Community Transport Driver

Surrey Choices; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days leave plus bank holidays

Generous pension

£500 refer a friend scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Surrey Choices is seeking a Community Transport Driver to provide door-to-door transport for people we support, primarily at start and end of day, across Surrey and local communities. You will drive a minibus, ensure safe passenger handling, and maintain professional relationships with service users and colleagues.

Role includes vehicle checks, safeguarding reporting, and flexibility for varied shifts including some evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Full UK driving licence with a maximum of 6 penalty points.
• Experience in passenger services or a keen interest in driving.
• Willingness to be trained to drive a minibus and to wheelchair safety.

Responsibilities

• Provision of door-to-door transport services to people we support into and from services.
• Drive a company minibus, ensuring passengers are transported safely and in line with policies.
• Build positive relationships with passengers, carers/parents and colleagues.
• Ensure passenger safety including helping passengers on/off the vehicle.
• Perform regular vehicle checks and report issues to the Senior Community Transport Driver or Manager.
• Operate vehicle equipment including steps, seat belts, wheelchair clamps and tail lifts.
• Report safeguarding concerns to the Senior Community Transport Driver or Manager.
• Keep the minibus clean and tidy, adhere to starting times and locations; support flexible shifts.

Skills

Driving

Customer service

Communication

Job description

Hours: Various shifts available - Working 2.5 hours in the morning (pick up) and 2.5 hours in the afternoon (drop off) with the possibility of overtime available - some flexibility may be required to cover occasional evenings and weekends., As the Community Transport Driver, you will provide transport services to the people we support primarily at the start and end of the day, ensuring they are safely picked up and dropped off at our various services across Surrey Choices, or directly into the community to attend activities. The role would suit applicants with previous experience within passenger services or an interest in driving, who are looking for a rewarding role which will make a real difference to people's lives by enabling them access to the local community.

• Provision of door-to-door transport services to the people we support into and home from services.
• Driving a company minibus, ensuring all service-users are transported safely and in line with all policies and procedures.
• Establishing positive and professional relationships with passengers, their carers/parents and key colleagues at the services and activities they attend.
• Ensuring passenger safety, including helping passengers on and off the vehicle when required.
• Performing regular vehicle checks in line with procedures and reporting any concerns or issue to the Senior Community Transport Driver or the Community Transport Manager.
• Operation of all vehicle equipment, including steps, seat belts, wheelchair clamps and tail lifts.
• Reporting any safeguarding concerns or issues to the Senior Community Transport Driver or Community Transport Manager.
• Ensuring the minibus is kept clean and tidy
  Full UK driving licence (Maximum 6 penalty points at time of appointment) held for a minimum of two years for insurance purposes.
• 21+ for insurance purposes
• Ability to support people using the services into and out of the vehicle
• Willingness to be trained to drive a minibus.
• Willing to be fully trained in wheelchair safety and restraint when on vehicles
• Ability to act effectively to diffuse any difficult situations on the vehicles and to write brief notes/reports on incidents.
• Ability to liaise over day-to-day concerns between home and services with tact and diplomacy.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills and ability to maintain written records including recording passenger complaints.
• Willingness to be flexible in terms of starting times finishing times and locations (within an area).
  Full training given - career progression encouraged
• 25 days leave plus bank holidays
• £500 refer a friend scheme
• Generous pension and sick pay scheme
• 45p per mile expenses
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Automatic entry into Perkbox benefit scheme
• Employee Recognition Award Scheme
• Subsidised access to a Blue Light Card
• Long service award
• Thank you scheme