PATS is the Passenger Assistant Training Scheme and is administered by the Community Transport Association. The scheme provides a nationally recognised standard for training Passenger Assistants: those whose role it is to provide care and assistance to passengers travelling on the road

PATS training is available to anyone who has care or supervision responsibilities of passengers traveling by road: in minibuses, cars, taxis, or large buses.

PASSENGER ASSISTANCE TRAINING SCHEME (PATS)

A Comprehensive Approach

The training will take one full day, approximately and will have no more than 8 drivers in a group at a time.

Module A: The Role of the Passenger Assistant

• This is the ‘foundation’ module because it is a starting point for further training. It covers the role and responsibilities of a passenger assistant, including legal, practical and safety issues.
• Included

Module B1: Passenger Awareness and Assistance

• This module is intended for passenger assistants whose duties involve assisting passengers with disabilities, including wheelchair users but does not cover wheelchair users who travel in their wheelchairs. It contains information on professional etiquette, assisting passengers with walking difficulties, passengers who are blind or partially sighted, passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing and passengers who may use wheelchairs to get to the vehicle.
• Included

Module B2: Assisting Passengers who travel in their Wheelchairs

• This module is intended for passenger assistants whose duties include assisting passengers who travel in their wheelchairs. It looks at safe use of passenger lifts and wheelchair tie-down and occupant restraint systems (WTORS) and all the issues surrounding wheelchair user safety on vehicles.
• This module will only be relevant for vehicles who are transporting the passenger in their wheelchair. (Most mini cabs don’t have the capacity to do this, so this will be an optional extra module for drivers under your council who have specially adapted vehicles. I may outsource this to a specialist training facility as would need a minibus, and the right equipment to simulate.

Module C1: Supervising Children and Young People with Special Needs

• This includes supervising children and young people with learning difficulties, autism, physical disabilities, sensory restrictions and emotional or behavioural difficulties
• Included

Module C2: Working with Adults Who Require Care and Supervision

• This includes adult passengers with learning difficulties, dementia, physical disabilities, sensory restrictions and people in mental or emotional distress

Depending on your training needs we can tailor the PATS course to your requirements – please contact lindsey.tassi@manorgreenschool.co.uk to discuss in further detail.