Do I tip the tour leader?

[cassamanda]

Anyone plan on tipping the airline hostess?

 

Cos I reckon she will be getting paid less than the bus driver... :rolleyes:

 

 

Or the check in staff at the airport??

 

What about the hotel check in crew....who I can guarantee will be on less than the bus driver.

 

But hey ho.......lets keep up this pretence and single out certain jobs for tipping irrelevant of being low paid or not......

 

If a tour bus driver is getting less than $60-$65k plus overtime, allowances, meals, plus 9% super I would be very surprised.

 

Hell that's more than my partner gets as a uni trained kindergarten teacher and for bringing up your kids they get no tips....maybe I need to send them out to get another job....

With the risk of getting my head chewed off. Just want to correct a couple of your points but first to say that I agree that tipping in Australia is a totally non mandatory practice and is not expected.

Let's get the terminology of a bus driver correct. In Australia we have Coach Drivers (Tour Bus Driver in the US) who are under a different award to that of a Bus Driver - town bus, route bus, school bus what have you. Coach drivers also have far different responsibilities, job descriptions and licensing requirements to that of a regular bus driver and are employed in such areas as group tours offered by such well respected companies as AAT Kings, APT, Scenic, Trafalgar, Tauk, etc. Yet a bus driver can earn more than a coach driver with the various allowances that they receive.

 

Today's coach driver earns on average $24 per hour flat rate, Monday to Sunday without overtime, few meal allowances and only receive holiday loadings and leave if permanently employed - most are hired on a casual basis. He works a typical 10-12 hour day when on tour plus gives his own time mixing with guests after hours.

A few companies pay penalty rates on weekends but not many as this would be cost prohibitive for the owner. Companies have the option of employing drivers according to the state award or on an Employment Agreement.

Superannuation is required to be paid to every employee in this country regardless of what they do.

Tips may be received but never asked for. Usually the particular tour company that the driver is chartered to sets the guidelines on tips and these are usually included in the cost of the tour. The share of the tips is usually passed on to the driver by the tour director - but not always.

The going rate from northern hemisphere tour operators is roughly $1 per person per day.

If the driver happens to be the guide (driver/guide) then he is not paid any extra in this country for his commentary and tour directing skills - it is just part of the job of a good coach driver who is self taught in these skills.

Just a clarification and not intended to add to the pro's and con's of tipping.

Regards, Hugh

[Sutho]

I can tell you that the AAT Kings drivers in NT who do Ayers Rock resort love the job. It is contract for them and they get to tour and get paid to do it. Its hard work, well paid and a six month contract means they can earn enough cash while away from home to have a six month break when not on contract. They even tried to recruit me when the realised I had the licence to drive the coaches. Told me it was the best job they could get. I have seriously though about doing that kind of work and I would love to live at Ayers Rock resort for six months on the pay they get with mainly Australian and visiting Japanese non-tipping tourists.