Motor Vehicle Operator

Veterans Health Administration • Baton Rouge, LA

17h • Onsite

About The Position

This position provides for the transporting of passengers and cargo in light trucks, minivans, ambulances, and automobiles. Drivers also perform operation maintenance (e.g., monitoring fluid levels, replacing air filters and interior lights, checking tire pressure and hose connections, etc.) and clean vehicles as needed. The role involves operating one or more motor vehicles, including platform trucks, vans, fuel trucks, state trucks, dump trucks, and trash removal trucks, typically with a gross vehicle weight of more than 11,700 kilograms (26,000 pounds) and up to 14,400 kilograms (26,000 pounds). The operator will also perform operation maintenance and cleaning of patient transport vehicles, attend job-related skills training, and be familiar with tire chain installation. Responsibilities include providing non-emergent, safe transportation of eligible veterans and cargo, driving in various road conditions, properly loading and securing wheelchair patients, and operating van lifts and related controls. The operator will interact courteously with a variety of people, assist disabled individuals, and provide daily lists of veterans transported to the VTS program office, ensuring only eligible individuals are transported.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
• Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Pre-employment physical required.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle.
• Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process.
• Must possess a valid state issued driver's license to operate a motor vehicle.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position.
• Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume.
• Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.
• SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire.
• The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Drive Safely, Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading), Motor Vehicles Operate Safely (Non-Motor Vehicle), Reliability And Dependability, Work Practices.
• Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).
• Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
• You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
• Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.
• Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.
• Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
• Light physical effort in reaching, bending, turning, or moving hands, arms, feet, and legs to operate hand and foot controls.
• Moderate physical effort in the frequent handling of objects weighing up to 40 pounds.
• Considerable physical efforts may be required to change tires and make limited emergency repairs, such as installing an emergency fan belt or replacing an electrical fuse on open highways.
• Patient transport vehicle driver must be able to assist patients into and out of the vehicle, which involves physical exertion and frequent stooping, bending, and lifting of patients.
• Driver must also be able to load and assist wheelchair patients, often with no assistance.
• Employee works mostly outside, is exposed to dirt and fumes, and to the possibility of cuts and bruises, and broken bones as a result of accidents while driving or from falling objects when loading and unloading the vehicle.
• Operates vehicle in all types of traffic and weather on public roads (or the equivalent), and is exposed to the danger of serious accidents.
• Employee will drive in heavy traffic and at highway speeds over complicated road and interchange systems.
• Operator may transport chemical, bodily fluids and other contaminants and may be required to use a spill kit to isolate these during accident/emergencies.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to operate a forklift truck to assist in loading and unloading of the vehicle.
• Skilled in map reading in order to reach unfamiliar locations.
• Required to know and be certified annually in Basic First Aid; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); and protective precautions with communicably transmitted diseases.
• Know how to properly load and secure wheelchair patients in the vehicle.
• Perform braking and maneuvering of the vehicle to avoid jostling the passengers.
• Use the power devices that operate van lifts and skill in manipulating a variety of controls and understanding equipment gauges, engine fluid level instruments and warning signals.

Responsibilities

• Provides for the transporting of passengers and cargo in light truck, minivans, ambulances and automobiles.
• Operates one or more motor vehicles including platform trucks, vans trucks, fuel trucks, state trucks, dump trucks, and trash removal trucks which typically have an approximate gross vehicle weight of more than 11,700 kilograms (26,000 pounds) and up to 14,400 kilograms (26:000 pounds).
• Ability to operate a forklift truck to assist in loading and unloading of the vehicle.
• Select alternate routes to avoid heavy traffic or other delaying conditions, must be skilled in map reading in order to reach unfamiliar locations.
• Plan, supervise, check, and coordinate the careful unpacking of technical equipment and proper storage to insure its safe keeping, availability, rotation, cleanliness and neatness, and the absence of fire and safety hazards, and coordinate the distribution of supplies and equipment to the using services.
• Performs operation maintenance (e.g. monitoring fluid levels, replacing air filters and interior lights checking tire pressure and hose connection, etc., and clean vehicles as needed.
• Operates and provides preventive maintenance for patient transport vehicles.
• Required to attend job-related skills training as coordinated by the Transportation Supply Section program.
• Familiar with tire chain installation when hazardous, snow packed and icy road conditions occur.
• Provides non-emergent, safe transportation of eligible veterans and cargo.
• Required to know and be certified annually in Basic First Aid; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); and protective precautions with communicably transmitted diseases.
• Drive the vehicle in various road conditions to safely transport patients to their destination and know how to properly load and secure wheelchair patients in the vehicle.
• Perform braking and maneuvering of the vehicle to avoid jostling the passengers.
• Responsible for transferring empty oxygen tanks for full ones, reading gauge and regulating oxygen flow for patients transported requiring this service.
• Use the power devices that operate van lifts and skill in manipulating a variety of controls and understanding equipment gauges, engine fluid level instruments and warning signals.
• Responsible for checks and maintenance of all types of vehicles.
• Interacts in a courteous and respectful manner with a wide variety of people each day and assists disabled individuals boarding and un[1]boarding the vehicle.
• Responsible for providing the VTS program office a list of veterans who arrived at the SLVHCS via the VTS transportation van every day.
• Responsible to ensure only eligible Veterans and their caregivers are transported to the Medical Center or satellite clinic and returned to their respective pick-up Locations.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Learn more about federal benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed