Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Driver |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children's Services |
Service |
Education and SEND |
Business unit |
School Services |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
School Transport Officers |
Accountable to (line manager) |
School Transport Manager |
Salary grade |
D |
JE ref |
CS80 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To safely transport students to and from school ensuring they arrive in time for the commencement of the school day and are collected punctually after school.
- To safely manage health and safety equipment within the vehicle.
- Act as an ambassador for Torbay Council, always ensuring you promote and act in accordance with the Council’s values and codes of practice.
- Demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of people with disabilities.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- To safely transport and deliver children and young people to their place of education.
- Children and Young People can access education by using Torbay Council adapted transport.
- Parents and carers are reassured that their child is being transported to and from school safely.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- Follow the Services Operation Procedures for checking vehicle before the beginning of each day including fuel, tyres, water and oil levels recording checks appropriately.
- Taking responsibility for the cleanliness and safety on the vehicle at all times, including securing of equipment (e.g. tail lifts, wheelchairs), use of seatbelts and awareness of passenger needs.
- Collecting students from pick up points and transporting them to and from school adhering to current road traffic regulations.
- Transporting students and teachers/support staff to activities during school hours.
- Ensure safe transport of children and service users at all times.
- Attend training related to the safe operation of vehicles and the carriage of passengers as directed by the Line Manager and as required by legislation.
- Maintain a valid D1 Driving License, in date Tachograph Card and driver CPC card.
- Acting as Torbay Council’s first point of contact with service users and, where possible, resolving individual queries or concerns. To escalate concerns to the School Transport Manager as needed.
- Timely communication with the Transport Office to enable swift resolution of issues.
- Working closely, in partnership, with a School Transport Escort (if applicable) to deliver a safe and outstanding service to our service users.
- Manage Health & Safety issues during journeys.
- To assist in the provision of other transport managed by Torbay Council Transport Team when required.
- As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
- Use of a Torbay Council issued fuel card to refuel vehicles.
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
- No direct line management
- Will have one to one contact and supervision with groups of young people (up to 20) during transportation.
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Driving a variety of council vehicles on a daily basis.
- Lone Working driving to and from designated stops.
- Required to make very early morning starts and late finishes. This will involve lone driving to locations in order to collect service users.
7. Physical demands of the post
- Load and unload wheelchair users to and from the vehicle.
- Ensure the vehicle is cleaned internally and externally when necessary.
- Undertake vehicle checks each day including fuel, tyres, water and oil levels.
8. Specific resources used by the post
- The driver is responsible for the safe keeping and routine daily maintenance of a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV). The driver has legal and operational responsibility for the safety of passengers between designated locations and for the daily maintenance of equipment used in the vehicle for passenger safety.
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External:
- Children/young people, parents/carers, members of the public, health partners, education providers including early years, schools, further education providers and alternative provisions.
- Internal:
- SEND Service, Vulnerable Pupils Service, Social Care including Fostering, Family Time, Cared For and employees at all levels across the Council.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- This post is office based at the Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay TQ1 3DR the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
- As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Driver |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children's Services |
Service |
Education and SEND |
Business unit |
School Services |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Ability to safely drive Passenger Carrying Vehicles.
- Understanding of daily vehicle maintenance.
- Able to build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, service users and other stakeholders.
- Good understanding of customer service.
- Excellent organisational and time keeping skills, sufficient to deliver a reliable and efficient transport service.
- Ability to build rapport and understanding, and remain calm, patient and diplomatic when dealing with challenging situations.
- Commitment to ensuring the health and safety of all transport users.
- Commitment to the Code of Conduct for PCV drivers.
- In date Tachograph Card or evidence that this has been applied for.
- Ability to speak fluent English as stated in Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
- First Aid Moving and Handling.
- Ability to use a range of health and safety equipment within a vehicle.
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
Desirable knowledge
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Flexible approach to work and shifts.
- Demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of people with disabilities.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Experience of safely driving a Passenger Carrying Vehicle.
- Experience of working in a customer care environment.
- Experience of working with or supporting people with disabilities.
- Experience of using health and safety equipment within a vehicle, e.g., fasten wheelchairs to the floor of the vehicle using safety restraints.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Nationally recognised driving qualification – D1 License.
- Class D1 Driving License.
- Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).
- Driver Tachograph Card.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.