DRIVER FOR PROGRAMS
Providing transportation to clients who are attending Newcomer Education programming. Volunteers will give a ride to clients to/from their home and the location of their Newcomer Education classes.
ADMIN
Keep all client information confidential. Drivers will receive an email that provides assignment dates, times, location, and a list of clients by name, address, phone number, primary language, and number/age of children.
If things do not go as planned, your primary point of contact is the staff member/supervisor who gave you the driving assignment.
Only the assigned persons and their assigned children should be transported to ReEstablish Richmond programming. We do not have liability releases signed by people who are not registered clients in this specific service.
If the client insists that people not on the list get in your vehicle, please know that as the driver you can say, “I am sorry, I am not allowed to drive people who are not on the list. This is ReEstablish Richmond’s policy. If you want to participate in a class with ReEstablish Richmond in the future (or attend this program), you can fill out the referral form on our website.” (Note: This does NOT mean that the client will be immediately added to the current class.)
If the client does not have the appropriate car seat for their child’s age/size, you must also say, “Parents are responsible to provide the appropriate car seat for their children. I am not allowed to transport children in the van unless they have the appropriate car seat. This is ReEstablish Richmond’s policy. If you have a neighbor or someone that you can borrow from, you can try that. I can wait 3-4 minutes.”
CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS
Working with newcomer populations requires empathy, patience, and flexibility.
Last-minute changes are common. Confirm your route the morning of each assignment.
Stay in touch with the ReEstablish Richmond staff person responsible for coordinating transportation logistics.
Plan your time generously, allowing your schedule to accommodate longer-than-expected pick-up times. For example: you show up and no one is ready, they aren’t going now, someone is sick, etc. People live complicated lives and are dealing with communication barriers, so these things sometimes happen.
Clients and/or children who are ill may not be transported to ReEstablish Richmond programming. If there is any question or ambiguity at the time of pickup, the volunteer driver should contact the ReEstablish Richmond staff member overseeing the class immediately by phone.
Car seats are not commonly used in our clients’ countries of origin, but they are important safety measures that are legally required here. As a reminder, the driver is legally responsible for the safety of all children riding in the car. Drivers must be familiar with the age/size ranges associated with each type of car seat, as well as how to properly secure the car seat in the van and the child in the car seat. (See Passenger Safety, below.)
Parents are responsible to provide age- or developmentally appropriate car seats for their children.
Children under 8 are not allowed to ride in the van without being properly secured in the age- or developmentally appropriate car seat.
Male drivers should be aware that some women may not feel comfortable interacting with you initially. To build trust, in addition to following all driver expectations, male drivers should avoid physical touch, sustained eye contact, and comments about appearance with women passengers.
More information about building your cultural awareness of our client communities can be found at www.reestablishrichmond.org/building-cultural-awareness.
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS
ReEstablish Richmond also expects that all volunteer drivers will:
Be on time for all appointments.
Maintain client confidentiality before, during, and after every driving assignment.
Avoid use of alcohol, drugs, or any substance that could impair abilities before or while driving.
Obey all traffic laws, including laws regarding Commercial Motor Vehicles.
Never leave children unattended in or around a vehicle.
Always check in the back of the vehicle before locking the doors and walking away.
Keep vehicles locked when not in use to prevent a child being trapped inside.
Never leave a vehicle running. Turn off the engine and take the keys with you when leaving the van at any location.
After dropping passengers at their destination, check the vehicle for items that may have been forgotten or left behind.
If you have an emergency and must stop, park the vehicle in a safe place completely off the roadway.
Communicate with ReEstablish Richmond staff immediately if you are involved in an accident or experience an emergency.
Set an Example: Self-sufficiency is the ultimate goal for our clients. If you’re asked to drive someone to a class, appointment, or event, they are likely working toward getting their driver’s license. Although many newcomers have extensive driving experience in their countries of origin, some clients have limited experience with riding in a car, and traffic rules vary from country to country. Your example as a driver should uphold a high standard of driving in the U.S. — ensuring passenger and child safety, maintaining good driving manners, minimizing distractions, and obeying all traffic laws and speed limits.
If a client asks you to make an additional stop that is not on your route, please tell them that you are not allowed to make additional stops.
PASSENGER SAFETY
It is the law that the driver and all other front seat passengers must wear a seat belt at all times. The seat belt should be snug or tight to the body, fitting over the shoulder and across the chest. Anyone under 18 must wear a seat belt in the back seat, too.
Child Safety Seats
The driver is legally responsible for the safety of all children riding in the car. Please take the time to learn the basics of car seat safety, including how to install a child safety seat.
Children age 12 and under should not ride in the front seat of the car.
Children age 8 and younger must be properly secured in a car seat or booster seat appropriate for their height and weight.
Birth until age 2
The child should be in a high-backed, rear-facing car seat that is buckled tightly in the vehicle. It doesn’t move more than 1 inch when pushed or pulled. The 5-point harness fastens in the center of the chest and between the legs. The straps fit close to the child’s body.
Ages 2-5
The child should be in a high-backed, forward-facing car seat that is buckled tightly in the vehicle. It doesn’t move more than 1 inch when pushed or pulled. The 5-point harness fastens in the center of the chest and between the legs. The straps fit close to the child’s body.
Ages 5-8
After outgrowing the forward-facing car seat and until the car’s seat belt fits properly, the child should be in a booster seat so that the lap belt sits low on the child’s hips (not the stomach) and the van’s shoulder belt is on the child’s shoulder (not on the neck, under the arm, or behind the back), coming down across the center of the chest. The seat belt should be snug, flat, and comfortable.
Ages 8-12
When the car’s seat belt fits properly and the child can sit all the way back with knees bent at the end of the seat, the child is ready to ride without a booster. The lap belt should sit low on the child’s hips (not the stomach) and the van’s shoulder belt should be on the child’s shoulder (not on the neck, under the arm, or behind the back), coming down across the center of the chest. The seat belt should be snug, flat, and comfortable. If the seat belt does not fit properly, the child must use a booster seat.
MOTOR VEHICLES – SAFE DRIVING PRACTICES (OSHA)
ReEstablish Richmond upholds the following Safe Driving Practices of the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA): https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Safe_Driving_Practices.pdf
Stay Safe
Use a seat belt at all times – driver and passenger(s).
Ensure that all children are secure in a developmentally appropriate car seat.
Be well-rested before driving.
Avoid taking medications that make you drowsy.
Set a realistic goal for the number of miles that you can drive safely each day.
If you are impaired by alcohol or any drug, do not drive.
Stay Focused
Driving requires your full attention. Avoid distractions, such as adjusting the radio or other controls, eating or drinking, and talking on the phone.
Continually search the roadway to be alert to situations requiring quick action.
When driving on long trips, stop about every two hours for a break. Get out of the vehicle to stretch, take a walk, and get refreshed.
Avoid Aggressive Driving
Keep your cool in traffic!
Be patient and courteous to other drivers.
Do not take other drivers’ actions personally.
Reduce your stress by planning your route ahead of time (bring the maps and directions), allowing plenty of travel time, and avoiding crowded roadways and busy driving times.