7 Best Practices for How Much to Tip a Limo Driver

Tipping a limo driver for taking you to a business function, social duty or even to the airport is good etiquette. While you may not know how to do it and how much a reasonable tip for your limousine service should be, don’t let this intimidate or confuse you the next time you take a limo.

How much to tip a limo driver depends on a number of factors. Here are the eight best practices for how much to tip a limousine driver:

1. Tip in Cash

Tipping limo drivers in cash motivates and brightens their day. Paying with your debit or credit card may still demonstrate your good intentions, but it has a few challenges. For instance, your limo driver could have a boss who scales down their tips or transaction fees. This reduces the tip, leaving the driver disillusioned. To make it easy for them, determine your tip, give it in cash to the limo driver and you will receive gratitude immediately as you add little bucks in the driver’s pocket.

2. Trips and Distance Determine Tips

How much should you tip a limo driver? This depends on the length and trips to be covered. To determine how much tip you should offer to your limo driver, here are some recommendations:

• A minimum tip of $10 to $20 is ideal for airport transfers.
• Several hours drive require $50 to $100 as a minimum tip.
• A 20% tip is ideal for a night ride of $500.
• On other limo service events, a 10% tip of the base fare is good.

If you can’t recall these recommendations, the limo driver can honestly tell you how much tip he gets for the service.

3. Consider Your Service Charge

For some companies, you may not necessarily tip a driver. These companies add a service charge to your bills, such as take-out food businesses and restaurants. The employer later pays the service charge to the driver as a tip.

You are charged a service fee of about five percent of the total cost of the trip. This is a good amount when using the limo for a few hours or covering long distances. Paying attention to your service charge helps avoid spending more on a limo service.

4. When Calculating Tips, Ignore Sales Tax

Don’t factor the sales tax when determining your limo tip. For example, your overall trip cost would be $100 plus a sales tax of 13%, making it $113 in total. You should just factor the $100 in calculating your tip. Taxes should not be part of the equation when offering a tip. Ask for this information from your service provider and don’t pay for more than you should.

5. Fixed vs. Hourly Rate

Consider how the limousine driver is paid to determine how much tip to give. Some drivers are paid based on the number of hours they drive. Those on a fixed rate have a preset amount depending on the period the trip takes. Whether the driver is on a fixed rate, the final price determines the tip. A percentage of the hourly rate could be an ideal tip for those on hourly payment.

6. Car Size and Etiquette

Car size, cleanliness and etiquette are important considerations when tipping a limo driver. You are expected to tip more if you mess the car. Larger cars attract higher tips. A stretch limousine deserves a minimum of 15% of the trip cost as a tip. While it’s not ethical for the driver to demand a tip, giving them a tip proportional to the standard of their car and service is a welcome practice.

7. Off the Watch

Although drivers are paid for the time they drive, it’s important to remember more is required of them than just steering the limo. If hired for event transport, your driver may have to wait for you to attend to issues. They may also prepare and clean the vehicle – a service not paid for. Despite the time invested in the job, the driver is only paid for the time you are in the limo. It is proper to tip your driver more in appreciation for the time he spends waiting, preparing, cleaning the car and helping you in other ways that are critical to your comfort and convenience.

Tipping a limo driver should not be complicated or worrisome. Get it right every time you are served by a limo driver by sticking to this simple guide. Your limo driver will appreciate every time you tip them well. Some of the factors that inform an appropriate tip include car size, distance covered, fixed or hourly rates, trips, service charge, among others. By tipping generously, you leave a smile on the face of your limo driver. Everyone wants some extra cash now and then and knowing how much to tip a limo driver is critical.