How often is extra 💵 being given for “nearby” travel meets

[JB_Studio38]

**This is easier to understand on sites with clear rates listed (RentMasseur) versus RentMen and sites without rates listed**

I had this discussion elsewhere online (more escort run), and the general consensus was that it’s okay and even encouraged to add an extra $100/$200 if a provider is traveling an hour or 2 outside of their area, to do an outcall in a different city.

However, I have been traveling for quite some time (mainly because my current city isn’t profitable, and I have to travel in order to make any real money) and the usual protocol is: client sees ad in their city, sees the rate and wants to books. And there’s always an assumption by many that when they see our ad, we are either there/planning to be there/available that same day etc etc. I’ve discussed it before, why that isn’t always the case for every provider. Specifically for me because, how can I be in all those places at once? Here’s an example below of how RM displays it (dates omitted for this example)

As you can see, there’s a current location followed by a list of travel cities.

People will often ask, “are you in xxx city or when are you coming to xxx city”. Some of those areas may be within the same metro and only a 20-30 minute drive. Others may be in the 2-4 hour range.

I like to try and incorporate a 90 minute/2 hour minimum. However most times, if I try to convey that I have an added fee to go to the city, the person may say “well don’t come all the way here just for me”. Or will say, “when you’re in town let me know”. And it’s like ummm 🤨 How is this supposed to happen if I don’t have anybody to go to the city for? 

I tell people who hit me up all the time in other cities, I can’t just show up and go to a city with nothing on schedule. I have to have somebody to go for. In some cities, I can go and expect 2-3 clients or more to show up. However that may not happen all in a day (and usually does not). I may have to stay for a few days.

But in other areas, I may can only spare a day there, maybe even go and stay overnight. But then there’s extra hotel cost associated. Clients seem to often think we are going to a city, posting up and having guys coming and going and raking in money. I’m here to break it: That’s more of a myth and speculation than how it actually goes. The only sure fire way to ensure fair rate, is for each individual client to give the amount plus some for travel/hotel. Even if it’s $50/$100.

I’m noticing many clients aren’t paying extra for travel and, I’m starting to feel that’s not fair in every situation. If I’m traveling 2+ hours to get to their location, even if it’s a city I’m passing thru/open to visit: wouldn’t it seem fair to have an extra courtesy added to it? Or does it come off greedy? I don’t think it’s greedy. Some people have to better consider the effort it takes to go to these “nearby travel cities”.
 

But it seems hard to convey to clients that our “rate” is money for the session, not necessarily covering for extra commutes. Many times they may only want to book an hour, which may be up to $350/400 for many. That’s a decent amount of money to pocket, but if hotel/gas/etc is not being covered: the amount pocketed can end up being much less than that.

I think it’s just time to start adding an extra amount to longer travel if it’s more than an hour away. Some expect same day visits also. I want to consider having an extra $50 courtesy for same day bookings.

This is why I like so much extended/overnight sessions. $1,000+ is easy to cover most all possible incall/outcall expenses incurred. But regardless, it’s becoming harder having to only work with my rate and not getting paid for travel time when I been traveling nearly every other week lately. 

At the same time, I understand a lot of the providers out there tend to work in the metro, and so many ads often push being “available now”. There seems to be an expected default method of working, that I feel doesn’t account for providers like myself who may have to travel for majority of their income/bookings. 

 

Edited June 24 by JB_Studio38

[jeezifonly]

I'm one of those clients who has spent a lifetime of work operating with union contract work schedules, meeting hard deadlines, and massaging massive egos. 

I'm retired now, so why subject myself to this level of torture just to have some fun?

[nomad]

As you chat with the client about meeting up, you bring this up as part of the discussion.  I wouldn't be offended at all by it.  It is not unlike paying travel costs that clients do for a guy to come to them from a different city.  Best to have the discussion and agreement before you undertake the travel involved.  

[Rayphactor]

10 minutes ago, nomad said:

As you chat with the client about meeting up, you bring this up as part of the discussion.  I wouldn't be offended at all by it.  It is not unlike paying travel costs that clients do for a guy to come to them from a different city.  Best to have the discussion and agreement before you undertake the travel involved.  

