Shuttle Driver Positions

What?

If guides are the heart of our business, then the drivers are the legs. The Bus and Van Shuttle Driver job is really a combination job: part guide, part reservationist. Shuttle Drivers generally leave headquarters in the morning with their schedule for the day, and return at the end of the day having moved canoes, driven, picked up people, done sign-ups, collected money, driven, done safety talks, moved canoes, driven, moved canoes, driven, repeat over and over through the day. Many of our trips meet at the river itself. These people never come to the Outfitters, so for them, you are Sheltowee Trace Outfitters. Their interactions with you and your vehicle determine how they view the entire company, so maintaining a good presence for both you and your vehicle is important. There is often down time while waiting for people to finish their trip, so a portable hobby is a good thing to cultivate (fishing, reading, computer chess).

Who?

A good driving record and a good driving skills are an obvious needs. You must be a good driver and be able to drive a stick shift. Bus drivers must have a valid KY CDL, but van drivers do not need a KY license (you must have a valid license from some state in the US). As with most rafting companies, our vehicles are not new, so some familiarity with basic maintainance would be very helpful (be able to change a tire, jump-start the engine, fill brake fluid). At the very least, you should know how to listen to and feel a vehicle (engine running rough, brakes feel soft). People who do well at this job enjoy working with people, but also enjoy having time to themselves. You should be able to keep to a schedule, and be able to function with a good amount of autonomy. Shuttle drivers often start early in the morning, so being an early riser helps. You need to be physically fit; you can move a lot of canoes in a day. Canoes vary in weight from 50 to 75 lbs. You need to either feel comfortable scrambling around a trailer or be tall. Drivers must be at least 21. We start running shuttles as early as March, and continue through October, but the busiest season is mid-April though mid-July.

Training:

It takes about 2-3 days to train to be a shuttle driver. There is no charge for the training. Training time can be shortened somewhat by working on your own outside of the training. You must know where all the access points are, know how to adjust balances due (and know the cancellation policy), and be able to give the safety talks before you can be released to work as a shuttle driver. The office staff will help you determine your daily schedule, balances due, and van/trailer needs. Once you start working as a shuttle driver, you are considered a Junior driver until you have taken the First Aid/CPR and Customer Service classes (these are provided free of charge to our staff), and are able to work (correctly!) with a minimum amount of help from the Office Staff. We encourage our shuttle drivers to take the River Rescue class as well, but this is not required.

Equipment:

There is no special requirements for gear for shuttle drivers, but most drivers will want their own set of tie-down ropes to keep with them (ropes are precious commodities around here). After you take the River Rescue class, you may also want to purchase your own PFD, helmet, and throw bag for river rescue situations.

Sheltowee Trace Outfitters does not discriminate with regard to sex, race, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, creed, religion, or disability. Many jobs, such as shuttle driver, CDL driver and raft guide have minimum age requirements. All applicants are subject to pre-employment drug testing.

Sheltowee Trace Outfitters P.O. Box 1060 Whitley City, KY 42653 1-800-541-RAFT (7238) fax: 1-866-FAX-RAFT (866-329-7238) e-mail: funky-rafting.com www.ky-rafting.com