Job Profile - The Work of an AA Patrol

ROADSTER! looks at the work of an AA Patrol.

Way back in 1905, FOUR keen driving enthusiasts decided to get together to warn other drivers about speed traps. The group organised teams of cyclists who, through a combination of signals and salutes, assisted drivers to stay safe on the roads and avoid speeding fines! This was the foundation of The Automobile Association (The AA).

Since then the AA has grown as motoring has grown and today it offers a huge range of product and services. It provides reliable services, trustworthy advice, and smart tech solutions to make driver’s lives easier. It also champions driver’s interests, campaigns and uses its expertise to influence government decision making about road safety and traffic laws.

The most important

service the AA offers

is the assistance to

its members if their

vehicle breaks down.

AA’s patrols to help keep motorists on the road. It promises roadside assistance to its members if they are over a ¼ mile from home. Sam from ROADSTER! gets to ask the 2023 AA Patrol of the Year, Nick Powell, about the life of an AA patrol…

Sam: What does an AA patrol have to do?

Nick: We provide roadside assistance to our members when their vehicle has broken down. We will help at any time of the day or night. We try to repair the vehicle by the roadside and if we are unable to fix it, we will tow it to a local garage.

AA patrols experience all kinds of things, from meeting lots of interesting people and travelling to all kinds of places that they wouldn’t normally get to visit. We even get to appearing in the AA’s TV commercials! This kind of variety is what attracts most people to the job. Every job is different and this helps to keep the role exciting!

Sam: How long is a normal patrol shift?

Nick: Patrols’ shifts vary from half day shifts to full days. Our patrols like to look after our members in the best way that they can, so if this means staying on shift a little longer to get our members back on the road, most are happy to do it.

Sam: How many people do you help on a normal day?

Nick: On an average day most patrols would be helping around eight members - this number can vary depending on the weather, location, and time of year as well as the problem to fix.

Sam: Do you have a set area you work in?

Nick: Patrols are assigned work within a 100-kilometre radius of their base or home location, in line with government recommendations. This is to help prevent patrols from driving too far in one day and becoming too tired to safely drive home.

Recovery patrols who drive our large trucks work slightly differently - they can travel outside the 100-kilometre radius but will have to take regular breaks to do so. These breaks are recorded on our systems to make sure they rest properly.

Sam: Are you given a particular AA vehicle to drive?

Nick: Every patrol is allocated their own van which they keep at their base or home location. It is the responsibility of that patrol to keep the van in good, clean working order and to arrange regular servicing and repairs when needed. The vans get updated regularly so patrols are always working with the best specification vehicles we can get.

Sam: What type of person makes a good AA patrol?

Nick: Our patrols deal with all kinds of problems to help our members so it’s essential for them to be patient, flexible, knowledgeable and professional. A warm greeting and reassurance from one of our patrols when they turn up to a broken-down car can brighten a member’s day!

Sam: What training do you need to be an AA patrol?

Nick: When they first start their new job with the AA, all our patrols attend an intensive training programme at the AA’s Centre of Excellence in Oldbury, West Midlands. In addition to this, they receive ongoing training and support as part of their role.

Sam: What skills and qualifications do you need?

Nick: To make sure our patrols can give the best service possible to our members, they need to be at least NVQ Level 3 trained. They also need to be excellent at problem-solving… and smiling!

Sam: Do you have a favourite task in your day as a patrol?

Nick: All patrols have their own favourite type of task, and these can vary massively, from working on expensive supercars, classic cars or even farm vehicles, to simple wheel changes in a supermarket car park. I enjoy going to jobs in interesting or scenic places, especially in the UK’s National Parks. After the job is finished I enjoy taking a nice photo before going on to the next call!

Sam: What is the most interesting vehicle you have attended?

Nick: I have attended two different road-going military tanks, one was part of a supercar owners’ collection and the other was on the film set of BBC Top Gear. I also attended a member who had 21 (yes, 21!) Rolls Royces, two Bugatti Veyrons and four Ferraris!

Sam: Is there variety in the types of vehicles you get to drive?

Nick: Patrols usually stick to driving their own van, but there are occasions when they’ll need to drive members’ cars to test a repair has worked. These vehicles vary massively, from small cars to supercars and classic cars.

Sam: Can you get to specialise in certain vehicles?

Nick: Yes! The AA look after many different brands of vehicle and have a large number of ‘Dedicated Technicians’ who specialise in certain luxury cars. These technicians carry additional equipment in their vans and attend regular training sessions to help keep them up to date. We also have patrols who specialise in specific types of breakdowns such as vehicle security and fuel issues.

Sam: Can females be an AA patrol?

Nick: Absolutely! The AA has numerous patrols who are women, including several who are patrol performance leaders (managers).

Sam: How old are the youngest and oldest AA patrols?

Nick: The youngest is 17 years old (a patrol in London). The oldest is 74 years old (a patrol in the Midlands).

Sam: What can a child do now if they want to become an AA patrol in the future?

Nick: The earlier you start to learn about how cars work, the better!

Our advice to young future patrols is to look for as many car repair tutorials as you can find (with permission) and to volunteer to help in garages where possible, such as on work experience weeks.

Sam: Can you tell us a joke?

Nick: TRAFFIC NEWS: A bus full of jazz musicians has broken down on the Motorway. The AA has warned drivers to expect long jams!

RECOVERY!

Last year, the Roadster! car broke down during a family holiday in Dorset. Here, Sam recalls how the AA helped…

“We were on a camping holiday and we were driving back from a beach when there was a bang and our car stopped moving.

Dad called the AA. There was a wood next to the car so we got out a picnic blanket out of the car and we sat in the shade playing travel games while we waited for the AA to arrive. I was anxious and scared we wouldn’t be able to get home.

The AA were really busy but arrived at our car quickly. The AA patrol checked we were all safe then checked the car. He quickly said that he couldn’t fix it. He tried winching the car onto a ramp, but the car was stuck!

A friend collected my

mum, my sister and

me and took us back to

the campsite. The AA

patrol then brought Dad

back and arranged for

the recovery patrol to

pick up our car from the

road the next morning.

The next day we had to pack up all of our tent and belongings and our friend then took us and all of our things back to the car. We loaded the car up and then sat in the woods again waiting for the recovery truck.

The recovery truck

arrived at the time Dad

agreed on the phone.

The recovery patrol used

a more powerful winch to

get the car onto a big

platform on the back.

We all clambered into

the back of the truck for the journey back home. The truck had space for all four of us, and space for our rucksacks and drinks. It was really exciting to ride in the truck!

The AA man then plotted

the quickest way to our

local garage near home.

It took about four hours,

but the AA man stopped

half way so everyone

could have a rest.

Before we knew it we were back home!”