Do you tip the Magical Express driver?

[Edd]

Lewis,

The Mears drivers are not unionized. That is the reason the hourly wage is so low. Mears do not let unions get close to the drivers. Literally.

Disney dictated the signing of the contract. I have a memo to Mears drivers from the Mears CEO apologizing to the drivers, independent taxi and car service drivers, plus the shuttle drivers, and explaining there would still be plenty of work available after the DME was begun. In the memo the CEO stated the Mears negotiating team was never informed by Disney that the DME was going to be free.

If you get right down to it, Disney was the biggest benefactor of the DME deal. All transportation drivers involved with DME, got the worst end, a big percentatage of that fleet is new and don't make much over minimum wage for that responsibility, and that is why some harrass for additional tips.

 

[Lewisc]

Sorry for providing bad information. I don't remember which poster said the Mears drivers were unionized but I didn't have any reason to doubt it.

I find it hard to believe Mears didn't have an idea what Disney was planning to charge for DME. Maybe he didn't know it was going to be literally free but based on the projected volume he had to know the service was going to be priced well below cost.

It sounds like a case of damage control. Maybe Disney never officially told Mears DME would be free but the writing is on the wall.

Lewis,

The Mears drivers are not unionized. That is the reason the hourly wage is so low. Mears do not let unions get close to the drivers. Literally.

Disney dictated the signing of the contract. I have a memo to Mears drivers from the Mears CEO apologizing to the drivers, independent taxi and car service drivers, plus the shuttle drivers, and explaining there would still be plenty of work available. In the memo the CEO stated the Mears negotiating team was never informed by Disney that the DME was going to be free.

 

[Edd]

I find it hard to believe myself, but that is what Carns (CEO) wrote the driver population when Mears announced it to all of their drivers. I picked up a copy of the memo from a friend at Mears. Yes, I still have it.

"At no time during those discussions and negotiations did we know the service would be free to the guest." From an interoffice memo dated, December 29, 2004.

 

[Disney Ron]

I agree with you 100%!!

Kathy, I look at it this way, almost everyone who takes a taxi in an everyday situation when luggage isn't involved, tips the driver. Even if the taxi driver does nothing but deliver that person to his/her destination, they usually get tipped. So why not the DME driver? As long as he delivers me and my loved ones to and from WDW safely, I believe that merits a tip, case closed.

 

[Edd]

There is a difference between car service drivers, taxi drivers and the bus driver. The first two provide many more services than a bus driver can provide. A car service or taxi driver can be a bountyful of information whereas a bus driver usually does not. Tips are for exceptional service above the usual and most bus drivers do not provide those services. Pulling a piece of luggage out of the bottom of the bus is not exceptional service. For insurance purposes a bus driver is required to do it.

A bus driver also has a weekly check, more than minimum wage, he gets paid with. Most car service or taxi drivers do not. Their service has to provide them with the extra money. Usually bus drivers could not survive in the car service or taxi drivers routine. So there is a huge difference. I would like to know of one job that provides minimum wage to the employee and than the employee can openly seek extra revenue in the form of tips. Don't mention bagboys because most of the grocery companies do not like their employees getting tips.

 

[Lewisc]

Waiters in some states, I believe including CA, get paid minimum wage plus tips.

Far too many fast food restaurants have tip jars. Those employees get paid (at least) minimum wage.

I'm sure there are other examples.

I would like to know of one job that provides minimum wage to the employee and than the employee can openly seek extra revenue in the form of tips. Don't mention bagboys because most of the grocery companies do not like their employees getting tips.

 

[dopeyfanatic]

I"m not huge on tipping because I think too many people expect it when it's not earned. However, here in CA you get min wage, and that means that pizza delivery people, waiters and waitresses, Starbucks.....everyone has tip jars or it's expected to tip them. But they ARE getting min wage.

 

[MsAmerica]

The one time we used ME I was glad I tipped the driver on the way down the steps. We were the only guests getting off at the Beach Club and my cell phone slipped out of my pant pocket during the ride and it was left behind on the bus. Once I discovered it was missing, I used my DD's cell to call my phone and the driver picked up. I told him he just left me off ten minutes ago at the BC and he said he would turn around and bring it back to me. What a relief that was. I waited about ten minutes and he showed up. He knew exactly who I was at the portico and when I handed him a $20 bill he refused it and said I had already taken care of him earlier, I insisted (I would have DIED without my cell) and he did take it the second time it was offered.

Honestly, I believe, because I tipped him a few bucks leaving the bus, without him doing anything for me but getting me to the BC safely, he went out of his way for me when I left the phone behind.

Tip the driver! Do people realize how much they saved by not having to pay to get on property?

JMO

MsA

 

[Brian Noble]

If I stow any bags on the bus (for example, if RAC was down that morning, as it often seems to be), I tip the driver $1-2 per bag for loading/unloading. Otherwise, not.