Are we suppossed to tip the guy driving DME

[Lewisc]

Restaurants don't let customers go to the kitchen to get their own food. Bars don't generally allow guests to pour their own drinks. Some parking garages don't allow self-parking.

You're incorrect. The drivers job is to drive, not stow luggage. Even a 21" roller bag can fit on your lap. You're under no legal obligation to tip but your explanation reads like an attempt to justify stiffing people.

That said Disney isn't really being fair to the drivers. DCL drivers are paid extra, "pre-tipped" to handle luggage. Disney decided not to pay the DME drivers to handle luggage but implies driver gratuity is included with DME. JMO but Disney should either pay the drivers extra or explicitly tell DME guests, in the brochure, what a typical tip is for luggage handling. My memory is the brochure makes it clear bell service tips aren't included for transfer when you're checking out.

To answer the OPs question, the normal tip for a shuttle driver who handles luggage is $1-$2 per bag. That's considered a normal tip even if the shuttle service is free, such as a rental car shuttle. This tip isn't included as part of DME.

Since DME does not allow you to get your own bags from under the bus, I consider it part of the driver's job and do not tip, regardless of whether they handled our bags or not.

I'm not one that feels "obligated" to tip, regardless of what others tell me I "should" do. If someone goes above and beyond their job, then they get a tip. Just doing your job? Nope, not tipworthy.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

Since DME does not allow you to get your own bags from under the bus, I consider it part of the driver's job and do not tip, regardless of whether they handled our bags or not.

I'm not one that feels "obligated" to tip, regardless of what others tell me I "should" do. If someone goes above and beyond their job, then they get a tip. Just doing your job? Nope, not tipworthy.

By this logic, you shouldn't tip waiters/waitresses either. The restaurant doesn't allow me to place my order directly with the kitchen, or pick it up when it's done.

The driver is paid to drive the bus. If I don't have any bags for the driver to handle, I don't tip. If he stows bags under the bus for me, I tip the driver $1 per bag.

 

[mmackeymouse]

Since DME does not allow you to get your own bags from under the bus, I consider it part of the driver's job and do not tip, regardless of whether they handled our bags or not.

I'm not one that feels "obligated" to tip, regardless of what others tell me I "should" do. If someone goes above and beyond their job, then they get a tip. Just doing your job? Nope, not tipworthy.

I wholeheartedly agree. Do I tip? Sure. But, I don't do it based on what the consensus feels is right or fair. I also disagree with those who say stowing luggage is not a part of the driver's job. How do we know? When these people are hired, I am sure they are told what to expect, and I am sure they are told that they will have to handle baggage at some point. So, yeah, I think handling baggage is likely in the job description.

Absolutely up to each person to decide if they should tip or not. But, technically, it is not the drivers job to stow any bags..he is there to drive you to your resort. It is your decision to bring a bag along that has to be stowed due to it's size. Your choice. If I bring a bag that I know is too large to hold on my lap, then I fully expect to tip that driver $1...he has done something more than drive the bus. But, that is me. The bus driver's job is to 'drive the bus' not be a luggage handler. This is why Disney says tips are included when you use DME. They are assuming you won't have any stowable luggage. If you do, it's up to you to take care of tips. But, again, not saying that anyone is 'obligated' to tip...just stating what the norm is.

Disney assumes people will not have stowable luggage? Come on, that is just ridiculous. MOST people traveling to Disney for a vacation are likely going to have stowable luggage. Why would Disney base their policy on the assumption that people will be traveling with only carryons and small bags?

 

[goofy4tink]

Of course people traveling to WDW are going to have stowable luggage. BUT....DME is designed to move the people on the bus, and the luggage on luggage trucks, not the people bus. You are supposed to tag your checked bags with the yellow luggage tags that DME provides. Then, a DME CM will grab those tagged bags and put them on the appropriate resort truck for delivery.
Yes, the buses have storage space underneath. And yes, the drivers are prepared to handle your bags. If someone handles a bag for you, they are going to expect to be tipped..plain and simple. Disney does not provide tips for the drivers who have to stow guest baggage under the bus. Why in heaven's name would they do that?? How could they possibly know what bags someone handled. They can't know. When those tagged bags get to the resort, they are tracked....Disney knows exactly how many bags are going to a particular room, so the bell person is tipped accordingly.

If you choose to bring your bags, with you, to the bus, then you should expect to tip the driver. Again, he is there to drive you to the resort. I'm not arguing the point here...just telling you how the system is laid out. Disney does not provide tips for the DME bus drivers. And neither does Mears, who the driver actually works for.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Disney assumes people will not have stowable luggage? Come on, that is just ridiculous. MOST people traveling to Disney for a vacation are likely going to have stowable luggage. Why would Disney base their policy on the assumption that people will be traveling with only carryons and small bags?

They don't. Disney does, however, expect Guests to use Magical Express as designed, including (checked) luggage delivery.

 

[Tony NY]

I was wondering the same thing. I have used DME twice. I never thought to tip on the way to the resort because, for some reason, when I read "gratuity included", it did not occur to me that it meant the gratuity for bell services to deliver your luggage to your room. Now, I know better and I am prepared tp tip the DME driver appropriately. I forgot to tip on the return trip the first time I used it (no small bills on hand!) but I remembered for the second trip.

