Line #87 Main/TheDriver


1	[[quoteright:350:[[Theatre/DrivingMissDaisy https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/drivingmissdaisy.jpg]]]]
2
3	->''"I am just a driver... I can't take you anywhere unless you tell me where to go."''
4	-->-- '''[[AlmightyJanitor Cab Driver]]''', ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines''
5
6	A stock character whose main job is to get the other, major characters from Point A to Point B so the plot can progress, after which he usually either drives off and is forgotten, hangs around the car and is forgotten or, in very, very rare cases, actually follows along and is generally forgotten. Every once in a while he might have some comic-relief scene in which he actually gets involved in the action, but not often at all.
7
8	However, he's not just a generic taxi driver, he'll have enough of a presence to be a unique character unto himself (he'll usually be given a name, for example) and to make sure that the audience doesn't see him as a piece of mobile furniture. He could be replaced with "So the group went from A to B" but for whatever reason, the author decided to create a scene and a character to go along with it. They may show up again, and may even become a regular if the show goes on for a while, but appearing as anything ''other'' than this role feels like a cameo appearance.
9
10	Drivers who fall short of this trope, and ''don't'' have a personality to speak of, are at high risk of becoming a DisposablePilot. See also BadassDriver and GetawayDriver.
11	----
12	!!Examples:
13
14	[[foldercontrol]]
15
16	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
17	* The Bus Driver, [[spoiler:Nurari]], from ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire''. Although this is seemingly just one of his roles, mostly what he does is drive the students around so they can have their own adventures. (As good as [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] at least a couple times with "Huh? Why did he just drive us here and then leave?" reaction.)
18	** He also seems to fill the role of TheWatcher and bears an uncanny resemblance to the school chairman, [[spoiler: one of the three demon lords.]] Hasn't been taken anywhere yet, but there's still time...
19	* This is an entire career path in ''Manga/GetBackers'', usually antagonistic to the heroes, who've been hired to retrieve the object being transported. Most notable is StepfordSmiler Akabane Kuroudo, who does just so he can fight interesting people.
20	%%* The taxi driver from ''Anime/{{Canaan}}''.%%"People drive in cars" ZCE
21	* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheIslandOfMiraclesAnimalAdventure'' humorously casts Gonsuke from ''Manga/TwentyOneEmon'', an otherwise unrelated manga besides being a Fujiko Fujio work, as the driver to Dr. Kelly whose job is to ferry passengers around the titular island. Gonsuke in fact spends 80% of his screentime behind the wheel.
22	* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS'' has two. Vice Granscenic is the helicopter of Riot Force 6 and brings the cast to their missions. The reason he's a pilot? He was once a [[FriendlySniper sniper]], who accidentally shot a hostage, his little sister Laguna, in the eye and that event traumatized him to quit his sniper career. He also serves as [[TheGunslinger Teana Lanster]] and [[BridgeBunnies Alto Krauetta's]] BigBrotherMentor and is a friend of [[LadyOfWar Signum]]. But when he's hospitalized after the destruction of the Long Arch, he's replaced by his kohai Alto, a member of the BridgeBunnies who always wanted to be a helicopter pilot. She's a good friend of Subaru and the other Forwards and later becomes one of [[Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce Thoma Avenir's]] many CoolBigSis figures. Vice gets better during the GrandFinale of ''[=StrikerS=]'' and he not only continues his helicopter pilot career, but also his sniper career, and Alto has become an official helicopter pilot as well and serves as Special Duty Section 6's helicopter pilot.
23	* Falco in ''Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners'' is David's crew's main wheelman, reliably getting them wherever they need to go. During the final few episodes, he demonstrates his true skills; [[spoiler: he easily evades both NCPD and [=MaxTac=] getting the crew to Arasaka Tower, then gets Lucy away from [[TheDreaded Adam Smasher]].]]
24	[[/folder]]
25
26	[[folder:Comic Books]]
27	* If you're in Franchise/TheDCU and you're stranded anywhere in the Milky Way, who ya gonna call? [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Cabbie Space Cabbie]]!
28	* If you're in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse and you want to ship something anywhere in the galaxy, you'll want to call [[http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/archerus.htm U.S. 1]].
29	* John Constantine's friend Chas Chandler from ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'' and the film adaptation, ''Film/Constantine2005''.
30	* Ebony White in ''ComicBook/TheSpirit''.
