Parking Team

The Parking Team, is the first and last face seen on our campus. This role if full of tough, resilient men and women that have found the value in serving God in the rain, or blistering het. Here are a few of our roles and what they do on the team.

Parking Lead

The Parking Lead is someone that has the ability to follow the right mindsets and goals. They understand the hierarchy of importance for our lot.

  1. Safety

  2. Experience

  3. Efficiency

They also are capable of leading a team into the thick of battle. Meaning, this team is not for the faint of heart. We are one of the hardest working teams on Sunday. We do not have the luxury of AC, or heat. The Parking team is in the direct sun or being pelted by rain, there is almost no middle ground in Vacaville.

Therefore leading a team like this requires a certain amount of vigor, and enthusiasm for what we get to do, while understanding the sacrifice being made by this wonderful team.

Parking Leads are responsible for training their team. From parking attendants, to shuttle drivers, to setting up and tearing down cones. This team has an eclectic job description.

The Parking Lead, when they have a full team, gets to manage the lot as a whole managing the flow of guests. Our goal here is always people focused but know that this is the spot where people can become the most irritated so Parking Leads often have to just smile and wave and correct the issue later.

Weekly responsibilities

  1. Check schedule by Friday night to ensure there is a solid team for Sunday

  2. Tell team members where they are stationed for the day and guide how you want things done

  3. Ensure cones are set up the same way as the week before. We want consistency across each weekend

  4. Train any new team members

  5. Address areas that might need retraining, especially if we are asked to tweak how we do things.

Main lot

Please understand the hierarchy of importance for our lot.

  1. Safety

  2. Experience

  3. Efficiency

There are 3 entrances in our main lot.

  • Entrance A, B and C.

  • Entrance A is the northern most and C is the southern most entrances.

  • We operate in a valve system at entrances A and B. The northern most entrance, A, is the most crucial entrance as it determines the flow of the rest of the parking lot. At this entrance we need the person running this spot to pay attention to multiple things at the same time.

  • Your head has to be on a swivel but remain calm, cool and collected. If you make movements too suddenly or aggressively it can cause an accident. So our goal is to move in a smooth, deliberate and focused manner.

Building A - roundabout

  • This spot will have a lot going on during transitions. It will continue to develop over time.

  • We need qualified parking team members that also have a great presence here. This group of parking team members will be forward facing.

  • It will be difficult for many people as we cannot help people transfer from the car to their walker or wheelchair.

  • We might also have a traffic jam that occurs, one could expect a 1-2 minute exit for each car potentially. Now granted this bracket of people tends to be a bit earlier so it shouldn't create too much extra havoc.

  • This spot is the thing I am most excited for in with the new building. We will be able to focus on our people feeling extra special with a way into the building faster and more efficiently.

Cone setup

  • We have a layout to follow that will help to guide a bit better.

  • We want to create a safe guiding principle that helps control the flow of traffic with minimal human involvement.

  • The basics of cone layout are that the flow needs to make sense. It shouldn't cause too many questions on direction for the average driver.

  • These cones help protect you as a Parking Lot Team member, the other guests, and the church as a whole.

  • A cone out of place could result in someone getting in an accident.

Shuttle Drivers

  • Our shuttle drivers have a big responsibility. We view this almost like it is a ministry. We need each and every one of our shuttle drivers to treat this role with the utmost care and excitement for what God can do in a short trip.

  • We are looking for drivers that choose safety over speed, patience over directness and kindness over control.

  • A key thing to know is that we need to treat these shuttles as though they belongs to God, because well... they do.

Drop off / Pick up

  • Your role will be to be the friendly face that people see when they are at their most vulnerable place, getting out of their car. You are directing traffic and letting them know that there is parking back out in the lot for the driver.

  • This moment for a lot of people is a tough one sometimes shrouded in irritation and frustration. Often times the person driving already had to do a lot to help this person get into the passenger seat so that in and of itself can create a harder moment. Understanding this helps us in our approach.

  • Our role here is NOT to help people out of their cars. This can create opportunities for people to fall while in your care, so we ask that you only assist with opening the door. The driver would still need to help the person out of the car.

  • Instead focus on coaching the person in the passenger seat through getting out of the car and the right direction to head.

Things to note

If you get in even one accident we cannot have you drive any longer. Please take this role VERY seriously. We are dealing with the safety of our guests at TFH.

This is like a ministry in and of itself. And it is a big commitment and responsibility. We are caring for our volunteers here most directly but indirectly we are allowing for a smoother experience for our guests in the parking lot. It is a huge blessing. Our focus is always on them.

Before you drive

As a shuttle driver your volunteer hours are longer than the rest of our team. See below for when you would start and stop a volunteer shift.

8:15AM Service - 6:55AM-9:30AM

10AM Service - 9:15AM-11:20AM

11:45AM Service - 11:15AM-2PM

Before you drive - continued

  1. Visual walk around

  2. Make sure it is unplugged before you drive. Always assume it is plugged in

Shuttle driver checklist

  1. Is the cart clean

    1. Windows

    2. all seats

    3. exterior

    4. trash collected and thrown away

    5. do we have a spare rag to wipe down any spills or rain as they occur

  2. Are the batteries full?

    1. If no then we should notify James or Karyssa to help make sure we are at least at 90% on day of

  3. Is there any damage?

    1. If there is please make note of it and pass it on to James and Karyssa as soon as it is seen via text

    2. Send an email at the end of the day referencing the damage and referencing the previous text sent to James and Karyssa

  4. Check functions of the cart

    1. brakes

    2. lights / turn signals

    3. reverse and reverse beep

    4. monitor

While Driving

  1. If guests are in the cart switch speed to L (low). Keep speed under 13 MPH while driving.

  2. If no guest in cart it can be in H (high) as long as we are proceeding with caution

  3. Turn and check that everyone is in with armrest down, and or seat belt on or hand on the handles

  4. Take corners with care, that is where most issues can occur

  5. Always watch for pedestrians and cars. Focus on the task at hand.

Script - for picking up

"Hey everyone, we will enter and exit on the right side of the cart. Please put your arm rests down once you are seated. You can use your seatbelt if you choose or just use the handles."

What am I doing as a shuttle driver

Pre Service / Transition

  • Main focus is the volunteers at the State Fund building

  • Be as efficient as possible as transition times are the busiest with sometimes a wait of 20 people at a time.

  • All three shuttles are running with full attention on the pick up and drop off at State Fund and our main entrance. No deviation during this time please.

Worship

  • Main focus is still on the State Fund lot with now the additional focus on guests in our lot that are parked at the extreme ends

  • 2 Shuttles running between State Fund and our pick up drop off and 1 circling the lot. Swap with each other every once in a while to give others the chance to pick up guests.

Sermon

  • Now we are looking almost solely for the late people coming in, single moms (or moms where dad is away for a deployment or work) really appreciate when they are picked up from the far end of the lot unless they have a stroller. But it doesn't hurt to ask.

  • Still keep an eye out on State Fund for volunteers.

  • 1 shuttle can park at the main pick up drop off and run to the restroom or grab a coffee, just keep communication high. 2 shuttles running to the far lot or circling the lot at least every minute.

After Driving

  1. Plug it in if below 50% battery left

  2. Wipe down anything you can

  3. Ensure that the cart is cleaned and cared for

  4. Treat it like its Gods... because...