Agree. If a provider I was interested in said they have travel costs to account for, I would not be offended at all. I totally get the fee is for the time provided, and if he has to travel an hour to get to me, I'd have no problem tipping extra. 

[nomad]

Being in a big city, it might not reflect the reality of those in smaller cities who may be more resistant paying extra for travel to get a guy to visit their city.  But come on, being in a smaller city, I would think you would be eager pay a little extra to get the talent you want to share in the sheets.  😆  Way less expensive than undertaking a trip to a nearby bigger city.  

[Mark_fl]

I guess I'm in the camp that if you list a "near travel" location, it's someplace convenient that you're willing to travel. 

Maybe if you expect extra for the locations you listed as your area, you should make that notation in your ad, or ask for the location before quoting a rate and include your travel time/expense in the quote.

[+ KensingtonHomo]

2 hours ago, Mark_fl said:

I guess I'm in the camp that if you list a "near travel" location, it's someplace convenient that you're willing to travel. 

Maybe if you expect extra for the locations you listed as your area, you should make that notation in your ad, or ask for the location before quoting a rate and include your travel time/expense in the quote.

I agree with this. I do consulting and public speaking, and if the client expects me to travel outside of my city, they cover my travel and lodging expenses. That's part of the contract agreed upon upfront. 

[JB_Studio38]

4 hours ago, Mark_fl said:

I guess I'm in the camp that if you list a "near travel" location, it's someplace convenient that you're willing to travel. 

Maybe if you expect extra for the locations you listed as your area, you should make that notation in your ad, or ask for the location before quoting a rate and include your travel time/expense in the quote.

Here’s the thing: many people don’t even read the full ad to begin with. So even when I do specify certain differences, it doesn’t always get noticed. I had a client today get dismissive over my deposit asking; meanwhile it’s plain and clear in both my RentMasseur ad and website about my deposit requirements.

I’ve also written to RentMasseur stating; despite having several options for massage types; there’s only incall and outcall fee. But “outcall” may only include the local metro area. Not a city in the 4 hour “nearby travel city range” away, or even other travel cities that are further than that. 

Also as I’ve mentioned; traveling isn’t just a convenient or “fun” thing to do. Even if I’m willing, at times it’s a necessity. Many big cities escort markets, are becoming more ran thru than a GoodWill clothing aisle. They are fucked to oblivion. I went to Orlando couple months ago: I only met new clients in other surrounding towns. It was only 1 person visiting me regularly. The World Cup in Kansas City hasn’t even brought me any new interest in the area. It’s still the same people, doing the same shit.
 

I do like the traveling to other towns and cities but, I can’t just keep doing it for 1 hour sessions with no extra. (Like I’m sure pilots “like” to fly, but they also enjoy the $80,000+).

And to do these type of trips, I’m often setting aside whole afternoons and evenings at minimum. Often a 4 hour trip, amounts to 2 days of packing/traveling/staying/and unpacking when I get home.
 

I visit a client in Wichita occasionally: I usually have to set aside 2 days because it’s too far to go there and back in the same day. So I often end up being away from home for a night or 2 at least. 

 

2 hours ago, KensingtonHomo said:

I agree with this. I do consulting and public speaking, and if the client expects me to travel outside of my city, they cover my travel and lodging expenses. That's part of the contract agreed upon upfront. 

 

That sounds great, but I hate to say it that these guys: even though they are paying, lot of them don’t have the inclination to pay much more than what the rate is. They see an outcall price, or see an in-call price and think “that’s it”. 
 

And trust me, I’ve tried to push longer sessions but it doesn’t always get agreed to. So I’m like fuck it. If people don’t want to book me for longer sessions, I’m just going to have to start adding travel/out of town pricing. I’ve raised my rates by $75-$100 since the end of Covid. That has helped cover a bit more of the overheads I incur, but I’m doing travel to some areas that are 5-6-8 hours away and not always getting extra to cover travel.

Sure I can go and take on more clients to build up more funds, but even that takes more money to do. Extra money to host, book a hotel for a couple days etc. Some people may have lower prices and take on more volume but: I’m also not trying to over exert myself in the process. 
 

