[carboy]

Originally Posted by Anupam

get in touch with 'Automobile Association of Western India' thier bombay counterpart website Western India Automobile Association - WIAA Welcomes You

infact thier Delhi counter part provide host of other services such as cost to cost RTO related service, 24x7 breakdown services and amazingly even passport related service etc

they have the fascility of even hiring casual diver for couple of days, you can be assure of the credentials of the driver

else, try finding old retired drivers from MNC who have driven expensive cars of senior officials, u can trust them, the car is safe with them (but i doubt if they will drive 800) but they have limited endurance, you can only use them for for light requirments
they are low on performance but excellent on every other factor.

Thanks / Anupam

Do you have to get membershop of WIAA to get this service? If so how much does it cost?

[carboy]

Originally Posted by Anupam

get in touch with 'Automobile Association of Western India' thier bombay counterpart website Western India Automobile Association - WIAA Welcomes You

infact thier Delhi counter part provide host of other services such as cost to cost RTO related service, 24x7 breakdown services and amazingly even passport related service etc

they have the fascility of even hiring casual diver for couple of days, you can be assure of the credentials of the driver

Called them up - they said I have to take a membership & then call
3-4 days in advance, in case I need a casual driver - I can take a membership, but calling 3-4 days in advance isn't feasible for me.

Originally Posted by Anupam

else, try finding old retired drivers from MNC who have driven expensive cars of senior officials, u can trust them, the car is safe with them (but i doubt if they will drive 800) but they have limited endurance, you can only use them for for light requirments
they are low on performance but excellent on every other factor.
Thanks / Anupam

I would love to find someone like this - but I have no idea where to
start searching - if you know someone let me know.

[evo]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Also he should always keep the car clean! Otherwise no point in keeping him, since for me that's the only useful benefit of having a Driver

Haha! Brilliant. I totally share your view!

[GoodDevil]

- I doubt if I will need him more than a 3-4 times a week, so I was wondering if there is other stuff I can get him to do. Washing the car everyday is one thing - anything else people get their driver to do?

Well, he is your driver, so you can say him to do anything within his duty.

- What does your driver do on the days you just need him for an hour or 2?
Does he go home & wait for you to call him? or does he just wait in the car?

Clear this thing before hiring a driver. If you want the driver to work for fixed hours in a day then say him to be at his workplace no matter if you have any work or not. He needs to be there.

- Does your driver have your car keys through the day or do you just give him the keys when he is actually going to drive you some place?

Its better to have keys with you. You don't have to ask a driver for keys to your key. The thing should be other way around.

- Any verifications/checks to do before hiring a driver (other thank checking if he has a license?)
There is talk of police verification in this thread - how does one go about getting that done?

It depends from place to place, but as i live in Chandigarh. I just have to get a form from the police station and then get it filled and signed from the driver and submit it back to the PS. Thats all for a verification in my city.

- How many days off do you give your driver - scheduled/unscheduled?

IT depends on situation to situation, but Sundays are mostly off. It required he also works on Sundays.

- Is there any contract you get him to sign?

Nop.

- If you need a wage receipt from him for tax purposes - how do you do that?

It depends from case to case. Its better to consult this thing with your IT lawyer. he may help you better with this thing.

- What timings do drivers typically work?

No fixed time. He is there when ever we need him. But mostly 9 am to 6 PM.

- If some day you don't use the driver during the day at all, but need him for a couple of hours late in the day, do you pay any overtime?

For us, he works for a fixed pay.

- Do you need to inform your insurance company so that they cover any accidents when he is driving?

Are you talking about car insurance? If yes, then while taking a insurance you get a option to insure your driver (or anyone who is driving the car with a valid driving license). you just need to pay few hundred rupees more. That all.

[quickdraw]

Very interesting to read this thread, I hail from a small town so my experience is quite different regarding this. I have the same two drivers since almost two decades. The family shares a special bond with them now. Funny part is they are the people that taught me how to drive. One is my dad's driver who is assigned to him from the company and is usually at his disposal but my Dad is a car nut and loves to drive his octy himself. The other one is on my personal payroll. He does everything from taking rossi (my cocker) out for a walk to taking care of house needs. He is at my mom/grandma's disposal 24x7. A really funny thing is nattu our personal driver recently inherited a lot of land and his net worth is over my whole family's. But he has no intenetions of quitting his job. Makes me feel good to be from a small town kindof. Just wanted to share this with you guys.

[Anupam]

Quickdraw, your location says Pune and I dont think Pune is a small town, however I agree with your experince 100% I have seen cases where the drivers have been with the owner's family for so long that they stop thinking beyond and anyway after a certain age one gets in the comfort zone and does not want to disturb the equilibirium

I have stayed in a real small town for quite a long time, the story is completely different there. and I think small towns can give you lot of personalised options

[lurker]

Having a good driver is a matter of luck, like anything else in life.

frankly I never have had drivers that cheated on me. I always make it a point to extend my best behaviour while interacting with them, on very hot summer days (in Delhi) I buy them icecreams/kulfis. Give them gifts on Diwali, Christmas, Birthdays.

In short they are pampered. The last salary that I gave my driver was around 5k. But yet inspite of all these things, one may still end up with a rotten bargain. Like my previous ex-driver gave me no intimation of him having left work and joining another firm which paid him slightly better after holidays. But not to disappoint and tried again and landed up with someone who was an absolute gem of a driver and a human being.

