Contractor Travel Charges

I recently hired a local electrician for a a project that took two hours, billed per hour. He told me his rate in advance. When writing up the bill he added an extra half hour for travel time that he had not informed me of when I initially called him and he told me his prices. Is this legal, common and appropriate? 

how much?  Where did he come from?

He charged $180 per hour.  He charged for 1/2 hour ($90) travel time.  His office is about 10 minutes away.  The truck was coming from about 15 minutes away.

wow - that is really steep. 

He should have told you that in advance.  If the work was emergency work you may have been over a barrel, but otherwise you could have shopped the estimate.  I would not be happy.  

Thanks, we did shop the estimate, and the total was in the ballpark except for the travel fees.  I'm not sure if I will discuss it with the owner or just take it into consideration next time.

DanDietrich said:

He should have told you that in advance.  If the work was emergency work you may have been over a barrel, but otherwise you could have shopped the estimate.  I would not be happy.  

Do not pay the travel time if it wasn’t agreed upon in advance. Ridiculous. That’s why I have stopped recommending contractors around here. I overheard a plumber from maplewood badmouthing people in maplewood with a cashier at Home Depot a few years ago. 

1. If travel charges apply, they should be announced up front.
2. I have had a plumber quote me $85 simply to come to the house (= travel charges), but with that amount being credited if he was given the job.
3. For someone local to add travel charges is a bit rich.  When I lived in Maplewood, I never did.  Now that I am further away (1/2 hr), I need to add a little (but I try to spread the pain by scheduling multiple jobs on the days I come back)..

As a follow up, I called the guy, who first got defensive and asked who I thought should pay for travel? I said that wasn't the issue, it was about not letting me know up front when he told me fees. He then agreed to pay, though I'm still waiting for the check.