Community transport driver

As a community transport driver, you would:

• plan the best route for your journey
•  pick up and drop off passengers at their home or at scheduled stops
•  help passengers to get on and off the vehicle
•  operate a tail lift to help wheelchair users
•  make sure passengers are safe and secure at all times
•  perform regular basic vehicle checks and report faults
•  fill in mileage sheets if your organisation uses them
•  keep the vehicle tidy between journeys and fill up with fuel

You would mainly help passengers with their day-to-day routine, for example attending appointments, going to work, school or college, or going to the shops. You might also occasionally take groups on organised trips.

• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work well with others
• a desire to help people
• the ability to organise your time and workload
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• knowledge of public safety and security 
• knowledge of transport methods, costs and benefits
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You can get into this job through:

• volunteering
• applying directly

With experience, you could become a service co-ordinator or operations manager.

With the right licence, you could move into other types of passenger services, for example bus and coach driving, or patient transport.