I have had to change my location once and thus we had to part. But he still SMS's me on every festival and New Year .. ain't that cute ?

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Anupam

Quickdraw, your location says Pune and I dont think Pune is a small town, however I agree with your experince 100% I have seen cases where the drivers have been with the owner's family for so long that they stop thinking beyond and anyway after a certain age one gets in the comfort zone and does not want to disturb the equilibirium

I have stayed in a real small town for quite a long time, the story is completely different there. and I think small towns can give you lot of personalised options

I've grown up in Daman, I moved to Pune few years back to pursue my education which is now done

[woof]

Hi !

I'm looking for a reliable driver in Delhi. Any idea about any agency which can help in this regard?

Will be employing him for 5 days in a week - roughly 10-11 hours in a day. How much should I expect to pay as hi salary?

[navan49]

Hi Sharan,

It is nice to see a Maduraian on Board. You were so lucky to have good drivers. I am on the opposite, my drivers made the cars banged. Every time they were expecting to tell to wash clean dust. Of course we have seen wonderful sincere drivers to our friends but some time we don't get such. I did took care of them gave mobile who ever came as driver I did not separate them for lunch dinner in another table. Let me see in future whether I will get a good driver. After the bitter experiences I do drive myself and clean myself. Now a days I feel that If I drive myself, then only I feel comfortable.Thoug I could have gone for Dzire insted of Ritz, I didn't because I want to drive myself.

[Abhay]

off topic, but my only experience with a driver was a very short one. 2 days to be precise. My wife was looking for a driver to drop her to office 4 days a week (no pick-ups) and we got an older driver who had worked with a friend. On his first day he just did not arrive and later on told me he forgot that he had to come. Next day he came on time and dropped her off and parked the car and left. He did not come the next day either and I learnt he was sick and hospitalized (aged 55 or so). On top of that the watchman came that day and told me that my car's front windows were open for the last 24 hours! That was the end of that then.

[condor]

We have been on the lookout for a driver, and one guy turns up today morning. He says he quit his prev job because he moved his house.

Which car ?
... Ford .... Ikon (note : he is standing in front our Ikon)

Where was the car serviced ?
He mentions a dealer's name who no longer has a Ford service rights in our area.

Which Ikon it was ?
umm ... umm ... 1.6

Diesel ?
yes. (A 1.6 Diesel ??)

Gave him the keys for a short drive. he swaggers across to the gate, gets into the car, adjusts all mirrors & heads out. We come back & I asked him about his prev employer's work place. He thinks up a name for his prev employer.

Where this person was working ?
accenture

Where ?
bannerghatta Road

Which office there ?
(there are 2 offices)
bannerghatta rd - I dont know. I was doing madam duty.


Nice, convincing set of answers.
My interviewing skills are coming in handy now.

[mi2n]

This thread addresses almost all the dilemmas I've been facing for the last few weeks!

The background :

Me and the missus commute to and from office (a 50km round trip) in our newly acquired vehicle.

Due to an unforeseen change in my wife's job profile, she now has an additional responsibility of visiting branch offices of her company for overseeing operations atleast 3 days a week.

This necessitates hiring a driver, a thought I'm not very conducive to, in all honesty.

Had been using a services of a nice fellow for a few days as a stop-gap arrangement. He is seemingly a nice guy and as he belongs to my locality, I have no reason to have any safety/security/trust concerns. He yields from a decent family as well. Takes good care of the vehicle, is very polite. However, i feel, his driving skills and road manners needs brushing up, in some cases, seriously.

Unlike a previous comment, i actually feel more tense sitting at the rear, the feeling of not being in control is nerve racking at times, yet i manage to reign in my feelings and refrain from being the despised "back seat driver''.

Things like taking calls on his phone while on the move, ambitious overtaking maneuvers, frequent lane changes does not gel with me anymore. I say anymore because admittedly i used to actually fancy such stuff back in my school/college days.

So, now the question :

How easy or tough is it for someone to mend/alter their driving habits? Can i talk him through in this case?

[BulZire]

Does a Drivers wage vary based on the type of vehicle they drive ?
This question was in my mind for quiet a long time,

I mean does will the wage of a driver who drives Mercs and BMW's will differ from the driver who drives Maruti's and Tata's.?

[vina]

I spent 15min searching but could not get the information - moderators, if you find a thread where this information is already present, please merge my post there.


Here's the problem:

I'm planning to do a Hyderabad-Mysore on the first weekend of July, and since I'm living alone right now (wife is in Mysore) and this is my first trip, wife is insisting that I hire a driver to accompany me, even if I choose to drive myself.

My thinking is that given the feedback and info I have received from folks on team BHP I don't need to hire another guy - wife of course trumps everything.



So the question is, for any long drive if you are planning it alone (or may be with one driver in the party only):

1. Is it really necessary to hire a driver to drive? What are the advantages apart from reduced fatigue?
2. What kind of options do I have, what expenses etc. am I looking at?
3. How to find such a driver and what precautions etc. to take? - a thorough interview etc. is probably going to be out of place given that the employment will last only a few days.
4. Apart from the fees, what other benefits to provide the guy (taxi guys usually sleep in the car - I don't want this guy sleeping in my car) -what is generous and what is appropriate?
5. Is it possible to get an insurance for a few days for this guy? - I don't want to be personally liable should we get into an accident and he gets injured or worse.
6. Any other advice...