RAC recruiting 30 additional patrols across the UK

The RAC is recruiting 30 new patrols to fill vacancies across the UK to boost its 1,500-strong force and help meet the growing needs of its eight million members.

The RAC has been serving motorists for almost 120 years. While the key skills its roadside patrols must possess include first rate mechanical and customer service skills today’s patrols also have to be experts in the use of state-of-the-art diagnostic tools.

Every RAC technician is equipped with a modern patrol van packed with over 500 parts and tools to help fix members vehicles and get them back on the road as swiftly as possible. These include the latest ‘RACScan’ laptops and diagnostic software to identify vehicle faults; a state-of-the-art battery tester which delivers a comprehensive health check on the vehicle’s battery, starting and charging systems; and the RAC’s universal spare wheel which was developed to address the fact that over 50% of new cars don’t carry a spare.

Last year the RAC’s 1,500 patrols attended 2.4m breakdowns, fixing four out of five vehicles at the roadside. Patrols encounter every type of vehicle fault and, wherever possible, endeavour to carry out a permanent repair for the member. So whether it is a puncture, a faulty battery or something more challenging like pothole damage to a car’s suspension or a blocked diesel particulate filter, a fault which can stop a modern diesel car in its tracks, the member will know they are in the best hands.

Patrol recruits must have a Level 2 NVQ or City and Guilds Motor Vehicle Maintenance qualification and a minimum of four years’ experience but in return will receive a competitive salary, full training and a comprehensive benefits package. They will also enjoy being part of the RAC team which is built on service excellence and a passion for motoring.

The RAC’s latest Patrol Ambassador of the Year 27 year old Charlie Harding who is based in South East London said: “No two days are the same. I enjoy the independence of being out on the road using my mechanical knowledge to fix our members cars to get them safely back on the road again with a smile.

“The best thing about being an RAC patrol is the feeling of knowing that you’ve helped people, and the gratitude you get from members always makes you feel good. I love my job and I love being part of the RAC club.”

RAC operations director Phil Ryan said: “We aim to be the motorist’s champion. Our business is built on the quality, technical experience and customer service focus of our patrols and the breakdown call centre team. The calibre of our technical staff is second to none and this is the prime reason our members are so satisfied with the service they receive at the roadside.

“To maintain the outstanding level of service and expertise we have a very rigorous recruitment policy that ensures we only hire the best. To be an RAC patrol you need to have four to five years’ experience working as a mechanic and have great customer skills. Today’s patrols have excellent diagnostics experience and are highly skilled in using the latest technology to affect a swift repair at the roadside for our members. This ensures the RAC maintains its excellent fix rate while at the same time helping members avoid high garage repair costs.

“The RAC has a long heritage of being there for its members and providing excellent customer service and we continue to be leaders in innovation to ensure that we have the best technology and equipment to deal with today’s sophisticated cars. The RAC is at the forefront in developing advanced breakdown telematics which is changing the nature of roadside rescue and it means that we are able to pre-empt breakdown faults.”

For more information, visit rac.co.uk/careers