31	* For the first few issues of ''ComicBook/Robin1993'', Alfred drives Tim around Gotham so Robin can get to various locations before Tim gets his license. Alfred slots into his more traditional role in Bat-books as the series progresses.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Jokes]]
35	* The pope gets a new limousine and decides to go out for a ride in it. After awhile, he asks his chauffeur if he can take the wheel. The chauffeur pulls over and gets into the back seat of the limousine, while the pope gets into the driver's seat. The pope takes the limousine out on the freeway and then decides to see how fast it will go. After speeding up to 120 miles per hour, he sees a cop car with flashing lights behind him. He pulls over and the cop comes up to the car. The minute the cop sees the pope behind the wheel, he tells him to wait a minute while he calls in to his supervisor. He goes back to his cop car and calls in, saying, "I just pulled over somebody really important and I don't know what to do!" The supervisor says, "Well, how important is he? Is he the mayor?" The cop says, "No, more important than that!" The supervisor says, "Is he the governor?" and the cop replies, "No, more important than that!" "Is he the PRESIDENT?" says the supervisor. "No, more important than that!" says the cop. "Well, who IS he?" demands the supervisor. The cop replies, "I don't know, but the pope is his chauffeur!"
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Film]]
39	* Moe Shrevnitz, played by the late, great Peter Boyle in the 1994 adaptation of ''Film/TheShadow''. He gets a couple of good lines, but basically he's there to get Alec Baldwin from scene one to scene two and that's all. Amazingly enough, it's done well enough that you don't get the feeling they wasted a great actor on a bit part.
40	* ''Film/{{Scrooged}}'': The Ghost of Christmas Past dresses as a cabbie and drives a cab. He takes Frank Cross to various scenes in his past so Frank can learn from them.
41	* Benny the Cab, the anthropomorphic car in ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', when he took Eddie Valiant and Jessica Rabbit out of Toon Town. Just stick out your thumb...
42	* ''Film/DieHard'' has that limo driver.
43	* The cab driver in ''Film/GoodByeLenin'', who may or may not have been Sigmund Jähn.
44	* Ernie Bishop in ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife''.
45	* Happy Hogan, Tony's chauffeur in the ''Film/IronManFilms''.
46	* George the taxi driver from ''Film/RushHour3'' who kept reappearing in the movie to drive Lee and Carter across [[GayParee Paris]] because he loves the action.
47	* ''Cabbie'' (played by Ernest Borgnine) in ''Film/EscapeFromNewYork''.
48	* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'''s Ron Wilson, the resident SuperheroSchool's bus driver. He hangs around to drive the kids to school and plays an important part of the climax, but is absent from the schoolwide shenanigans for the most part.
49	* ''Film/Deadpool2016'' and ''Film/Deadpool2'' have Dopinder, a taxi driver who Wade frequently recruits to transport him to his sketchier jobs within the city. By the sequel, Dopinder has realized that he finds being just a cab driver unfulfilling and wants to become a badass.
50	* In ''Film/TheArtist'', [[WhiteDwarfStarlet fading silent film star George Valentin]] has one in the form of Clifton, [[OldRetainer a kind old chauffer]] who remains [[UndyingLoyalty astonishingly loyal to Valentin]] even after his time in the spotlight had expired and [[RichesToRags he's become steadily more broke]]. [[spoiler:Valentin ends up firing him after being unable to pay him in over a year [[CruelToBeKind (and also because he knows that otherwise, Clifton will refuse to leave him for a better job)]], and gives his car to him as consolation. However, fate has a funny sense of humor, and Clifton ends up being hired by [[ManicPixieDreamGirl Peppy]], who tries her best to help Valentin get his act back together again.]]
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Literature]]
54	* Ernie Prang and Stan Shunpike, the bus driver and conductor, respectively, on the Knight Bus from the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' universe, are actually two of the most popular "background characters" in those books. And all they do is get Harry to the Leaky Cauldron when he's wandering around after running away from home. Admittedly it's a memorable scene, but one that takes up just a few pages out of thousands in that story.
55	* Mr. Butt in ''Haroun and the Sea of Stories''.
56	* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'':
57	** Although all the main characters can turn into birds so they normally don't ''need'' to drive anywhere, when it comes up, Marco is always the one behind the wheel. [[DrivesLikeCrazy Despite the fact that he is a terrible driver]].
58	--->I [Ax] heard a loud crunching sound. <What was that?> I asked.\
59	<Fence,> Marco said.\
60	A few seconds later, a very similar sound.\
61	<More fence, okay?> Marco said. <Everyone just shut up, I have it under control.>
62	** And in a different episode, having "borrowed" Cassie's dad's truck...
