thank you Edel,
I have also read the part about tipping being voluntary ... it always is. But when Tauck supplies a suggested amount like $4.00 per day per person, it becomes clear that it is expected. We always bring lots of tip money for ‘personal’ items. But we do not expect to need to carry additional money for the “all inclusive” experience. The TD is an understandable exception. The bus driver is a travel expense. I’m a retired airline pilot. Did you ever tip your pilot? I don’t think so. If the bus drivers expect tips, it is Tauck that should be doing it.
Mike”
Now, that horse should be dead. I’m awaiting their next reponse.
Neigh!!! : )
The confusion for us has come with the drivers. On the England, Scotland Wales tour we had 1 Scottish driver that handled the first 2 days in Scotland, then on the 3rd an English driver took over for the rest on the tour. The TD told us he handled the tips for the Scottish driver. Should we have increased the TD's tip to cover that? Then in Ireland our driver had to take a mandatory 1 day rest and we had a different guy. Was told the drivers worked that out between them.
The bus drivers have been awesome and I certainly wouldn't want to handle one of those behemoths in the tight spaces the have to navigate. I would just prefer Tauck paid them well upfront.
We have experienced instances on various tours on days when the itinerary said a lunch was "on our own," the TD gave each of us cash to buy the meal- I think sometimes that was compensation for some minor issue that we may or may not have even been aware. : ) That cash and money to buy stuff mentioned by BKMD- treats (chocolates, small souvenirs, Gellato in Orvieto, etc.) comes from a fund or allowance Tauck provides to each TD.
I fail to understand why Tauck tips drivers on some/most of these ‘all inclusive’ trips, but presents the ‘expectation’ that the guests on these ‘all inclusive’ trips will tip the drivers on others. We love Tauck, and presently have an additional three trips booked taking us into 2020. But I find this ‘inconsistancy’ in their business model a bit strange.
For those who have not seen this or cannot find it, this is the link to the Tauck story and their business model.
http://www.tauck.com/why-tauck/tauck-story.aspx
Good. I did not know that as I’ve been on six Tauck trips and I have only seen the video on the website. But since it is widely disseminated except on my trips, it more strongly makes the point. The video clearly states that Aurthur’s business plan was a trip where “everything is included” in the price. If they are showing this video on all of the trips, it would seem to reinforce the idea that the plan has not changed. That being said, I watched the video again, and then started looking at different trips, clicking on, “Before you Go” and looking at whats included, whats not included, and gratuities. I can see at least five different definitions of “everything included”. Sometimes ‘driver’ tips are not included, sometimes they are, and sometimes only ‘local’ driver tips are not included. On the boat trips, even the TD tips are included. You must be something of a sleuth to figure all this out. On the ‘everything included’ scale, in descending order: Boat trips, South Africa Sararis, Safaris to other places, and then bus trips which have the least ‘everything’ included but in fact were Arthur’s original creation. I actually just discovered I should have been ‘volunteerily’ tipping the drivers on my “Canadian Rockies, and Glacier National Park” trip, but I did not because on my previous trips when I read the “Before you Go” section, it said driver tips were included. So there you have it. Even those of us who are native English (American) speakers, really don’t know the definition of “everything”.