8 hours ago, jeezifonly said:

I'm one of those clients who has spent a lifetime of work operating with union contract work schedules, meeting hard deadlines, and massaging massive egos. 

I'm retired now, so why subject myself to this level of torture just to have some fun?

What torture do you imply? 

Also you may have been a salaried employee. Maybe not but you had an income that was fairly consistent as it sounds?

So I don’t get the fuss and disagreement about a provider who is offering the convenience of traveling to clients, it’s not designed to be torture. Just recognition that “shipping and handling” does apply to us in the same way any other product would. 

Edited June 25 by JB_Studio38

[+ Tygerscent]

I list places that I’m traveling to and throughout my entire career I’ve always been exceptionally mobile. If I’m in an area, for example the Pacific Northwest: I have no problem driving up to Everest or all the way down to Ashland, Oregon again or anywhere along the Oregon coast and I never charge anything extra for Travel…

I simply work along the way… Sometimes people just offer me something a little extra in a tip, but I never ask for it. I do have to add that as I’m traveling like that, I’m coming to their accommodation, which is something they provide and it’s either their hotel or a cabin or resort or their home or apartment. So, I’m not really worrying about my overhead for accommodations. Clients have typically been very generous about feeding me. 
tbh, navigating that way, just really removes an awkward pressure with regard to finances… Unfair with my pricing and I am conscientious about my overhead but, in situations where it really just all becomes about the money and a client paying for anything extra like it’s a cafeteria plan feels like a buzz kill and for me feels like it cuts into what is otherwise the ultimate exchange of intimacy.

[jeezifonly]

1 hour ago, JB_Studio38 said:

Here’s the thing: many people don’t even read the full ad to begin with. So even when I do specify certain differences, it doesn’t always get noticed. I had a client today get dismissive over my deposit asking; meanwhile it’s plain and clear in both my RentMasseur ad and website about my deposit requirements.

I’ve also written to RentMasseur stating; despite having several options for massage types; there’s only incall and outcall fee. But “outcall” may only include the local metro area. Not a city in the 4 hour “nearby travel city range” away, or even other travel cities that are further than that. 

Also as I’ve mentioned; traveling isn’t just a convenient or “fun” thing to do. Even if I’m willing, at times it’s a necessity. Many big cities escort markets, are becoming more ran thru than a GoodWill clothing aisle. They are fucked to oblivion. I went to Orlando couple months ago: I only met new clients in other surrounding towns. It was only 1 person visiting me regularly. The World Cup in Kansas City hasn’t even brought me any new interest in the area. It’s still the same people, doing the same shit.
 

I do like the traveling to other towns and cities but, I can’t just keep doing it for 1 hour sessions with no extra. (Like I’m sure pilots “like” to fly, but they also enjoy the $80,000+).

And to do these type of trips, I’m often setting aside whole afternoons and evenings at minimum. Often a 4 hour trip, amounts to 2 days of packing/traveling/staying/and unpacking when I get home.
 

I visit a client in Wichita occasionally: I usually have to set aside 2 days because it’s too far to go there and back in the same day. So I often end up being away from home for a night or 2 at least. 

 

 

That sounds great, but I hate to say it that these guys: even though they are paying, lot of them don’t have the inclination to pay much more than what the rate is. They see an outcall price, or see an in-call price and think “that’s it”. 
 

And trust me, I’ve tried to push longer sessions but it doesn’t always get agreed to. So I’m like fuck it. If people don’t want to book me for longer sessions, I’m just going to have to start adding travel/out of town pricing. I’ve raised my rates by $75-$100 since the end of Covid. That has helped cover a bit more of the overheads I incur, but I’m doing travel to some areas that are 5-6-8 hours away and not always getting extra to cover travel.

Sure I can go and take on more clients to build up more funds, but even that takes more money to do. Extra money to host, book a hotel for a couple days etc. Some people may have lower prices and take on more volume but: I’m also not trying to over exert myself in the process. 
 

What torture do you imply? 

Also you may have been a salaried employee. Maybe not but you had an income that was fairly consistent as it sounds?

So I don’t get the fuss and disagreement about a provider who is offering the convenience of traveling to clients, it’s not designed to be torture. Just recognition that “shipping and handling” does apply to us in the same way any other product would. 

