Community Transport Driver

Runnymede; Chertsey; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 Days annual leave

Excellent Pension Scheme

Free Parking

Training and development opportunities

Professional membership allowance

Cycle to work scheme

Season ticket loan

Health insurance plan

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Job summary

Runnymede Borough Council is seeking a Community Transport Driver to support residents in living independently and staying connected to their communities. Based at Surrey Heath House, you will drive accessible minibuses across the Surrey Heath area as part of a joint partnership with Surrey Heath Borough Council.

You will provide a safe, compassionate service to older people and those with mobility challenges, ensuring dignity in boarding/alighting and delivering reliable transport to

Qualifications

• Full UK driving licence with D1 entitlement.
• Eligible to drive council vehicles under insurance requirements.
• Experience delivering frontline customer service to the public.
• Understanding of safeguarding principles and reporting concerns.
• First Aid and Manual Handling qualifications, or willingness to undertake training.
• Ability to work independently and follow schedules, procedures and instructions accurately.

Responsibilities

• Safely transport passengers using fully accessible minibuses.
• Deliver a caring, patient and respectful service to all passengers.
• Assist passengers boarding and leaving vehicles safely and with dignity.
• Follow daily schedules and routes prepared by the transport team.
• Carry out vehicle safety and roadworthiness checks before use.
• Report passenger welfare, wellbeing and safeguarding concerns appropriately.
• Maintain accurate mileage and vehicle records.
• Keep vehicles clean, fuelled and ready for operational use.
• Work closely with colleagues to improve and develop transport services.
• Provide occasional support to the Meals at Home service and emergency response arrangements when required.

Skills

D1 entitlement

Customer service

Safeguarding knowledge

Clear communication

Independent working

Flexible approach

First Aid

Manual Handling

Driving larger vehicles

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join Runnymede Borough Council as we continue our positive work supporting residents to live independently, remain connected to their communities and access the services they need.

As a Community Transport Driver, you will join the successful Community Services Partnership between Runnymede Borough Council and Surrey Heath Borough Council, delivering an essential transport service for residents who may otherwise struggle to travel independently. The role is based at Surrey Heath House, Camberley, and predominantly operates across the Surrey Heath area, although services are delivered across both boroughs as part of the shared partnership.

As a Community Transport Driver, you will provide a safe, reliable and compassionate service for older people, residents with disabilities and those experiencing mobility challenges, helping them access healthcare appointments, shopping, social activities and other important destinations.

Please note that applicants will require D1 entitlement on their driving licence as an essential criteria.

What you'll be doing

• Safely transport passengers using fully accessible minibuses.
• Deliver a caring, patient and respectful service to all passengers.
• Assist passengers boarding and leaving vehicles safely and with dignity.
• Follow daily schedules and routes prepared by the transport team.
• Carry out vehicle safety and roadworthiness checks before use.
• Report passenger welfare, wellbeing and safeguarding concerns appropriately.
• Maintain accurate mileage and vehicle records.
• Keep vehicles clean, fuelled and ready for operational use.
• Work closely with colleagues to improve and develop transport services.
• Provide occasional support to the Meals at Home service and emergency response arrangements when required.
• 29 Days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Excellent Pension Scheme
• Free Parking
• Training and development opportunities
• Payment of one professional membership per annum
• Cycle to work + further related discounts
• Season ticket loan
• Health insurance plan after 1 year's service / Dental after 3 years' service
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

About You

We are looking for a reliable and customer-focused individual to join our team who can provide a professional, safe and compassionate transport service to residents across the Community Services Partnership. We are looking for exceptional candidates with a range of skills including:

• Full UK Driving Licence with D1 entitlement.
• Eligibility to drive council vehicles under insurance requirements.
• Good understanding of safe driving practices and transporting vulnerable passengers.
• Knowledge of safeguarding principles and the importance of reporting concerns.
• Experience of providing frontline customer service to members of the public.
• Ability to communicate clearly, patiently and respectfully with passengers.
• Ability to work independently and follow schedules, procedures and instructions accurately.
• First Aid and Manual Handling qualifications, or a willingness to undertake training.
• Experience working with older people, people with additional needs or driving larger vehicles would be advantageous.
• A professional, reliable and flexible approach to meeting service needs.

If you enjoy helping people, take pride in delivering excellent customer service and want to make a genuine difference to residents' lives every day, we'd love to hear from you.

About Runnymede

Runnymede is an ambitious, passionate, and progressive council with a forward- thinking attitude and award-winning departments. As a Borough Council, we are committed to our core values which we demonstrate through our ongoing policies and projects. We continually strive to improve our services and welcome innovative and proactive individuals who are open minded and have a positive approach in supporting our vision.

From March 2027, Runnymede Borough Council will become part of the new West Surrey Unitary Council as part of the Local Government Reorganisation across Surrey. West Surrey will bring together the full range of local government services under one organisation, creating simpler, more efficient and more responsive services for our communities.

As one of the largest unitary authorities in the country, West Surrey will serve a diverse population across a region with a strong economy, vibrant communities, and significant opportunities for growth and innovation. The scale and variety of our work will provide a wide range of career pathways, professional development opportunities, and the chance to contribute to shaping an ambitious, modern, resident‑focused council. It is an exciting time to join us as we build West Surrey together.

Runnymede Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults with care support needs and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. You may be requested to present your identification at the interview stage and there will be several checks conducted during the onboarding process inclusive of an enhanced DBS check for specified roles.

We understand that some applicants may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with preparing their applications.

All submitted information whether supported by AI or not must accurately reflect the applicant’s own skills, experience, and qualifications. Recruitment decisions will be based on how well applicants demonstrate these attributes during the interview and selection process.