Rude comments to Mears Drivers

[Hippychickali]

If I can't afford to tip someone who handles my bags then I should handle them myself. Why should they do it for nothing.

Wel....they aren't exactly doing it for nothing. They do get paid and it is part of what they were hired to do. If you want to handle your own bags, go for it. I will certainly tip for good service but if the service is bad, then the driver will be handling my bags and not getting a tip.

Ali

 

[Andrew Bichard]

My husband drove two days - from 6PM to 2:AM and all he got was $9 in tips total...
It makes me laugh that those staying at the high end hotels (Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, AKL) didn't even tip, not to mention the Asians and Europeans. However, the ones that stayed at the Moderate and Budget Hotels (ALL Star, Riverside) were the ones to tip.

Whilst I sympathise with your husband, I don't think that $9 in tips total in two days (and goodness knows how many hotel drop offs in that time) proves that guests in moderates & budgets tip and those in high end's don't or that americans tip and Europeans and Asians don't. I think it proves that americans staying at budget hotels tipped hardly any better than foreigners staying at luxury hotels.

I'm a European who stays at Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, AKL and Boardwalk. I always use Mears wheelchair shuttle and have never tipped less than $15 for each one way trip in recognition of the fact my wife & I are usually the only passengers.

Andrew

 

[Andrew Bichard]

My husband drove two days - from 6PM to 2:AM and all he got was $9 in tips total...
It makes me laugh that those staying at the high end hotels (Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, AKL) didn't even tip, not to mention the Asians and Europeans. However, the ones that stayed at the Moderate and Budget Hotels (ALL Star, Riverside) were the ones to tip.

Whilst I sympathise with your husband, I don't think that $9 in tips total in two days (and goodness knows how many hotel drop offs in that time) proves that guests in moderates & budgets tip and those in high end's don't or that americans tip and Europeans and Asians don't. I think it proves that americans staying at budget hotels tipped hardly any better than foreigners staying at luxury hotels.

I'm a European who stays at Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, AKL and Boardwalk. I always use Mears wheelchair shuttle and have never tipped less than $15 for each one way trip in recognition of the fact my wife & I are usually the only passengers.

Andrew

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

Wel....they aren't exactly doing it for nothing. They do get paid and it is part of what they were hired to do. If you want to handle your own bags, go for it. I will certainly tip for good service but if the service is bad, then the driver will be handling my bags and not getting a tip.

Ali[/QUOTE

I wasn't referring to bad service. That wasn't in my response. Mears drivers expecting tips is what I was referring to and will continue to tip someone who handles my bags wether it is a Mears driver, taxi driver or limo driver.

 

[Hippychickali]

I wasn't referring to bad service. That wasn't in my response. Mears drivers expecting tips is what I was referring to and will continue to tip someone who handles my bags wether it is a Mears driver, taxi driver or limo driver.

I understand what you are/were saying. I simply disagree. I don't always tip someone who handles my luggage. I'm not sure where the confusion is.

Ali

 

[disneyjunkie]

QUOTE=Hippychickali]Amen Carol!
The money you pay people is minimal. I think that's why you are tip happy as Americans because you realize this. This is certainly not the case in other places and most tourists, I don't think, realize just how lax the labour laws are and how non-concerned the government is with the average person's standard of life compared to in their own country.
Ali
PS - I apologize in advance to all the people offended in the making of this post.[/QUOTE]

We tip as a way to show appreciation for a job well done.

It's not the government’s job to make sure I have a good standard of living. The choices I make in life will determine that.

I can't imagine spending $1000s of dollars on a vacation then saying I can't afford to tip a few of the people that work hard to make my vacation special. I can understand someone saying they disagreeing with tipping certain people, but to say you can't afford it.

 

[Hippychickali]

I don't recall saying that I couldn't afford it (whether or not this is the case). I was explaining why tips are held to be so much more important in America than in other places and why, in fact, they may be more important.

I happen to believe that a good government is responsible for labour laws and keeping people above the poverty line. Call me kooky.

Ali

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

If I fly I use Mears. And I'll tip based upon how the driver treats me & my baggage. 99% of the time I'll tip but if I feel insulted or abused I won't. Actually...that's not entirely true. I tip the Mears shuttle drivers but I'm pretty sure I didn't tip the Mears big bus driver the one time I had one. He didn't seem to expect it. Anybody know if the drivers of the large busses expect tips? I figure they must have different licensing so Mears can't quite afford to offend them the way they could people licensed to drive taxis.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

Amen Carol!

I feel bad for your husband that the job wasn't what he was expecting. And there is no excuse for someone telling him to get another line of work. There are a lot of really rude people and their behaviour can be taxing. However, anyone who has been keeping tabs on the thread about tipping housekipping knows my opinion that tipping is ultimately a choice.

I live in Canada and that might explain a few things. Our minimum wage tends to be higher and we have many more social programs in place to support those who live just above, on, or below the poverty line. This is true in most other countries in the free world with the clear exception of the United States. The money you pay people is minimal. I think that's why you are tip happy as Americans because you realize this. This is certainly not the case in other places and most tourists, I don't think, realize just how lax the labour laws are and how non-concerned the government is with the average person's standard of life compared to in their own country.

As far as tourists doing reseach, ha! How many Americans have you seen outside of the US? Have you ever seen an American visit Canada? Now, we aren't really that far away and it would be fairly easy to learn a little about this fine country before you come but many of the Americans I've come across in the tourism market haven't got a clue. So I think we should ease up in pointing fingers at "Asians" and "Europeans".

Ali

PS - I apologize in advance to all the people offended in the making of this post.

lol, what a ridiculous post.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

I don't recall saying that I couldn't afford it (whether or not this is the case). I was explaining why tips are held to be so much more important in America than in other places and why, in fact, they may be more important.