No, I mean, that as a client, getting over all the hurdles one might have to jump to fit into your schedule and put your convenience ahead of mine is nearing the level of irritation I reserve for my doctors. 

[JB_Studio38]

1 hour ago, Tygerscent said:

I list places that I’m traveling to and throughout my entire career I’ve always been exceptionally mobile. If I’m in an area, for example the Pacific Northwest: I have no problem driving up to Everest or all the way down to Ashland, Oregon again or anywhere along the Oregon coast and I never charge anything extra for Travel…

I simply work along the way… Sometimes people just offer me something a little extra in a tip, but I never ask for it. I do have to add that as I’m traveling like that, I’m coming to their accommodation, which is something they provide and it’s either their hotel or a cabin or resort or their home or apartment. So, I’m not really worrying about my overhead for accommodations. Clients have typically been very generous about feeding me. 
tbh, navigating that way, just really removes an awkward pressure with regard to finances… Unfair with my pricing and I am conscientious about my overhead but, in situations where it really just all becomes about the money and a client paying for anything extra like it’s a cafeteria plan feels like a buzz kill and for me feels like it cuts into what is otherwise the ultimate exchange of intimacy.

I can recognize that perspective, and I’ve also done the travel thing for awhile as well. However I think it’s more of personal preference that you may be comfortable doing. I’ve been out to Seattle and Oregon myself, so I know how it is. But considering gas out there tends to consistently run $5/Gal: I would definitely feel compelled. Albeit, when I was out there, I wasn’t charging extra either but I also wasn’t having to drive more than an hour away.

I know often times with talking with other providers, there’s a lot of personal differences in risk/overhead discussions. Some people will say, “go take that risk”, whereas others will say “don’t sell yourself short” (not verbatim but of that difference). At end of the day it is what it is for each individual.

However, I get the intimacy part: But I don’t think that’s an excuse for everyone to not have at-least some kind of agreement for travels over an hour, or over 2 hours. Also take into account, not all clients treat escorts the same. I won’t yet go down the rabbit hole of factors that involves, but I’ll give an example of something I did last month: that I ended up kinda feeling unappreciated on:

I drove out to a town known for recreation/Springs. I met my client there, everything was cool. But it took over 6 hours to get to his place from where I reside. Now: I did have aspirations to take clients in the nearby major city, but he only gave me my donation for the session. He offered to have me stay the night, but then the next morning 8 a.m., he had to be on his way, and so did I. 

So it’s like damn, I did all that only to be inconvenienced and rushed out the next morning? What made it so bad was, he was only going to be away for a couple hours. It’s that kind of cumulative disregard for the effort that is driving me to stop doing these travels for no extra money. Sure I stayed in town and took other clients, but I stayed for 2 nights and only had 2 more clients in the area. I would have had a 3rd, but his schedule was so limited, and he wanted me to provide the accommodations to host at time too early to check in.

[JB_Studio38]

1 hour ago, jeezifonly said:

No, I mean, that as a client, getting over all the hurdles one might have to jump to fit into your schedule and put your convenience ahead of mine is nearing the level of irritation I reserve for my doctors. 

Son, it’s 2026. I have been in the industry for long enough to realize it takes boundaries, and a willingness to turn down some requests. Everybody isn’t going to say yes. And not everybody is worth saying yes to. And traveling for 3-4 hours and not getting an extra $50/$100, doesn’t sound like a yes always. Admit it, you wouldn’t want to do it either if it was you. And don’t lie, because I already know.

I’ve spent a lot of my earlier years, traveling for sessions that weren’t even $300. However the difference then was it was a bit more possible to fit in 2-3 clients a day, from Craigslist, adam4adam, Backpage, Men4Rent, Rentboy, RentMen, HourBoy, maybe even Gay.com. So $250 seemed fine when I knew I could get several folks showing up.

Now: we have like 2-3 main sites. Many cities on the site are becoming saturated with providers, or on the contrary: some of these guys don’t even know where to find us. I have to occasionally run mock ads on hookup apps in some cities, simply because I don’t get enough hits from my main paid sites.

