Do you tip your shipper/delivery driver?

[francisthepig]

Hello everyone,
I will be dealing with my first experience in having a car shipped/transported 2/3's across the country.  Thanks to previous threads I was able to locate a company that was mentioned positively a few times on the forum.

My question is it customary or expected to tip the delivery driver of your vehicle?  What other things I should expect or be prepared for when the car arrives?  If it makes a difference, this will be a Cash on Delivery transaction.

Thanks in advance.

Robert
very soon a 1965 Eldorado

[harvey b]

It never hurts to offer something,but wait until its all unloaded and you have a chance to take a quick look over your car . I usually offer the tow truck drivers something to drink,a pop or bottle of water when its hot out,not much nut they seem to appreciate it. harveyb

[Ike]

Curious who you contracted.   I just went through a 7 week ordeal and when my car arrived it was filthy.   

It wasn’t the delivery drivers fault because he picked it up after the issue.

I did not tip. But if you think they did a great job and were very professional I would through them an extra saw buck.   Unfortunately my experience was sub par and wasn’t in the mood to give Kudo’s to anyone involved

[rsms]

During the 90's I owned an auto transport company with 7 trucks.  Although most of our cliental was dealers we did a fair share of consumer cars.  It was very rare I would hear that a driver received a tip.  It is not customary but if the driver does do a good job at keeping your car safe or goes out of his way to be accommodating, it would make the driver's day I would think as truck drivers usually don't get much respect (some deservingly).  I regularly use transporters and I always offer them a cold beverage and try to make there interaction with me go as smooth as possible but I personally do not tip.  It's totally up to you and by all means if he goes above and beyond go for it and if not, don't.  I do recommend you look the car over good before excepting it as once you do you will have no recourse.  Both where it could get dinged or scratched (front, back and sides) but also on the top of the car and a quick look underneath.  Good luck!!

[cadillac ken]

If it's a driver and company you are going to use in the future... maybe.   But tipping a guy for a job already done (for better or for worse) in hopes that he already took great care with your car is kinda odd to me.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Only ever tipped once when having a car shipped to a Grand National. I arrived at the show location a day later to discover the lower fender was scraped. After a good deal of convincing, the transporter finally agreed to take care of the repair at a shop of his choosing which was the only option he offered.

Needless to say having a mid 5-figure car out of my possession while being repaired at a body shop 120 miles away who I did not know was a nerve wracking experience lasting two weeks which I do not care to relive.

Thankfully the quality of the repair was excellent.

[KOKNEYELDO]

All we do is handle transportation claims.

Always carefully inspect the car at the times of pick-up and destination, note any visible damages and handwrite them on the document (such as the Bill of Lading) BEFORE the driver leaves.

If the driver says he does not want you to write anything down for damages (for example), do not sign the Bill of Lading, call the trucking company/broker IMMEDIATELY and send them email IMMEDIATELY with your complaint.

Always obtain a copy of the Bill of Lading from the driver that BOTH he and you have both signed.

NEVER pick-up your car at night as damages are less visible and parts are stolen from cars all the time!

If the car arrives really dirty make a note of that on the Bill of Lading and also handwrite "SUBJECT TO FULL INSPECTION AFTER WASHING THE CAR".

Regarding tipping the driver, a lot of the drivers are not the same guy that put your car on the hauler at origin.

So, if you car arrived with damages it could have occurred en route or when it may have been transloaded.

[David Greenburg]

I have tipped delivery drivers that have been particularly helpful or accommodating.  I have also tipped tow truck/flatbed drivers on occasion. While not expected, it is certainly appreciated.

[EAM 17806]

During the 90's I owned an auto transport company with 7 trucks.  Although most of our cliental was dealers we did a fair share of consumer cars.  It was very rare I would hear that a driver received a tip.  It is not customary but if the driver does do a good job at keeping your car safe or goes out of his way to be accommodating, it would make the driver's day I would think as truck drivers usually don't get much respect (some deservingly).  I regularly use transporters and I always offer them a cold beverage and try to make there interaction with me go as smooth as possible but I personally do not tip.  It's totally up to you and by all means if he goes above and beyond go for it and if not, don't.  I do recommend you look the car over good before excepting it as once you do you will have no recourse.  Both where it could get dinged or scratched (front, back and sides) but also on the top of the car and a quick look underneath.  Good luck!!

SCOTT, I agree  with your thinking!   EAM

[francisthepig]

Thanks to everyone.  Certainly gives me something to think about.  I will make sure I have extra cash just in case.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

I've tipped before at around 8-10% if they managed to get my car to me quickly and in one piece.  I also don't mind paying a little bit more for a better service as I've seen the end result of hiring a transport company on the cheap.  The 40 Chevy I sold to a gentleman in LA years ago arrived banged to hell because the driver didn't secure the car properly.

[gkhashem]

I tip my local guy who does a great job at a great price. He has transported 6 cars from me and done a great job.

Other than that they get enough of my money. One guy purposely hid damage from me and I got tricked. So anytime you transport inspect carefully. Once you sign for the car delivery you're stuck.

[76eldo]

I last car I had shipped came up from Florida to Pa.
the driver was very nice and there was no damage to the car so I handed him an extra $20 with the COD payment.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

All we do is handle transportation claims.

Always carefully inspect the car at the times of pick-up and destination, note any visible damages and handwrite them on the document (such as the Bill of Lading) BEFORE the driver leaves.

If the driver says he does not want you to write anything down for damages (for example), do not sign the Bill of Lading, call the trucking company/broker IMMEDIATELY and send them email IMMEDIATELY with your complaint.

Always obtain a copy of the Bill of Lading from the driver that BOTH he and you have both signed.

NEVER pick-up your car at night as damages are less visible and parts are stolen from cars all the time!

If the car arrives really dirty make a note of that on the Bill of Lading and also handwrite "SUBJECT TO FULL INSPECTION AFTER WASHING THE CAR".

Regarding tipping the driver, a lot of the drivers are not the same guy that put your car on the hauler at origin.

So, if you car arrived with damages it could have occurred en route or when it may have been transloaded.

Not transferred in my case. It was single enclosed trailer on a dedicated trip from Scranton to McLean va. This outfit does not do condition reports which I found unusual.

[chrisntam]

No.

Never really understood tipping and still don't.  I never got tipped while working for a large, nationally known insurance company.  They payed me a wage.  Customer pays the company for their product, I work, the company pays me, keeps the "rest" as profit.

Tipping has gotten way out of hand.  In some professions, it's become expected whether deserved or not.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

No tipping done down in Australia, and not expected.

The best tip I give is "Be nice to those you pass on the way up, because you WILL meet them on the way down".

Or another one. "Be nice to your parents"

Bruce.

[cadillac ken]

No.

Never really understood tipping and still don't.  I never got tipped while working for a large, nationally known insurance company.  They payed me a wage.  Customer pays the company for their product, I work, the company pays me, keeps the "rest" as profit.

Tipping has gotten way out of hand.  In some professions, it's become expected whether deserved or not.

I tend to agree.  Nowadays most seem to regard the tip as thanks, stuff it in their pocket and walk away-- almost like they deserved it.  And most times I get the impression that it doesn't really "influence" them one way or another.

It seems tipping used to be a way of rewarding those that go the extra mile.  Now more often than not it's regarded as the customer's responsibility to supplement a poor wage paid by the employer.  Not on board with that.