Tipping bus driver

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Dec 24 2024, 3:43 pm

I really want to tip my bus driver, always helpful to be on their good side but it bothers me to give more than I give my child's teacher!!!
Teacher got $12 from class collection.
Teacher spend 2 hours daily plus phone calls and personal investment, bus driver drives 15 minutes, doesn't say a word to my kid and comes whenever he pleases, we usually wait 10 minutes!
He's nice and frum.
What do you think?
Should I not care and just do it? LOL

(For non Jewish bus driver, I usually get a $5 box of chocolates from CVS with ty card. )

mamaof2 ↓

Tue, Dec 24 2024, 4:08 pm

My husband used to be a bus driver. The standard is usually is 20-100. I personally gave my kids bus driver 50.00
That tip goes a very long way for the days your child is late. I appreciate the people that work indirectly with my children very much.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Dec 24 2024, 5:00 pm

mamaof2 wrote:

In an utopian world we would all have endless amount of money to tip all the people our children interact with but reality is not exactly matching.

Would you answer the same to someone who gets Medicaid and tomchei shabbos? What

I have 6 bus drivers between shacharis run, high school, elementary and afternoons (8 if you include Friday bus drivers!!)
You give $400 just to bus drivers??? Surprised

amother

DarkGreen

Tue, Dec 24 2024, 5:16 pm

mamaof2 wrote:

Between my 3 boys they have 4 bus drivers and 2 bus monitors. Sorry but 10 each will have to suffice bo way can I afford more. And for some of these kids I am paying for bus service. Just because someone doesn't have $50 to tip doesn't mean they don't appreciate them.

amother

Wheat

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 4:15 pm

I give a lot, but the bus driver is a malach. My kids love school because of him. It's money well spent.

amother

Poppy

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 4:17 pm

Feel bad because my kids have different morning and afternoon drivers so ill have to give less to each.

amother

Lightyellow

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 4:19 pm

I send a "best bus driver" bar chocolate along with a tip to make up in thanks gesture what I can't afford in dollar bills. So my few bucks looks sweeter.

amother

Valerian

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 5:09 pm

amother OP wrote:

I have 6 bus drivers between shacharis run, high school, elementary and afternoons (8 if you include Friday bus drivers!!)
You give $400 just to bus drivers??? Surprised

She said you could give $20. Why are you freaking out on her?

amother

Zinnia ↓

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 5:51 pm

My husband is a bus driver too. Average is anywhere between 20-100 like above poster mentioned.
I personally gave 25 for the morning driver and 25 for the afternoon.
If it would've been the same I would give 50.

amother

cornflower

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 5:57 pm

Wow! 20-100 for a bus driver? 100? I babysit 9-3:15 and got 20-36. And the most I’ve gotten in 5 years of doing it was 50 which was rare. Between teachers, rebbes, therapists, tutors, and bus drivers for several kids, how does everyone manage?

amother

Seafoam

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 6:07 pm

I give 5-10! Larger tips are for bigger jobs like a teacher or rebbe. Hopefully everyone will give and it will add up. I assume it's about 50 students but some are siblings.

amother

Cyan

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 6:13 pm

My husband used to be a bus driver also.
Average ran from nothing, to a chocolate or donuts, to anywhere from $5-$50.
Over $36 was usually perceived as a bribe to try to get the driver to make special house stops.

Btw, my husband drove for Chassidishe Mosdos, he got more gifts and tips but way way way more demands of house stops, bus stops every 5 houses, etc.

When he worked for the bus companies, even the frum owned bus companies, he got some gifts and some tips but nowhere near as pervasive as by the Chassidishe Mosdos.

Amelia Bedelia

Mon, Dec 30 2024, 6:17 pm

How much do you give bus rebbe? What if your child is a bit older (not a preschooler) and he doesn't interact at all with your child?

↑ mamaof2 ↓

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 10:05 pm

Bus teachers and bus rebbes get tips as well, in heimeshe mosdos, it does not matter the amount, it's a show of appreciation I believe. The people that work in heders understand.

amother

Honey

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 10:14 pm

I give $10/trip.
If there is more than 1 kid on the bus I give additional $5 per kid.
Bus drivers can do 4-6 runs per day with 40-50 kids per run.

I don’t give Friday or Sunday drivers.

amother

Vermilion

Tue, Dec 31 2024, 10:27 pm

Omg.

Tipping has gotten insane.

I don't tip bus drivers. They're grown adults who negotiate for their salaries and are well paid. $20 to $100, times multiple drivers...on top of teachers, rebbeim, p3s and therapists....it's all insane.

I barely scrape together enough for all the PTA collections for teachers.

↑ mamaof2

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 8:31 pm

Tipping is always great show of appreciation to someone who is with your kids everyday,

amother

Diamond

Wed, Jan 01 2025, 8:48 pm

amother Vermilion wrote:

My kids have some non jewish bus drivers. I give a small tip & chocolate bar around the holiday times.