What does driving the van include?

Are there any prerequisites for driving an Orange Sky (OS) van? 

Before hitting the road, ensure you meet these prerequisites:

1. Be registered as an OS volunteer
2. Hold a full or provisional driver's licence from Australia or New Zealand
3. If on a provisional license, display P plates on the front and rear of the vehicle
4. Complete your OS driver agreement, training & induction (the agreement form was a task you completed during your onboarding. If you said 'no' to driving and would now like to drive, send us an email at volunteer@orangesky.org.au or volunteer@orangesky.org.nz  with a copy of your licence)
5. Be willing to comply with road safety laws, including speed limits, mobile phone, and seat belt use
6. Follow our safe driving procedures
7. Be willing to report any incidents, accidents, or vehicle defects

How big is the van to drive? 

Our Orange Sky vans come in different sizes. It's essential to know the van's dimensions to navigate safely. Anyone comfortable to give it a crack can easily navigate the roads. Here are the dimensions for each van type:

• Laundry van: Approximately 2.4m high x 5.3m long
• Hybrid van: Approximately 2.8m high x 5.6m long

What are my responsibilities as a drivers? 

As a volunteer driver, your responsibility is to pick up and drop off the van from the van base before and after shift. You will still undertake all general volunteer duties when onsite with the rest of the team. 

The driver shift is a little bit longer than our other shifts and varies depending on the location of the shift from the van base. We ask our volunteer drivers to arrive to shift 10-15mins before the shift time to allow for traffic and time to set up. 

What does a normal driver shift look like?

Before shift:

• Check the fuel level and top up if below 3/4 full.
• Ensure the van is equipped with consumables such as wash baskets, rubbish bin bags, gloves, and disinfectant sprays (hybrid van may include towels and mats).

During your shift:

• Complete all general volunteer duties when onsite with the rest of the team.

After your shift:

• Drive the van back to van base
• Check the fuel level and refill if below 3/4 full
• Empty the waste tank if required
• Ensure the van is stocked for the next shift, such as refilling towels and shower mats