What to Pay Coach Hire Company Staff...

If you have looked closely at how your coach hire company is going and you have decided that you really need to hire another staff member, you need to work out how much to pay them.

Because the job of chauffeur is a lot of waiting around, you need to be clear about whether the time waiting around is paid or unpaid. For example, if a driver is hired to drop off and pick up clients only, then they are only paid for the time it takes them to clean and prepare the coach before and after and the time driving, not the time waiting. However, if the clients have asked that the chauffeur be on call in case they change their plans, then they are paid for all of the time they spend waiting around, being on call.

Then you have to decide who pays for what. You can choose to hire your staff on any kind of contract you like, just make sure that they are clear about the conditions of the contract and they know what they are signing.

For example, you may choose to let your driver keep their tips, while paying them a minimum wage as well as asking them to pay for gas. This is a particularly good option as they will work hard to earn their tips and they will be conscious of the way that they drive to conserve fuel.

Another option is to hire contract drivers and they simply accept a flat rate and they pay for the running of their vehicle, any repairs and you don’t have to worry about tax or other employee expenses. Hiring a contract chauffeur for your coach hire company does cut down on your expenses however the driver is still free to work for other coach hire companies too and therefore, may not be there when you need them.

Whichever path you choose to take, make sure you research it properly and fully with regards to your obligations and requirements regarding tax, social security and health insurance for your chauffeurs.