63	--->'''Marco:''' Oh, it's just a trash can. Chill out.\
64	''[BAM! BAM! BAM!]''\
65	'''Marco:''' Okay, so it's four trash cans.\
66	'''Jake:''' Get off the sidewalk, you lunatic!\
67	'''Marco:''' ''[yanks wheel right, bumps the sidewalk, grazes a parked car]''\
68	''[BAM! BAM! BAM!]''\
69	'''Jake:''' Do you hate trash cans? Is that your problem? Do you just HATE TRASH CANS?!!\
70	'''Marco:''' I can't drive with you screaming in my ear.\
71	'''Jake:''' You can't drive at all!
72	* In the web-novel ''Literature/{{Domina}}'', Jarasax of the Blood-Doused Hunters acts as this for the retinue.
73	* In ''Literature/ArmadilloFists'', this is Tony's role in [[TheMafia the organisation.]] He subverts the trope description by actually being one of the story's main characters, though. [[MundaneMadeAwesome The fact that his world has giant robotic dinosaurs instead of cars probably helps in sexing up his job description to main-character levels.]]
74
75	[[/folder]]
76
77	[[folder:Live Action Television]]
78	* The cab driver in the pilot of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' pops back up every once in a while. By his second appearance half-way through season one, he's self-employed as a limo/towncar driver instead. Barney relies on him as a personal driver pretty much throughout the series.
79	** Ranjit! "To the town car!"
80	* Abaddon in ''Series/{{Lost}}'' was a mysterious and menacing figure in his first appearances, but in [[spoiler: the last episode he appeared in ("The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham")]] he was demoted to being pretty much this trope embodied, saying "I help people get to where they need to get to, [[spoiler:John]]. That's what I do for [[spoiler:Mr. Widmore]]".
81	* Chuck Bass' driver Arthur gets to see a whole lot of action on ''Series/GossipGirl''.
82	* In the early episodes of ''Series/{{Sliders}}'', whenever the group arrived on a new parallel world and ended up taking a taxi anywhere, the same bearded Russian guy was always the driver.
83	-->'''Rembrandt:''' So.. you enjoy driving a taxi?
84	-->'''Driver:''' What is to enjoy? It is my destiny.
85	-->'''Rembrant:''' You don't know the half of it.
86	* In ''Series/ThePlotAgainstAmerica'' the Washington, DC guide/driver from Wabash, Indiana serves as a reason for Herman to allow his son Sandy to participate in the "Just Folks" program.
87	* Jim Hacker's driver on ''Series/YesMinister'' generally knew more about what was going on than Hacker did. He explains that the ministerial drivers overhear all the secret conversations their employers have and gossip about them during their breaks.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Mythology]]
91	* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charon_(mythology) Charon]], the boatman who ferries the dead (and errant heroes) across the River Styx to the Underworld.
92	* Perhaps closer to the nature of this trope than {{Psychopomp}}s, back when chariots were used on battlefields, some mythologies had characters whose role was pretty much to drive the hero's chariot when he was busy killing people. Occasionally [[DisposablePilot disposable]].
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Roleplay]]
96	* Montoya in Roleplay/DinoAttackRPG started out as the designated driver to a group of small-time crooks hired to do dirty work on a multimillion dollar corporation. What was shown consisted of him driving a stolen truck to bring to his employer and later crashing it in order to cover up the hijacking that took place earlier. During the actual heist on Dacta Corp. his main job was simply to get the other crooks to the building and then wait outside in order to look out for the cops and to be ready to get away as soon as his partners got back. [[spoiler: Ironically the fact that he filled this role ended up saving his life]]. Interestingly he eventually became popular enough to break out of this role and become a much more important character.
97	** Bartholomew Helmutson was originally introduced just as the barge helmsman who would transport Hotwire from [[HubCity LEGO City]] to [[IslandBase Ogel's Island]], though he became an AscendedExtra and ultimately grew out of the role.
98	** Being both a BadassDriver and AcePilot, Sam Race often fills this role.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Tabletop RPG]]
102	* ''TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}}'' adventure ''Vapors Don't Shoot Back'': The {{PC}}s travel to the site of their first mission in a modified autocar driven by a man named Fiber-O. [[DrivesLikeCrazy He maneuvers so wildly that the [=PCs=] are at risk of being thrown out of the car, drives at break-neck speeds, and can't be intimidated]].
