Become a registered provider of transport for children or vulnerable people

As a transport operator, you can apply to be one of our approved contractors for transporting children or vulnerable people.

The following steps need to be completed by the transport operator and you should tell your employees about what to expect.

  1. 1

    We procure the supply of transport services for children and vulnerable adults via a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS).

    You can apply to join the DPS at any time. If accepted, you will join the pool of potential suppliers and as contracts come up, we will publish our requirements for you to review and bid for.

    Register your interest in the DPS.

    Find out more about providing services to the council.

    If you're offered a contract with us

    If you're offered a contract with us, you will need to complete the following steps in order.

    If you're not offered a contract with us

    If you're not offered a contract with us, you do not need to continue with these steps.

  2. 2

    You need to pay for and book your employees in for Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training before you apply for their Client Transport ID Badge.

    The following employees will need to attend this training every 3 years:

    • taxi drivers
    • passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) drivers
    • passenger assistants

    The training includes:

    • safeguarding
    • equality, diversity and inclusion
    • reporting concerns
    • handling emergency situations
    • recognising difficult situations
    • best practice and standards

    View dates for and book Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Training.

    If drivers already have a CYP First Safeguarding certificate that's less than 3 years old

    Taxi drivers who already have a CYP First Safeguarding Training certificate do not need to attend another course until their certificate is due to expire.

  3. 3

    Once you have won a contract with us and your employees have successfully completed our Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Training, you will need to apply for their Client Transport ID Badge.

    View guidance on applying for the ID Badge PDF, 157KB.

    This ID Badge shows that your employees are authorised to work on our contracts.

    When to submit the applications

    You need to submit your ID Badge applications in advance of your employees needing to work on a council contract, and in plenty of time so they are able to book onto and attend all of our required training courses.

    Renewals

    You need to apply to renew your employee’s ID Badge every 3 years. We do not accept renewal applications where the employee has more than 3 months remaining on their current ID Badge.

  4. 4

    You will need to book Contract Induction Training for your employees.

    The following employees will need to attend our Contract Induction Training:

    • taxi drivers
    • passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) drivers
    • passenger assistants

    The training will cover contract arrangements and duty of care as a provider of transport to children and vulnerable people.

    How to book training

    After you have applied for their Client Transport ID Badge, we will contact you to book a date for your employees' Contract Induction Training.

    It will be run by our Client Transport Compliance Team at Mandeville School in Aylesbury.

    On the day of training

    On the day of the training, drivers and passenger assistants must arrive 15 minutes before the start time and bring photo ID. If they arrive late, they will not be allowed in and you will have to arrange for them to attend another session.

  5. 5

    If transporting wheelchair users is part of your new contract, the following employees will need to attend our Wheelchair Training and Assessment course:

    • taxi drivers
    • passenger carrying vehicle (PCV) drivers
    • passenger assistants

    The course will cover:

    • supporting wheelchair users to board the vehicle and travel safely and comfortably whilst in their wheelchair
    • safely loading, tethering and unloading the wheelchair
    • using the wheelchair brakes
    • fastening seatbelts or safety harnesses
    • securing wheel belts or clamps fitted to vehicles

    The qualification needs to be renewed every 3 years, before the certificate is due to expire.

    How to book

    We will contact you to book the course after your employees have completed our other training and you have applied for their Client Transport ID Badge.

    It will be run by our Client Transport Compliance Team at Mandeville School in Aylesbury.

    On the day of the training

    On the day of the training, drivers and passenger assistants must arrive 15 minutes before the start time and bring photo ID. If they arrive late, they will not be allowed in and you will have to arrange for them to attend another session.

  6. 6

    Once your employees have successfully completed the training, we will send their Client Transport ID Badges to you to give out to them.

    The ID Badge must be worn at all times whilst your employees are working on council contracts as they show that drivers and passenger assistants have been approved by us.

  7. 7

    All operators must provide a Weekly Staff and Vehicle return by 8am every Monday for all contracts. This includes weekend and adult social care contracts operating during school holidays.

    Your returns must include all standby staff and vehicles, and there must be sufficient standby staff who hold a valid Client Transport ID Badge to cover in the event of an emergency.

    You must review and update your Weekly Staff and Vehicle return every week, ensuring that you include up-to-date information within all fields.

    If you have any changes, for example staff sickness or change of vehicles, you must create and submit a new weekly return with the changes highlighted and the reason for the change included in the comments box for that week.

    Download the Operator Weekly Staff and Vehicle return form XLSX, 65.4KB.