The driver makes a huge difference.  If they think they are the tour guide then it can cause trouble.  Or if they think they know more than you do -this can be bad.  The best driver is one I had last year by the name of John.  We got along, he went along with what I wanted-we teased each other and had a wonderful interchange with the tourists and ourselves which made for really good tips and lots of hugs at the end of the trip.  We also both worked hard at pleasing the customers.  A not-so-good one can make the whole trip miserable as it is hard to pretend that you are getting along.  Suzanne

Greg Davison with Executive Coach is wonderful!  Knows his route and all the shortcuts, great personality, goes all out to accomodate the group leader’s requests, and keeps the coach impeccably clean.  Great attitude even when presented with obstacles.

Clara Jane Hogan

Ted;
Maybe you have forgotten that I have been a “motor coach”driver for over 30yrs now .Unfortunately or fortunately I have been across the USA with a variety and I mean VARIETY of td’s. In all of the symposiums that I have attended there really has not been an area covered ,where you, Randy or your staff has put together a program to address the question you now ask. I know that I am an ITMI graduate,and proud of it,but I have,  in 30 yrs of driving with ITMI graduates,developed a sense of “I AM YOUR BOSS”,from the td’s.I think over the years, MAYBE, YOU ,RANDY,and NICOLE,have gotten away from the idea that to a certain degree ,the MCO is the boss. You and Randy know that if the driver does not like you or has a personality clash with you ,he or she can make your trip a nightmare.I know,I’VE DONE IT, you can always request another driver,but with the training and knowledge you and your staff impart that SHOULD almost never happen.I am not saying that there are no bad MCO’S there are,but maybe jusy maybe,you could think of a way to incorporate a, or some,segments of this in your training or in the symposium.

As far as favorite MCO, no answer. As far as favorite TD, a guy you might remember,JAY ARCHIBALD .Maybe a bad name in CALIFA no????
Right now it is very smokey and COOL here in Fairbanks AK.Been here since 5-01-09 and will be going back home to N.M. 9-07-09. Looking foward to seeing you all in Tucson,AZ in Jan,10.

Thank you
Steve Gunn

Hi ITMI graduates and staff,

I have to tell you that I completely value the relationships that I have built with my “transportation team”.  From the motor coach and sedan drivers all the way to the depot dispatchers, I rely on these people to make sure that my client’s clients get to their destinations safely & soundly.  Unlike most ITMI graduates, I have used my training and skills to build my own event planning company.  In these troubled economic times, it is nice to know that I can call on my vendors for a reliable and quick response to last minute “spousal tours”, “dine-a-rounds”, “team building scavenger hunts”, etc.  The drivers and greeters are often the first and last impressions on our guests.  They are truly ambassadors of my company, my clients, and my city!

One of the first stories I remember Randy telling at ITMI is how he always found out if his driver liked coffee, how he liked it, or if he preferred something else.  I didn’t really understand at the time the importance of the driver/TD relationship, but 10 years later I realize it is one of the most useful things I learned! As I have worked with many different drivers over the past years, the one thing I notice is how appreciative they are when I make a concerted effort to work with them as a team.  They have been great about helping me in so many ways that I find that any way in which I can help them makes not only our trip, but our client’s trips so much more pleasant.  I have been fortunate enough to travel over the road with the same drivers many times.  Not only are they an incredible source of information, but I know that when I am with them, if anything happens they are by my side.  It is a comfort to my husband to know I am in good hands!!! I can say that in all sincerity since he is a TD for the same company and knows them as well as I do!  I have been told at different times to make sure the driver knows that I am in charge, or not to ever let them on the microphone, and, of course, not to ask their advice.  Those who believe those things must have incredibly trying and tiring trips.  My driver is my partner and I will always be thankful, as I hope they are, that Randy talked about the coffee!!!
PS  Thanks for making this your Question of the Week.  It is so important.
Kristie Cummings

Dear Ted & Randy

I have always believed that the Coach Driver and Tour Director are a team.  If the Driver and Tour Director show each other respect and seem to enjoy working together  the tourist will have more fun.

I had this one coach driver that was very good and a big tease.  I was telling the people about white squirrels that live in Missouri.   I most have said something about white turtles and John the coach driver began teasing me about white turtles and every one on the coach when along with him.  There has never be so many jokes and so much fun over white turtles. The last day of the tour I had made up cards  saying YOU ARE OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE WHITE TURTLE CLUB with a picture, which I said was a white turtle in a snow storm.  I was going to have the last laugh, how wrong I was.  My woundful tourist give me a statue of a white turtle that set in a place of honor in my home.

Last year I did a tour in an area I had not been before and my coach driver had done it many time. Because of him and his help I was able to give a much better tour then it would have been able with out him.

Any professonal coach driver and tour Director should be able to work together the first time as if they have always work together.

Jean Oakman

Hi!

Your question about drivers, I found a good safe driver makes live on the road so much easier. As a Tour Guide you can concentrate on the Pax and I will not have to watch the road, for my stops what ever they are. He is clean, on time, easy on the bags and keeps the coach clean. Over the years we could requested the same driver and we not only had good/fun trips, the Pax can feel when one works friendly together this also makes for better tips. Most of the drivers I worked with have gone off the road, being away weeks at a time it’s hard on the family. Over the 12 years on the road I had 3 bad drivers, one was on drugs, I reported same to the dispatcher and he was taken off the road, one other I fired, for running out of Fuel, I was on a 3 week trip to Canada, lucky it happened near San Francisco by reporting same to the dispatcher had no trouble getting a new driver. Number 3, we had an accident and he wanted me to sign a false report, the accident was his fault.

There are times I do miss the road.

Regards,

Terry Abacherli