Work the programme; organise the things the programme doesn't show

Follow the agreed programme

The tour operator has sold a programme to the travelers.
As the driver, I don't get to redesign it because I feel like it.
My job is to deliver the programme professionally.
Later, once I have spent some time with the travelers and understand what they enjoy, I can make suggestions.
A suggestion is not permission to change what was sold.

The first thing I look for when I receive the itinerary is surprisingly personal: where am I sleeping?
The clients' hotels might already be booked, but my own overnight arrangements can be missing.
I work out my nights along the route and reserve early rather than waiting to arrive exhausted in a busy city with nowhere arranged.

Every evening I also look at what tomorrow requires.
If the programme includes a local guide, I phone the guide the day before.
If I'm going to a riad in a medina I don't know, I ask whether my vehicle can reach the door.
I don't blindly put the riad address into the GPS and hope.
If access is impossible, I ask for an exact parking or meeting point, give an estimated arrival time and call again roughly half an hour before arrival.
I can then ask whether someone can help guests with their luggage.
I usually cannot abandon my tour vehicle in a car park to escort everyone through the medina.

A good driver does not need to change the programme to improve how smoothly it runs.
Preparation, accommodation, phone calls and knowing where the vehicle can actually go make a big difference.

Tips from real experience on the road, not official training or certification. Always check current rules and safety guidance. Terms