And the RentMen non logged in version just looks like another version of Grindr. People go to waste time, they have no information or understanding about prices. I have needed to create my own website and domain name, just to advocate for fair rates and to get away from the one price assumption.

And you think I’m being too extra? Cowboys4Angels (for the straight women) are asking way more than $50-$100 for travel: 

And whether it’s “real” or not is irrelevant, but it goes to show this 1 hour rate “default” should cover everything including travel and booking hotels to host clients, needs to die and get out of gay escort vocabulary. I’m tired of putting big effort for small returns.

[Mark_fl]

7 hours ago, JB_Studio38 said:

Here’s the thing: many people don’t even read the full ad to begin with. So even when I do specify certain differences, it doesn’t always get noticed. I had a client today get dismissive over my deposit asking; meanwhile it’s plain and clear in both my RentMasseur ad and website about my deposit requirements 

Well that's annoying! I have no sympathy for people who don't read what's out there. I'm sure this is tough enough for you without people who ignore clear information.  

I try to be very clear what I'm looking for when I ask for a rate.  I guess if I were a provider I would only list as "nearby" places that were included in my rate and wouldn't require an overnight at a hotel. It would be nice if the RM or other sites listed an option like "willing to travel to (additional fees apply)" section for you.

But when I'm going somewhere and search the location for providers, if the provider listed that city as an area they cover, I don’t feel like their transportation there should be additional. 

[+ KensingtonHomo]

9 hours ago, JB_Studio38 said:

That sounds great, but I hate to say it that these guys: even though they are paying, lot of them don’t have the inclination to pay much more than what the rate is. They see an outcall price, or see an in-call price and think “that’s it”. 
 

And trust me, I’ve tried to push longer sessions but it doesn’t always get agreed to. So I’m like fuck it. If people don’t want to book me for longer sessions, I’m just going to have to start adding travel/out of town pricing. I’ve raised my rates by $75-$100 since the end of Covid. That has helped cover a bit more of the overheads I incur, but I’m doing travel to some areas that are 5-6-8 hours away and not always getting extra to cover travel.

If this is the case, then those people cannot afford to have you travel to them to provide your services. 

[jeezifonly]

As ever, Jarrod, your faultless dedication to customer service wins the day. Huzzah!

[JB_Studio38]

5 hours ago, Mark_fl said:

It would be nice if the RM or other sites listed an option like "willing to travel to (additional fees apply)" section for you.

But when I'm going somewhere and search the location for providers, if the provider listed that city as an area they cover, I don’t feel like their transportation there should be additional. 

Well that’s the key points you made: RM sites don’t list those options. And going back to my pic above of the C&B site, notice that person has multiple rates shown (which I will say is probably more than what most of the M4M market are willing to spend). 
 

But just because they don’t give us that option, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be possible. At the end of the day, RM is just an advertising platform. They always say, “we’re not an agency so we can’t tell you what to charge/how to price yourself etc”. So it’s really up to us to figure it out.

And that’s also why with minimum time lengths, it could help better offset versus just having extra for travel. But they have to be willing to do that, because if they only book an hour: Then I am going to feel compelled to add extra to the price, if my commute time is 2-3 hours.

Also question for @Tygerscent: if someone reached out to you and said, “are you in available in Spokane or Yakima today/tomorrow”, how much you’d be charging for that? Would there a minimum session amount you’d ask? I know you mentioned locations that sounded like it’s within an hour away, but that’s different than what I’m referring to. 
 

The above is within the same general metro area. But something like the one below? You’re going outside of the area. Not to mention possible weather conditions/traffic etc. You wouldn’t ask extra or have a time minimum for that? 
 

 

The above you can probably do within a day, but if someone reaches and asks to go to Spokane, that’s likely an overnight stay:

How long would you charge to do that trip, or would you go there, stay for a couple days and assume to book more clients? If it’s short notice, maybe you won’t have time to line people up. That’s where the tricky part can be. 
 

For me, I’ll normally only go to those further cities on my way to/from another area…Like when I did the drive to Seattle a few years ago: I stopped in Salt Lake and Idaho for a couple/few days each. And then I went from Seattle to San Fran and stopped in Portland and Redding California.
 

1 hour ago, jeezifonly said:

As ever, Jarrod, your faultless dedication to customer service wins the day. Huzzah!