I am wondering about the "if the driver touches your bag" guideline....do they even allow you to stow/unstow your baggage under the bus? I think the driver has to do it and therefore must "touch" your bags. I agree that this is appropriate, but I would not want people to think that they can just put the luggage in themselves to try and avoid tipping. Or, am I mistaken? I fully intend on tipping the driver for dealing with our luggage (car seat, strollers, carry-ons....it's a lot) but I too do not like it when they verbally solicit tips. It always rubs me the wrong way when people ask for tips. Here's a tip: "Don't ask for tips!"

I agree with you

I general tip people who help me.

As a handicap person I feel obligated to tip people. I hate when someone makes a hint for a tip I fell that you saying to me that you want to be paid for doing your job and it my job to pay me for doing your job. When someone makes that hint I just say thank you and I do not tip you for you doing your job.

While on vacation I spend at least $ 500.00 if not more in tips. I don’t want to hear I want a tip from you !

 

[dd50]

I always tip people except when they keep hinting for a tip. That just turns me off and I won't do it.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I always tip people except when they keep hinting for a tip. That just turns me off and I won't do it.

Ditto. Mention you work for tips and you aren't getting anything from me. When we used the DP in December, any waiter who made a big production of the tips not being included got the minimum (I had one who felt it was necessary to tell me about the tipping procedure before we even ordered).

The first time we used DME my 16 year old son waited for our carry ons while I got in the check in line at the resort. He commented on how he was the only person to tip the driver and that some of the people had even had their regular luggage with them. At least I did something right raising him!

 

[goofy4tink]

Ditto. Mention you work for tips and you aren't getting anything from me. When we used the DP in December, any waiter who made a big production of the tips not being included got the minimum (I had one who felt it was necessary to tell me about the tipping procedure before we even ordered).

The first time we used DME my 16 year old son waited for our carry ons while I got in the check in line at the resort. He commented on how he was the only person to tip the driver and that some of the people had even had their regular luggage with them. At least I did something right raising him!

I had the same experience with a server at WDW...she must have felt that I was too stupid to figure out how to properly tip. She got tipped at a much lower percentage than I normally tip at.
You know...there is signage at the front of those buses. It's easy to see the sign...really hard to miss it. If a driver mentions that gratuities are always accepted, he has just taken away any tip I had in my hand. And I always have the appropriate tip in my hand ready to hand out. But, there have been 2 occasions where that money has gone right back into my pocket....even though the driver did handle my larger than normal carryon bag (rolling duffle bag). I will not be guilted into tipping, I will not feel forced to tip...nope, not happening. But on the other hand, I have tipped when the driver never touched a bag of mine...I had no bags at all. But he was so much fun and added so much to the 30 min ride to my resort that I really wanted to acknowledge his good service. But, there were plenty of people standing there, waiting for their bags, that didn't tip. When the driver takes out your 6 bags (because you didn't check them, for whatever reason and decided to bring them with you to the bus) and you don't tip for that service, well, I'm sorry, but it is customary to tip for that.
I find it funny that Disney repeatedly tells us that housekeeping is considered a 'non-tipped' position. But guests insist on tipping their housekeepers. No one has an issue with that. But, the DME driver is a tippable position yet people say, no, the driver is just doing his job, he doesn't get a tip from me.

 

[gokenin]

See again I may be an oddball but I have always tipped the driver. Why you ask because he is providing a service for me. I tip a cabbie for a ride, I tip a limo driver for the ride why wouldnt I tip the driver that takes me from the airport to my resort? I know its offered by Disney for free but if there was no DME I would be using a limo and I would tip him so its not that big of a deal for me.
I dont understand the general aversion people have to tipping if you are being served for in some way I dont know why you shouldn't at least tip for the service you are recieving. I understand that may people will say that the people we tip (waiter/waitresses ,drivers, mousekeepers, bellhops) are all being paide hourly wages so they dont deserve tips. To me this just seems wrong they are doing there job to help you relax on vacation so to me not having to think about the jobs they do makes it worth every cent I give them.

 

[goofy4tink]

See again I may be an oddball but I have always tipped the driver. Why you ask because he is providing a service for me. I tip a cabbie for a ride, I tip a limo driver for the ride why wouldnt I tip the driver that takes me from the airport to my resort? I know its offered by Disney for free but if there was no DME I would be using a limo and I would tip him so its not that big of a deal for me.
I dont understand the general aversion people have to tipping if you are being served for in some way I dont know why you shouldn't at least tip for the service you are recieving. I understand that may people will say that the people we tip (waiter/waitresses ,drivers, mousekeepers, bellhops) are all being paide hourly wages so they dont deserve tips. To me this just seems wrong they are doing there job to help you relax on vacation so to me not having to think about the jobs they do makes it worth every cent I give them.

And that's fine...I would tend to agree with you. But...do you tip the bus drivers at WDW? Do you tip the boat pilots? I didn't think so. I know, I know, not exactly the same thing.
Usually, when someone is tipped it is at a certain percentage of what you have been charged. So...DME is 'free'...what percentage do you feel is appropriate? I have tipped a driver (who never touched a bag simply because I had none with me) $5 one time...he was incredibly entertaining and really started my vacation off with a bang. But there was the driver who 'asked' for a tip, in addition to the signage on the bus telling us they can accept tips. This driver never spoke until he made that announcement..not a hello, not a welcome to Orlando..nothing. Although he did get my largish carryon bag out from under the bus, I gave him nothing extra. But, generally speaking I tip $1-2 per bag...if the driver has gone out of his/her way to be a bit more than 'just a driver'. Be personable, be pleasant, greet us as we board the bus, tell a funny story..whatever. Just don't stand there like the sphinx, mouth closed up tight.