Jeff Bunch
Recovery Driver
"When a broken-down vehicle cannot be fixed at the roadside, recovery patrols like myself come to the rescue. It's my job to pick up the vehicle and take it and the member to where they want to go. Some members like to accompany their vehicle to a service centre, some to a garage and others to their home address. The other day, I dropped a customer's daughter off at school, en-route to the garage, so that she wouldn't be told off for being late!
"I've spent years on the road and I still love it. There's lots of variety; I could be picking up a car from the motorway and, an hour later, loading a vehicle after an accident. As a recovery patrol I spend more time with members than anyone else. I'd like to think that my arrival at the scene is reassuring to members especially if it is the first time they have had to call someone out. It is up to me to chat to them and listen to their needs, which is why people skills are as important as being able to load, secure and deliver vehicles.
"I wear the uniform with pride and always try to go out with a smile on my face because, at the end of the day, I'm an ambassador for the AA. The AA has trained me to assess a situation and deal with it as best I can. In fact, I'm constantly learning. I'm currently on a development course to be more involved in running the fleet. There's a real reward in my job."