In Reply to: The bottom line for the driver is posted by Rangatira on Friday, 22. May 2009 at 10:09 Bali Time:
is that many people decide to go with 'ketut' (or whoever) from the street, as opposed to their driver or guide who they meet at the airport.
whilst i respect that decision, people should remember that if they do go with a driver from a tour company, they are actually supporting MORE people than just the driver and his family (who WILL be skimming a LOT off in commissions without you knowing).
by choosing a guide and driver from your transfer company, the price should be fully inclusive - driver (with a clean and maintained vehicle), guide, meal(s), entry tickets, petrol etc. sure, the initial cost may be higher, BUT the overall cost is usually considerably lower at the end of the day. the money you pay to them will support the guide, the driver, and the many people in their office who also need to get paid.
by choosing a driver from the street (who, often, dont own the car anyway - its their friends car), the initial outlay is quite low, but will not usually include lunch, entry fees, (sometimes) petrol, and if the driver gets stopped by the police on the way and is fined, usually the guests are the ones who pay this out of guilt.
i think it is important to make an informed decision when choosing a driver and i do hope that the above information helps some of you.