Thankyou, glad you noticed.

But I’ll tell you one thing, in my experience MOST clients never want to travel a few miles outside of their neighborhood. Let alone the next city/state over. Anytime I’ve asked a client to come to my area, it’s “too far”. I have one client who will travel from his town 2 hours away to the Capitol city where I stay when I visit, but that’s the furthest he’ll go and even that has to usually be on his timing. 
 

That’s why I said, don’t make it seem like I’m asking too much for extra $50-$100 to offset travel, when many clients won’t even go more than 1 county out of their way. Which is understandable, they don’t want to go out their comfort zone: but I don’t want to be underpaid in the process. 

Edited June 25 by JB_Studio38

[nomad]

I've done the drive from Seattle to Yakima and Spokane.  Would happily pay extra to not drive.  

[JB_Studio38]

10 hours ago, nomad said:

I've done the drive from Seattle to Yakima and Spokane.  Would happily pay extra to not drive.  

Right! Traveling 30 miles isn’t the type of driving I’m suggesting extra for. To me, that’s just the local area. Granted, traffic can make 30 miles take 2 hours in a place like D.C., San Francisco etc. but that can often be mitigated by planning meets after 7/8 p.m. 

The RentMen/Masseur sites let us post nearby travel cities up to 4 hours or 300 miles away. It’s great for getting exposure in other areas, especially if the city one lives is not active (and I hate running my ad solely in my local area, getting no hits for days after I just paid $100+ to post).

It just has to be more widely and better understood, I can’t just keep doing it at my rate alone and not getting extra incentive added for the commutes.

[nomad]

Driving long distances can also be dangerous after working and your tired.  Especially where there are bends and narrow roads.  Heck even long boring flat stretches of road can be dangerous as your mind drifts and the car with it.  Done that.  Not recommended.  

I think you do have to factor these things into the cost of a meet.  It is one thing if you are meeting for long session or have lined up multiple clients.  A single hour meet would be dicey without some offset to the travel time AND cost.  

[JB_Studio38]

11 hours ago, nomad said:

Driving long distances can also be dangerous after working and your tired.  Especially where there are bends and narrow roads.  Heck even long boring flat stretches of road can be dangerous as your mind drifts and the car with it.  Done that.  Not recommended.  

I think you do have to factor these things into the cost of a meet.  It is one thing if you are meeting for long session or have lined up multiple clients.  A single hour meet would be dicey without some offset to the travel time AND cost.  

It can be, but I’m very experienced/took DD a few times for driving. Usually in bad weather I pass people who have wound up in the ditch, wondering if they know you can’t drive 70/80 in the snow/heavy downpour. 
 

However the bigger problem with some travel visits, so many are on limited availability. I have had to update all my ads to 24 hours/Next day notice. Even that isn’t always enough notice for every city. Some visits I haven’t made plans to visit, but I’m open to coordinate something. But if they’re only in town for 1 night, it won’t leave room to make something happen

I decided anywhere more than 30 min. to an hour drive, I’m just going to start adding from $50-$100 depending on how far. That may not fully cover the expenses, but with my current rates between $250-$450 it still makes a difference. 
 

I’m just trying not to be greedy because it’s already a lot of guys out there who don’t care: don’t want to send deposits, don’t want to pay more than $200, won’t give any extra tip for traveling etc.

Like Tyger said, this is an intimate business YES: and people need to recognize in order for us to perform our best we need to also be getting paid fairly without animosity. These guys have 100s and thousands of dollars in their accounts, and be trying to get by with giving us $300. I desire to earn $500/$1,000+ sometimes. 

Edited June 26 by JB_Studio38

[nomad]

1 hour ago, JB_Studio38 said:

These guys have 100s and thousands of dollars in their accounts, and be trying to get by with giving us $300. I desire to earn $500/$1,000+ sometimes. 

This is sadly true.  One of my best friends was very well off.  When I helped clean out his place, I laughed when I pulled out the drawer in the bathroom.  It was full of little wedges of used hand soap that he had just accumulated over the decades from the guest bathroom.  Too small and of no use to be used on an ongoing basis but had enough soap for a few uses left. 🤣