Driver job and responsibilities
What is my job and what are my responsibilities?
Greet the student and parent when they are brought to the vehicle a simple hello costs nothing and can make the child and their parent feel at ease.
If a student is travelling in a wheelchair, please do visual checks to ensure:
- Wheelchair lap belt secured
- Footrests in a lowered position
- Wheelchair is in suitable condition before accepting onto vehicle
Operate the tail lift and clamp wheelchairs securely where needed. It is the driver’s responsibility to do this as they are responsible for the safety of all passengers on their vehicle. Ensure students are secured into the vehicle using a 3-point inertia seatbelt.
Please ensure child locks are activated on doors where they have them fitted. Doors should not be opened until the parent/carer is at the vehicle ready to receive their child.
Please ensure when picking up or dropping off, the door where the student accesses the vehicle is kerb side where possible for safety measures. Even if this means turning the vehicle around to do so.
Please don’t pull away until all passengers (including travel assistant) are seated and secured. Wait until escort informs you that all passengers are secured before pulling away.
Ensure the vehicle is in good working order and has an adequate amount of petrol/diesel or electrical charge before setting off. Visual checks should be made before any journey.
Only the travel assistant and the pupils on the transport list are permitted on the bus/taxi. Children’s parents, siblings or friends are not permitted to travel on the vehicle. Relatives or friends of the driver or travel assistant are also not permitted.
Ensure that you are well rested and alert, drivers who have worked a night shift should not then perform a school route the following morning. If an accident occurs the investigation would take this into account, and it could influence to the outcome.
If a vehicle breaks down on route, please keep the students in the vehicle until a relief vehicle arrives, unless it is unsafe to remain inside the vehicle. You will need to inform your provider and the SEND Transport Service team immediately so that they can assist you in managing the situation.
Alert your provider and the SEND Transport Service Team of any delays i.e. heavy traffic, weather conditions etc. This will enable them to keep parents and schools informed that the students may be late in arriving at their destination and reduce any anxieties this might incur.
Alert the SEND Transport Service Team of any delays i.e. heavy traffic, weather conditions etc
If there is no travel assistant required on your school run, you are then responsible for all the duties usually performed by the travel assistant. However, if there is an assistant is allocated to your route then the route cannot go-ahead without one on board. Only SEND Transport approved personnel should be used as a replacement on any route.
If you need to leave the vehicle turn the engine off and remove keys. This is for the safety of the passengers and ensures that the vehicle remains stationary.