Coal Delivery Penn to CT: to Tip or Not Tip Driver?

Well forum members I am getting 25 tons delivered at my CT residence tomorrow AM. I'm looking for opinions on whether I should tip truck driver or not. And, if so, how much. I'd like to hear from everyone, tight wads and spendthrifts and all in between!

Furthermore, how about you local folks getting from your coal guy. What do you do?

Thanks.

tip em if he dosnt run over your flower beds and does good
we don't get 25 tons ..... 5 bucks a ton tip

If he does a real good job and gets the coal where you want it and don’t damage anything or bitch about anything I would give from 10 – 25 dollars if you can spare it. He would appreciate it. Truck drivers typically don’t get a lot of tips but for difficult home deliveries I would. I don’t tip my local coal delivery guy but I did tip the Home Depot contract driver for unloading and putting my siding where I wanted it in the driveway.

In a nutshell do what makes you feel comfortable.

Probably all will go very well, so I'd have a couple 20's handy if you are pleased. My guys even get to wash out the truck body, and coffee, danish...sometimes breakfast if they have time.
This is a hard job that can be made into a more pleasant duty over time. I've met over 80 drivers, so you won't always see the same faces, but when you do, it is much easier for each of you to remember a pleasant experience.

If you are a ground guide for the driver, make damned sure you know where it will empty out; plan for sideways spread, and make damned sure the trailer is level. Wires go without mention....soft ground...don't go there.

If the delivery driver has to make his way around 10 trees, your koi pond with stream and waterfall, flag poll and other fixed items than hell yeah I would slap a c-note in the guys hand. If it is a straight forward drive and dump, well he is getting paid to make the delivery.

Seems like every damn place I go these days has some "tip jar" on the counter. FOR WHAT? Is this person behind the counter getting my candy bar and Gatorade for me when I go to 7-11? Heck no. To me you tip for SERVICE. I don't feel I should tip the checkout person or cashier at 7-11 or McDonalds. Ringing up my sale is not service of a type that warrants tipping. Of late this tipping stuff has gotten out of control. Maybe it is just this region of the country. And to top it off the Pats just lost so pardon moi if I am in a foul mood!

Seriously though if you can swing it a tip would be nice for the guy if you feel he deserves it.

Townsend wrote:Well forum members I am getting 25 tons delivered at my CT residence tomorrow AM. I'm looking for opinions on whether I should tip truck driver or not. And, if so, how much. I'd like to hear from everyone, tight wads and spendthrifts and all in between!

Furthermore, how about you local folks getting from your coal guy. What do you do?

Thanks.

What town are you from? How much is it costing you and what company did you get it from? I've contemplated getting a tt load. I would split one with you if your interested. If your not too far away I might be interested in buying off you, I have a loader.

On a 20 ton load, because we had him deliver to 3 places that he agreed to before delivery, I tipped him $75.
He seemed quite happy with the extra compensation.

I delivered concrete for awhile and I always considdered Saturday "tip day"
I'd show the wife how to turn the drum and then grab a wheelbarrow.
If conditions were just right and it was the last load of the day I'd come by after work and help finish.
It was always tricky though you had to read each situation, some people thought the truck could do miracles and others thought is was limited to the street.
Getting a tip was more of a chalange than any real need, but it was fun to impress.

I've met over 80 drivers,

Hah, that is over 1600 tons. So with this knowledge and a look at your stove list I now know it's true.... you do heat the whole of NH.

Actually it's over 2400 tons, sometimes the same drivers come back several times. I only heat a very small part of NH, however there are plenty of folks using coal up here. I marvel at the extent of the abilities of ALL the manufacturers.

When I saw the brand new Van Wert's now available, I am truly impressed. GREAT abilities, smart men, hard work.....Coal, an American fuel that does not finance terrorist nations, provides clean, safe, and inexpensive heating and hot water, and Electricity for millions.
I sure wish we could see more re-development of coal burning appliances. LL has stepped up to break out of the same old logic with the fantastic and reliable inclined grate stokers, and the integration of the Coaltrol with stoves. Keystoker has stepped up their game also. AHS is always re-inventing old logic traditions, and Pete Sr and Pete, Jr are making excellent quality products as always. They remind me of Carrol Shelby; never know what the next step will be, but you know darned well it will be something unbelievable. I have to stop in and see them...perhaps this week!

Back to the tip thing....like a restaurant, you reward the server if the experience is to your liking, and after a 500 mile run in the middle of the night, someone drops a load of fuel that will last you a year (or more)....how can you not say thanks.

I am of 2 minds on tipping. If the driver is an owner then he sets his rates and gets paid what he asks for, if he is an employee then a few extra bucks goes a long way. No matter who it is, there is coffee ready, bathroom available and early drop gets breakfast later gets lunch. No beers for the road however. I have owned my own business for 17 years now and have gotten 2 tips, $100.00 for $200k worth of work and $200.00 for $15k. That was great but just being treated with respect and consideration means a great deal. Cold drink on a hot day, cookies, pies or lunch always went a long way with me as well. I had one little old lady who fed me a horrendous lunch every day I was on her job because she enjoyed the company. When it came time to pay for the extras bill she only paid for the materials portion no labor. I appreciated her treatment and wanted to show it. So I guess it goes both ways.

I tip every truck delivery I get.
For my TT load of coal, he backed it in exactly where I wanted it. He swept the trailer clean and added it to the pile (wet rice coal stuck to bed). I tipped $40 and all the Pepsi he could drink. I offered if he needed to use the facilities. I noticed he lost a rear mudflap, and questioned him about it. He said he has to find a Service garage and reinstall it before he gets a ticket. So while he was cleaning up the truck, I reinstalled the mud flap for him.
He left VERY happy.

Thanks for all the great responses. Well, the coal was delivered on time and I met a great driver named Skip who was friendly and tried his best to not take any cash so I forced it on him. He is not the owner but a driver for the company whom he said he enjoyed working for. He told me he was heading to New Haven CT to pick up some ground up waste that was very fine and almost resembled dirt to deliver somewhere else.

I did take a video but since it was still dark outside all you really see are the truck's lights.

Here is a picture of my pile and a close up of the coal.

I purchased the coal from Lehigh Anthracite. It looks very consistent in sizing. The price was very reasonable at $150 a ton and the trucking company charged $33 a ton. The weight slip showed 22.4 tons. For that price I should have coal for both my domestic hot water and heat in this large house for close to two and a half years or so. I have yet to burn any. I just finished (good timing) the last of my bagged Blashack. I was paying the local rate of around $300 for a ton. It is definitely a substantial savings from getting it local.

300 X 22.4 = $6,720
183 X 22.4 = $4,100
Savings $2,620

It should also be stated that the price of $6,720 does not reflect any delivery charges had I chose to have the local coal delivered or the cost of me transporting pick up truck loads in terms of fuel/time or back muscles unloading bags. I am building a wooden chute to place in my basement window and chute it right into my basement coal bin using my tractor front loader.

I cleaned out my coal bin attached to the boiler so from here on I'll see how the Lehigh does.

Bootstrap, I do not wish to sell any but thank you for the offer.

Do keep us advised on how that burns. I may get a 20 ton delivery in the spring if it works out well for you.