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Drivers who are transporting people with additional needs, must allow for the extra time that is likely to be needed.  A short half an hour journey may turn  into a 45 minute to 1 hour journey because of the way we may have to support an individual from their house to the vehicle.

It may be that there are steps or any distance to cover, this has to be done at the pace of the individual.  They may have a short stride, they may need to move slowly.

They may be in a wheelchair, this will involve helping them to the car, folding and storing the chair.  All of this takes time and it is very important that you have time to support the individual, not rush or hurry them, assist them to your vehicle safely and make sure that they reach their destination on time.

In the words of a transport service user:

"It is very easy to trip if you are rushed to get into a car or to sit down . I have tripped many times trying to get into a car in a hurry. So, I would need plenty of time to think about where my feet are going, how I am going to turn around, how high the seat is and have time to make sure that I am not going to trip over or fall. I would feel very uncomfortable if the driver tried to hurry me if he tried to make me feel that he did not really want me in the car, that he had got to get to the next customer or the next place. I like to feel relaxed, otherwise, anxiety sets in and that can cause all sorts of other minor illnesses and problems."

Rushing and not thinking about the process you should be following can cause accidents, cutting corners or doing something too quickly can end up taking more time.  Folding a wheelchair quickly and rushing to store it may end in a back-injury, rushing the passenger will result in them feeling anxious, unwanted and distressed and could even result in injury.

Consider how much additional time you are going to need, being aware and allowing for more time is very important. 

No-one likes to be late and many of your passengers may be on their way to an appointment, making sure that they get there in plenty of time, with out rushing or hurrying will make the experience a pleasant and safe experience for both you and your passenger.

In the words of a transport service user:

"Customer service is very important to me because if I did not feel happy in the car, with the driver, and the service that I was given, I certainly would not go back to that driver again or contact at firm again. 

I would look elsewhere for someone who is far nicer to me and made me feel that I was an important person in his car. As a passenger, it is very important that the driver is very helpful to me and thinks about my comfort. Customer service is talked about in most of the industries and I think that a driver could make me feel really happy in his car if he treated me nicely."