Outfitter Etiquette

Tres Westbrook

Tres Westbrook

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Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
122
This is almost embarrassing to ask, but what is proper gratuity etiquette for shuttle drivers? Do they expect a couple bucks tip for carrying you and your stuff to the drop off point and/or shuttling you back? We are going to Canyonlands starting tomorrow and canoeing down the Green River. I don't want to offend, and tipping could be offensive to certain types as well as appreciated by others. Personally, anyone giving me money would never offend me, but there are some who could feel otherwise. Any feedback is appreciated.
 
Good old tipping. I don't think I've ever tipped a shuttle driver or seen anyone else tip either. I'd think you're good without tipping because you're PAYING for the shuttle. But, I'm a stingy one so my example might not be best to follow. :D I don't think they'd be offended by you giving them a few bucks and it would probably be a nice gesture. Maybe I need to change my ways and stop being so stingy.

Some related reading regarding tipping which I found interesting and funny: http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/04/everything-dont-know-tipping.html
 
I definitely tip and I think it's somewhat expected. $2-3 bucks per person maybe for that kind of shuttle. I tipped $10 when they moved my vehicle for me from Green River Lakes to Elkhart.
 
Nick's a better example than me. :twothumbs:

And I take it back, I guess I have tipped people who have shuttled vehicles for us on river trips.
 
This past week is the first time I've even had someone shuttle a vehicle on a river trip. We thought the price was pretty high to begin with, but there were no alternate options, so we didn't tip.
 
We're just getting a shuttle to Mineral Bottom and a pick up at Spanish Bottom. Thanks for y'all's advice. I think $5 each way for my wife and I should cover it.
 
Parma said:
Tipping is a horrible and corrupt practice and should be banned...businesses should just charge the appropriate amount for the service/products they offer.
Click to expand...

Amen.

But with that said, so long as it's the way it is, I tip, otherwise it's just the employees that get the shaft. Granted, shuttle drivers are most like making more than $2.13 per hour , unlike wait staff in a restaurant, but still.
 
agreed @Nick...tipping sucks but right now it's a necessary evil, especially at restaurants.
FYI...if you haven't tried Uber, it's awesome! No awkward tips, just get out and walk away. and it's way cheaper than taxis.
so for future shuttle services, maybe try Uber.
 
Well, I'm a big fan of Steve Levitt, but I don't mind tipping for good service when the employee is making service industry wages which rely on tips to reach minimum wage. I can see both sides -- reliance on gratuities should encourage good service. But I don't subscribe to the view that you just gotta tip regardless of service or that a gratuity should be built in. If you want to eliminate tips and raise the price for a dinner comparably, that's fine, but don't say my dinner is gonna be $15 bucks, but then add an unearned surcharge to it. In tipping situations, which I consider to be customer interactions that involve more than just pulling a lever and handing something over, I pretty much always give something, but I find it difficult to get all the way to 20% just as a matter of principle. If service is real bad I may leave a buck just so that they will know I did not forget to tip.
 
In other news - I'm hopping on a freaking plane tomorrow afternoon and will be in Grand Junction by evening and Canyonlands by Saturday morning.
 
As someone who did shuttles for several seasons I say if you want to tip then go ahead. I never expected to get one (I was making alright money for running the shuttle), but when I did it made it that much better. I don't think shuttle drivers are expecting a tip, or they shouldn't be. It's nice to know that you're going on a fun trip without me but without me you wouldn't be going on this fun trip...
 
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