Voluntary Driver Scheme
What is a Voluntary Driver Scheme?
The Voluntary Driver Scheme (VDS) ensures that everyone in the community can access transport, even if they don’t drive.
- Volunteer Drivers: Friendly community members use club vehicles to give lifts to those who need them.
- Accessible Travel: Ideal for trips to appointments, shopping, work, or social activities.
- Inclusive & Affordable: Low-cost or subsidised, helping residents without cars get around easily.
- Community Impact: Reduces social isolation and strengthens local connections.
By combining the VDS with our electric vehicle car club, eCo Car Club provides sustainable, flexible transport that benefits the whole community.
How does the VDS work?
The VDS uses the eCo Car Club bespoke booking system to make community transport simple and flexible:
- Sign Up as a Non-Driver Member - Join your local eCo Car Club as a non-driving member to access community transport.
- Request a Journey - Submit a journey request, either for a specific trip or with a flexible schedule.
- Volunteer Matching - Club volunteers view available requests and choose which journeys to accept, making volunteering easy and stress-free.
- Co-ordinator Support - Club co-ordinators provide guidance and assistance to both members and volunteers as needed.
- Journey Delivered - Volunteers drive members in club vehicles, offering safe, reliable, and inclusive transport for everyone.
This approach allows everyone in the community to access transport, while keeping volunteering manageable, coordinated, and stress-free.
Who Can Become a VDS Volunteer?
Anyone with a full UK driving licence and no more than 6 points on their record can apply to become a Voluntary Driver Scheme (VDS) Volunteer.
How to Register as a Volunteer
Before a volunteer can start driving, the car club completes a few important steps to ensure safety and compliance:
- Online Registration: Sign up with your personal details.
- Licence and Address Checks: Verification of your driving licence and residence.
- Enhanced DBS Check: Criminal record check for safety and peace of mind.
- Welcome & Induction: Introduction to the club, role, and responsibilities.
- Car Induction & Test Drive: Hands-on training with club vehicles to ensure you’re confident and safe on the road.
- Ongoing Training & Support: Continuous guidance, mentoring, and assistance from the club coordinator to help volunteers feel confident and supported in their role.
Once these steps are completed, volunteers can start providing safe, reliable, and inclusive transport, making a real difference in their community.
How a Voluntary Driver Scheme (VDS) Supports Your Community
The eCo Car Club Volunteer Driving Scheme (VDS) allows community car clubs to include non-driving members while providing volunteer opportunities for others. It plays a vital role in improving accessibility and social inclusion within your community.
The VDS helps people:
- Attend vital medical appointments, including surgery and hospital visits.
- Access social activities, providing safe and reliable transport for visits to friends, family, and community events.
- Get essential shopping, offering a practical alternative to costly private transport or unreliable public transport.
By integrating with other local transport options, the VDS becomes an essential community service, ensuring everyone has access to safe, affordable, and sustainable mobility.