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Theatre]]
106	* ''Theatre/OnTheTown'' has an unusual case of a driver becoming a main character. Brunhilde "Hildy" Esterhazy, after getting fired for sleeping on the job, picks up Chip and aggressively establishes herself as his love interest, demanding his itinerary include ''her'' place when he gets in her cab. In TheMovie, Hildy drives Chip, Ozzie, Claire and Gabey to Coney Island with the police on the chase.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder:Video Games]]
110	* Kapp'n from ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing: Wild World'' and ''City Folk''. You and he have a nice conversation at the beginning of the game (disguising the fact that he's configuring the game for you), then he drops you off and except for very specific circumstances, you never see him again. But, ''everyone'' knows Kapp'n.
111	* In ''VideoGame/GrimFandango'', Grim Reapers are driven to the world of the living by demons who are born to do one thing; drive, or at least, maintain vehicles. Manny Calavera ends up with Glottis, a BigFun demon with a need for speed. In fact, when Glottis is kept from driving or doing anything vehicle-related for a year, he becomes deathly ill.
112	* In ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'', you are ferried by a taxi driver to everywhere you were asked to go. Eventually, before you go to to deal with your last enemies once and for all, he asks you; [[DoubleMeaning "Where do you want to go?"]] He is implied to be [[spoiler: Caine, The Dark Father, progenitor of all Vampires.]] The page quote comes from this game.
113	* Bishop Shidux in the first ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'' will always ride out your motorcycle to you if you get too far from it in the overworld.
114	* Jock in ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' flies your stealth/black helo. He can actually get killed if you don't check up on certain things or people at the right time. You can also break into his apartment in Hong Kong with a few trickish jumps.
115	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'': Several of the Cids, with airships instead of cars.
116	* Your cab driver, Raul, in ''VideoGame/HellCab''.
117	* For ''some'' reason, it falls upon the player character to chauffeur everyone everywhere in every ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' game. Even ''San Andreas'', which lampshades CJ's reckless driving.
118	** Then there's the predecessor ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity Vice City]],'' which actually title drops this in the third part of the Malibu Club asset missions, interestingly also called The Driver. Likewise, Tommy has to race Hilary around Vice City Beach in order to get him on the team for the bank heist. [[spoiler: Unfortunately Hilary isn't used at all for the heist when Tommy decides to drive instead, and he is killed by the incoming police forces when attempting to pick them up for the getaway, making this an odd instance of a [[DoubleSubversion Double subverted example]].]]
119	* In ''The Omega Stone'', one of the four characters you meet is a multipurpose example of this trope, able to drive everything from an RV to a limo to a helicopter to a sailboat.
120	* [[AcePilot Joker]] of the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' games, who's a very entertaining DeadpanSnarker as well as the party's transportation. Steve Cortez, the shuttle pilot from ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', is an additional example, though more angsty and less snarky.
121	* Lost Wages' apparently only cabbie in ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards'' whom you usually need to get anywhere. He drives his clunky taxi at break-neck speeds, seems to charge Larry whatever he pleases, and beats him to pulp if he dares to get out of the cab without paying. Oh, and he runs over Larry immediately whenever stepping onto the street.
122	* In the ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'' series, Murray is the resident driver of the Cooper Gang. Later games also promote him to being [[TheBigGuy the muscle]] of the team.
123	* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'': The river person.
124	* This is how Giovanna is introduced during ''VideoGame/GuiltyGearStrive'''s prologue, serving as the driver of the US president.
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
128	* Leon Kwan in ''VisualNovel/QueenOfThieves'' is the CaperCrew's designated driver/pilot of whatever vehicles they may need to use during their heists. He demonstrates his skills in the game's prologue, evading the pursuit of a police car (and beating the rest of the team, arriving by helicopter, to their rendezvous point).
129	[[/folder]]
130
131	[[folder:Web Original]]
132	* Rower from ''WebVideo/NarutoTheAbridgedSeries''.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[folder:Western Animation]]
136	* Otto Mann, the school (and other) bus driver from ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''.
137	* While Uncle Ruckus has a couple dozen jobs, one of his most recurring ones in ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'' is school bus driver. Another is valet.
138	* Rocky in ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOFGumball'' is the bus driver for Elmore Junior High on top of working at the school's janitor and in the cafeteria.
139	* Asami Sato in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendofKorra'' is the driver for Team Avatar; given that she's the chief executive officer of a automobile company and an engineer.
140	* On ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'', originally all the Ghostbusters took turns driving until the consulting firm Q5 had Winston made the designated driver of the team, despite the original writers pointing out the obvious racist implications to them.
141	[[/folder]]
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Context Main / TheDriver