What is it with Taxi Cab drivers?!

[catsknowme]

It sounds like the drivers might be used to including the tip in the receipt, because, sadly enough, I am sure that most other patrons would want to be reimbursed for the full amount, including tip. It could be that Autopac would have the same consideration, too. They are probably thinking that they are doing you a favor....wrong assumption, but in this day and age, honor isn't all that common

For the record, I applaud your honesty

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

I completely understand that tips can be important in a person's employment, but with the rates cab drivers charge us, and the lack of assistance (no door opening, etc.) I don't think most of them deserve a tip.

I tip for a job well done, not just for the sake of tipping.

It seems to me that it has come to a point where anyone who deals with people as part of their job expect tips: waitresses, taxi drivers, bell hops, parking attendants etc.

Let me ask everyone something.

- When you get on a bus do you tip the driver?
- What about when you fly, do you tip the pilot and co-pilot? If not, why not? What makes a taxi driver more special than a bus driver or pilot that they deserve a tip and the others don't?
- Do you tip your doctor or the staff in a hospital while you are a patient?
- Maybe the garbage collectors who pick up your trash?
- What about your travel agent?
- Do you run out and throw money at the city employees who plow the streets and sidewalks after a snow storm? I bet you don't.
- Cashiers make minimum wage, when you go through a checkout line at the grocery or department store, do you give the checker 20% tip based on your purchase? Probably not.

But all of these people are doing something for you. Why not tip all of those people?

I talked to a taxi driver the other day about their wages. Do you know that on average for a 12 hour shift they make about $300 to $500.00 per shift based on fares alone? That's way more than I make in a day, and I work a 100 times harder than they do. They aren't working poor!

It's my opinion that every job dealing with people does not require a tip. Where does it stop? Most jobs these days require you to deal with people in some manner or another. Are you expected to tip them all?

My rule of thumb for tipping is if someone does something "personal" for me, such as wait on me and cater to my personal needs IE: bring me my food, clean up after me, pamper me. Simply sitting behind a wheel and driving me to my destination and nothing else does not fit into that definition for me. If they get out and help me into and out of the car and carry my parcels for me, that's different, but just to sit behind the wheel, hear where I am going and drive me there is not a tipable (is that even a word? lol) service.

If I go to a restaurant, a hair salon, a spa....I'm getting "pampered" and I'll tip for that service. But I don't tip just for the sake of tipping. I'm not rich, and I don't like throwing money around. If I wanted to give money away for the sake of giving it away, I'll give it to my favourite charities.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Do not doubt - I would NEVER take a cab without tipping. I am not sure about Canada - in the US it is customary; if you ever worked for tips you would know why...

Same thing with pizza delivery, restaurant servers, etc. It is their jobs, and yet we all know tips are a big part of their income. The rest is pretty much minimum wage, which is well below what anyone would need to survive. Again, not sure about Canada.
I am not sure of what you are insinuating here. You are not cheating them out of $$$. You would be if you were pocketing the money instead of tipping the driver. That would be a cheat. I find it weird that they don't expect to pay tips, when it is just a part of the process in getting a cab. Tipping is part of the payment, padding expenses is a whole other thing, FYI - you would keep the money to yourself. This is not what I do, and what anyone who tips does.

For the majority of Canadians this is also how we do it. Most of us don't have a problem with tipping at all. Most of us realize that cabbies, waitresses, pizza delivery boys etc. really count on tips to make up the lack in their pay cheque and don't have a problem with helping out with tips.

Unless I've gotten really, really poor service, I tip generously.

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by Yosemite

For the majority of Canadians this is also how we do it. Most of us don't have a problem with tipping at all. Most of us realize that cabbies, waitresses, pizza delivery boys etc. really count on tips to make up the lack in their pay cheque

Taxi drivers aren't poor people. Many are owner operators and they make upwards of $300,000 per year driving or splitting the fares of their other owned cars with the hired drivers who also get 50% of the shift's intake. I don't know where people get that taxi drivers don't make any money.

 

[whisky'sdad]

You know what I hate?? (Mostly!)

Those damn tip jars on the counters of takeout places! The only time I will tip in that way is if it is a place that I frequent and they have consistently given good service. There was a place in NE Portland, OR called La Sirenita that I went to ALOT!! I would always put a buck or 2 in the jar.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Taxi drivers aren't poor people. Many are owner operators and they make upwards of $300,000 per year driving or splitting the fares of their other owned cars with the hired drivers who also get 50% of the shift's intake. I don't know where people get that taxi drivers don't make any money.