I happen to believe that a good government is responsible for labour laws and keeping people above the poverty line. Call me kooky.

Ali

well kooky
I find your quotes quite amuzing, heres a headline i fond recently about your so called higher wages and better labour laws:

Dec 9 2004
"Canadian minimum wage rates an international disgrace"
Caledon Institute report paints a portrait of shocking
exploitation by Canadian business and political leaders

Ottawa - Minimum wages in Canada are lower than they were 25 years ago, lower than in most industrialized countries and lower in most cases than in the United States.

Minimum wages are so low in Canada that two parents would have to work full-time all year long to earn more than welfare benefits, (which have also been severely squeezed by many provinces, notably Ontario, in recent years).

Canadian minimum wages are lower than in most other industrial countries, and significantly below American rates

So I dont think your theory about why americans tip more holds any water at all

 

[WOW]

What a shame. Maybe we will get him one day. We probably overtip because we feel that we are very lucky with our health and our finances and were able to buy DVC and always try to help others along the way. Most people think that we are nuts........they really only care about themselves, while we always try and share and help others if we can. Don't misunderstand me, we are definately NOT wealthy.......we have always had decent paying jobs, raised 2 wonderful children and are very thankful for what we have.

 

[Pigsty333]

He no longer works for them. They switch drivers constantly. It is hard to be driving a shuttle, when you have recently moved here and are trying to learn your way around. For those of you who don't drive any of the roads, they are very poorly lit and if you miss one turn, you go around circles forever. However, when you are a passenger on a bus you really are not paying attention to the roads and second, Mears tends to pack the shuttles with numerous families, travelers, all going to different hotels so it is very hard on someone trying to get to their hotel room as fast as possible to enjoy their vacation to endure so many pit stops. For those that want to be at the resort as soon as possible, my suggestion is a Town Car or Limo instead of Mears.

To be told to find another line of work or as some poster here said, if he didn't know his way then he shouldn't be driving the shuttles at all, my answer is: The only way to learn anything is to practice and unfortunately you only get to learn all the roads and traffic patters with constant use of them. Let me ask you a question? When you moved or are visiting a new location, do you know your way around and not get lost as you did at home or where you previoulsy moved. I knew the roads in NY and in my neighborhood like the back of my hand, however, this area is new to me and I learn everyday.

As for tipping, it is just common courtesy. However, if you have a driver who stands there and does nothing, does not help, and ignores you then that is a different story. That, however, is not my husband. He had even gone out and bought stickers, pencils with character erasers to hand out to the kids, etc. He was very excited but soured up very easily. Also, their training is not that long ( two days to learn all the roads from the airport to all the disney hotels plus all the other hotels along IDrive).

He now works for Orlando International Airport and is much happier there.

Thank you to all those that supported us and had nice comments to say.

 

[PrincessCandaceMarie]

Mean people suck....had to say that sorry but it's true!

As for the tipping, when my friend arrived in Orlando from England she was told about tipping in the USA and how the procedure 'goes' for food, transportation, services, etc., .....

So hopefully things will get better for you and your family....as for Mears, they're a riot, I had them take me back to MCO and the driver was lost (she was new with Mears and didn't have the proper map), and drove us around CBR for like 20 minutes then we ended up at WWS and it was so frikking funny....everyone else on the bus was freaking out, I just sat back and laughed and hoped I'd miss my plane to stay in Disney a while longer...

 

[Free4Life11]

I understand that when some Americans go to other countries they may not know all the customs, etc. but tipping is almost ALWAYS mentioned in guidebooks, etc. Tipping is the only "custom" I care about people following anyways LOL!

 

[Free4Life11]

(Does everyone know that if you sit for a long time at a table without ordering you should tip an extra $3-$5 per half hour?)

Really?? I didn't know that actually.

To be honest, I often give a higher tip based on how cute the waitress is...

 

[CarolA]

Well since it appears to me that at least half of the visitors to Disney have never read a guidebook not sure where they would get this info.

And American visitors to other countires are even worse. It's a long flight to Europe, you would think the visitor would have time to do a little research... instead they get there and go.... now what? LOL!

 

[jerinknox]

Next time I ride on Mears, I'm going to tell the driver I'm Asian and not tip...





Thats just to funny....

 

[cmonroe]

So. I've been travelling to Disney for many years. Taken the buses or the shuttles. We always tip when it was a shuttle, but I have to admit I don't think we've ever tipped when it was a bus. Is this something we should have been doing? I guess I considered the shuttle driver providing more of a service (bringing bags to the curb check in, etc.).
Thoughts?

 

[anabelle]

I was always taught to tip 10% for services,.i.e hair and nails, and to tip at least 15% in a restaurant. I do not tip if the service was somehow terrible. I happens on occasion. I was in foodservice many years and I understand that many times a waitress on earns $2.01 an hour and the rest comes in tips. The law requires that if they don't make enough, their employer must pay them the difference to reach mimimum wage. That made me understand that it is important to tip. Not all people realize that people rely on tips to survive. It's not just a nice bonus they can blow, it's the car payment.

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

So. I've been travelling to Disney for many years. Taken the buses or the shuttles. We always tip when it was a shuttle, but I have to admit I don't think we've ever tipped when it was a bus. Is this something we should have been doing? I guess I considered the shuttle driver providing more of a service (bringing bags to the curb check in, etc.).
Thoughts?

When we used Mears we tipped for either bus or shuttle. As long as the driver handled our bags he recieved a tip. It isn't the same amount as bell service at the hotel, just a token gift since he is loading my bags. That is of course if he loaded the bags on the bus.LOL