We rely on having a strong team of dedicated volunteers to drive our fleet of minibuses. We are looking for more people to join the team.Those interested in volunteering for BCT will be required to have an Enhanced CRB Check (BCT will meet the costs of this). You’ll need...     To be aged 21 +     Full UK driving licence (ideally 'clean' but talk to us if you have any endorsements) We offer...     Flexible volunteering     Training to a nationally-recognised standard     Opportunity to learn new job skills     Opportunity to meet new people, and make a positive difference to their lives     Working in a friendly, supportive environment     Something worthwhile to do in your spare time     Expenses paid     Opportunity to work with a not-for-profit organisation that supports thousands of people across Bristol     Uniform provided You will be helping community groups across Bristol to carry out their day to day activities. This will include shopping, bingo, lunches and many other social activities. Many of our member groups wouldn’t be able to operate without our central pool of volunteer drivers. You will also help individuals with mobility problems to access key facilities, and to attend appointments etc. Trips and hours vary, so we’re sure to have opportunities available to suit your availability. You may want to volunteer on a fixed day(s) each week, you may be available odd evenings, or you may be available on a much more regular basis. We provide services 24 / 7, so we’re sure to be able to fit your availability around our requirements. Volunteers are never ‘just the driver’. Volunteers are either supervised / assisted by a responsible person from the member group hiring the vehicle or by the BCT staff team. The group (or BCT) should include suitable breaks during the day, meal arrangements, pick up lists and times, provision of a passenger escort if necessary and an agreement over extra mileage (i.e. a driver taking a vehicle home for lunch break). About BCT BCT is a not-for-profit social enterprise. BCT is the largest community transport operator in Bristol (in terms of both size of fleet and number of passengers carried). We operate a fleet of 34 minibuses and cars for use by community groups, not-for-profit organisations across Bristol, by the users of our many community bus services and by individuals we support with their transport needs. The BCT fleet of minibuses provides accessible transport for a network of independent organisations, each of them meeting the needs of their respective members. BCT strives to meet the transport needs of community groups in and around Bristol. Minibuses in our fleet range from 11-seater to 16-seater, the majority of the vehicles have been adapted to carry wheelchair passengers. BCT has been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark. This is proof that we are a thriving social enterprise. BCT was the first community transport operator in the country to be awarded the mark, and was the first organisation in Bristol to be awarded the mark. BCT is part of the HCT Group. The HCT Group is a social enterprise in the transport industry, safely providing over 12 million passenger trips on their buses every year. HCT deliver a range of transport services - from London red buses to social services transport, from school transport to Park and Ride, from community transport to education and training. HCT reinvests the profits from their commercial work into further transport services or projects in the communities serve by HCT companies. CT Plus, a HCT Group subsidiary, operates Park and Ride services and commercial transport contracts in Bristol. Who uses BCT vehicles? During the 2011/2012 financial year BCT vehicles carried over 230,000 passengers and travelled nearly 250,000 miles. There are a wide range of organisations that use BCT vehicles including faith groups, elderly groups, and youth groups. Over 600 not-for-profit organisations in and around Bristol rely on BCT for their transport needs. Many of these organisations rely on the pool of volunteer drivers that we make available. We are seeking more volunteer drivers so that we can meet the transport needs of even more people. Training All drivers receive training to the national MiDAS training scheme; the training covers legal requirements of driving as well as customer care. The training also includes the carriage of wheelchair users and use of passenger lift. Full information on the MiDAS training is available on our MiDAS training website Our training and driver manager provides on-going support for our team of volunteer drivers. Each new driver also ‘shadows’ one of our experienced drivers for a while so that the practical skills and experience of minibus driving can be shared. The on-the-job training compliments the class room based training. This familiarisation period also enables the CRB process to be completed before a new volunteer driver operates solo. We very much value the contribution from our volunteer drivers and plan to make further training available. The FAQs page should answer any query you may have. Still got a query or question? Call us on 0117 902 0157 or email office@bristolcommunitytransport.org.uk or make an appointment to visit our offices for an informal chat | FAQs | | Enquiry Form [.pdf] | Download Information Pack & Enquiry Form [.pdf] |