I guess Winnipeg must be different than the Toronto area. Most cabbies in our area DO NOT own their cabs and are driving for peanuts for the guys who do own the cabs. The drivers must pay huge (6 digit figures) to even have a license to drive the cabs so yes, they do need the tips and they are not making anywhere near $300,000 per year.

 

[februa]

So, I am shocked at this $300,000 a year amount, and would almost throw it out there that its impossible to be true. However, I recognize that all areas are different, and have no experience in Winnipeg. My father drove taxi in Toronto back in the 70s and 80s, and has a lot of friends who did the same. Only one or two of them still drive, because it is next to impossible to make a living. These one or two do own their cabs, and do pull in over $200,000 a year. Of course, the plate fee is $106,000, the insurance they pay is over $20,000, and then on the remaining $75,000, they still have to maintain their vehicle (to a high standard- people wont tolerate riding in junkers), pay income taxes, and pay some kind of union dues. I know for a fact these people end up living on about $40,000 a year - and theyre the well paid rich ones. The highest paid taxi drivers in the US make JUST over $30,000 a year (Manhattan, and Boston). The Edmonton drivers are pretty close to the US numbers from what I have heard (by asking, bf considered doing it once but would have been a big pay cut and very inconvenient for him).
I tip taxi drivers every time, for cleanliness, safety, driving skills, and for allowing me the privlege of being catered to in this way. If I have to wait a long while, or the driving is poor, I dont tip or tip less, but in general - its automatic for me

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by Februa

The highest paid taxi drivers in the US make JUST over $30,000 a year (Manhattan, and Boston). The Edmonton drivers are pretty close to the US numbers from what I have heard (by asking, bf considered doing it once but would have been a big pay cut and very inconvenient for him).

That's almost as much as my brother makes driving a bus for the City of Winnipeg. I showed him my annual salary as a nurse if I were to work full time, he told me that I make more than twice as much as he does. So that puts him in about the $35,000.00 per year area.

Why aren't people tipping bus drivers when they get on the bus. They aren't making that much money either. $30,000.00 per year is not a bad income to make. It's way more than what some people make, and quite livable.

The fact still remains, if I want to tip, I will. It shouldn't be automatically assumed by the driver that he can take his own tip and give me back whatever amount of change he feels like. That's the point of this thread, not really whether you think a taxi driver should be tipped or not.

 

[gingersmom]

I used to drive a cab, and I relied on my tips, because the hourly wage I got was close to that of waiting tables.

Proper etiquette dictates that taxi drivers be tipped. Bus drivers make a lot more money per hour than taxi drivers do.

Those taxi drivers that own their own cabs have to pay for the gas, wear and tear, licensing, spend their lives in the car - it's not a fun way to make a living, despite your assumptions!

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

That's almost as much as my brother makes driving a bus for the City of Winnipeg. I showed him my annual salary as a nurse if I were to work full time, he told me that I make more than twice as much as he does. So that puts him in about the $35,000.00 per year area.

Why aren't people tipping bus drivers when they get on the bus. They aren't making that much money either. $30,000.00 per year is not a bad income to make. It's way more than what some people make, and quite livable.

The fact still remains, if I want to tip, I will. It shouldn't be automatically assumed by the driver that he can take his own tip and give me back whatever amount of change he feels like. That's the point of this thread, not really whether you think a taxi driver should be tipped or not.

Linda, you aren't really comparing apples to apples here. Bus drivers are paid an hourly wage by a transit authority, have company paid benefits, unions, and other perks. Taxi drivers are considered self-employed, have no benefits, have high upkeep costs on their vehicles, aren't guaranteed a fare every hour (i.e., no hourly wage or even a guaranteed daily earnings).

No disrespect meant, but if your taxi drivers in Winnipeg are making $300,000 a year, I'll eat my shirt!

Having said that, you are absolutely right - you shouldn't pay anyone a tip if you don't want to. But eventually your address and profile will make it through the taxi group so I wouldn't be surprised if you find it difficult to get a taxi in the future if you need one.

As for you making more than your brother, I should hope so - it takes more learning and experience/knowledge to be a nurse than a bus driver.