Intercity Transit- Village Vans Program

WorkEx Partner

Intercity Transit is a municipal corporation that provides public transportation for people who live and work in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and Yelm, an area of approximately 101 square miles. We operate 21 bus routes, a door-to-door service for people with disabilities, a vanpool program, specialized van programs, and are active in community partnerships. Village Vans is a specialized van program that provides free transportation for work-related activities to qualified job seekers in Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater's greater urban areas. Village Vans solicits volunteers to provide the service.

Last Updated: January 28, 2026

Mission and Vision

Intercity Transit’s mission is to provide and promote transportation choices respectful of the safety, comfort, and diverse needs of all our customers, to support an accessible, sustainable, livable, healthy and prosperous community.

Our vision is to be a leading transit system in the country, recognized by our peers, community and customers for our well-trained, highly motivated, customer-focused, community-minded employees committed to providing inclusive and exceptional transit services that enhance the quality of life for all in Thurston County.

Benefits

Public transportation is part of our transportation network and plays an important role in the county’s economic health by:

Providing transportation to jobs, schools, and community activities.
Reducing congestion on local roads allowing private automobiles and freight to travel more
efficiently.
Helping seniors and people with disabilities remain independent.
Providing both commuter and lifeline services for community members.
Protecting the environment by reducing the number of vehicles on the road.

Village Vans Transportation Service

Village Vans provides free transportation to help passengers gain and maintain employment. This service helps passengers overcome transportation barriers for up to one year. Barriers include but are not limited to:

A bus ride that takes one hour or more.
Walking ¾ mile or more between the bus stop and the destination.
No sidewalk access or alternative paths between the bus stop and location.

Qualifying transportation locations include:

Jobsites
Job interviews and training sites.
WorkSource and other employment services.
Local colleges, universities, technical, and alternative schools.
Childcare Centers*
*Transportation is provided to childcare centers on the way to and from work, or related activities. Car seats are provided for children under 12.

After a year, passengers change to using other modes of transportation, which could be bicycling, riding the bus, Vanpool, or driving a personal vehicle.

Village Vans Volunteer Driver Program

Transportation is a primary barrier for low-income individuals and parents to gain and maintain employment. Village Vans helps passengers overcome a transportation barrier for up to one year. Volunteer drivers help individuals that are low-income to gain economic independence.

Volunteers receive professional defensive driving training and recognition for their service. Volunteer hours are flexible; most service is needed between 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., to help passengers get to work and school.

We recruit volunteers from the community and employment support programs, including WorkFirst Community Jobs, and local colleges like The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College.

Volunteers seeking employment receive job search services, such as assistance with application paperwork and interview coaching. Volunteers can learn more about Intercity Transit and employment opportunities as they become available. Although participation in the program is not a guarantee of employment, Village Vans volunteers have found this program to be a successful path to finding employment with Intercity Transit or other employers in the region.

Available Internships

This Organization Does NOT Customize Internships for Applicants (all available internships will be listed in the WorkEx Directory)

Driver & Administrative Assistant Intern

Summary:

Intercity Transit’s Village Vans program provides free transportation for work-related activities to qualified job seekers in Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater’s greater urban areas. Village Vans solicits volunteers to provide the service. This internship role provides staff and volunteer assistance and a variety of administrative duties in support of the Village Vans program. In the absence of volunteers, interns will drive so the program maintains transportation service.

Village Vans Program Webpage

Distinguishing Characteristics:

As a Driver & Administrative Assistant Intern, performs routine and administrative activities of a supportive nature for the Village Vans program requiring general office knowledge, tasks related to trip planning, and suggesting community resources to customers and volunteers as needed. Position requires ability to maintain daily operations during absence of Village Vans Supervisor.

Essential Duties:

Serve as a van driver after completing defensive driving training.
Provide customer service to volunteers, customers, and community partners in support of the Village Vans program.
Respond to department, outside agencies, employee and public inquiries; provide information within scope of knowledge.
Assist passengers and volunteers by providing information about routes, stops, procedures, and changes in manifests.
Collect and prepare various statistical data required for reporting.
Receive and record advance reservation service requests using ride scheduling software and established protocols.
Perform various clerical duties to include screening incoming calls; taking and transmitting messages; distributing mail; photocopying; performing data entry; preparing mailings; and word processing.
Perform special projects as needed or assigned by Village Vans staff.
Attend periodic outreach events to promote Village Vans and other Intercity Transit services, including the May 2026 Bus System Redesign; provide information within scope of knowledge.
Must meet regular time and attendance standards.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: Strengthen customer service skills and community relation skills.

Objective 1: Providing outreach materials about the Village Vans program to various community organizations. Assist staff at community outreach events to help promote the program and recruit volunteers.

Goal 2: Gain transit operations knowledge and experience.

Objective 2: By working times of peak workload, representing the agency while driving, providing customer service over the phone, and while networking with community partners during outreach events.

Goal 3: Learn computing programs and software that are essential to the program’s daily operations.

Objective 3: Using VIA Mobility driver app and VIA Operations Center, call center software, and Microsoft suite including Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Schedule:

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 0700 to 1800

Interns may work up to 40 hours per week depending on program needs and ride demand. Interns are not eligible for overtime. Shifts are either 4 days a week, 10hr shifts (4:10s) or 5 days a week, 8hr shifts (5:8s). Interns may be assigned split shifts, with up to three hours split break.

Holiday closures: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.

Full-service holidays: Martin Luther King Junior Day, President’s Day, Juneteenth, Indigenous People’s Day, Veteran’s Day.

Driving Qualifications:

A current, unrestricted license.
Five (5) years of licensed driving experience in the USA.
No DUI within the last ten (10) years.
No suspensions or revocations in the last three (3) years.
No suspensions or revocations in the last seven (7) years for reckless driving, hit and run, leaving an accident scene, failure to appear, DUI or a vehicle related felony.
No other unacceptable combination of a moving violation and/or accidents.
No cancellations or non-renewal of insurance within the last three (3) years due to accidents or moving violations.
No history of SR 22 requirement (for high-risk policies).
No more than one minor violation in the past three (3) years.
No major moving violation in the past three (3) years.
Eligibility is based on an offense point system.

Intern Expectations:

Follow Village Vans program and Intercity Transit policies and procedures.
Demonstrate respect to staff and passengers.
Fulfill commitment agreements and participation.
Ready to learn skills and assist volunteers or staff.
Successfully complete all required trainings.
Meet and maintain driver eligibility criteria.
Ability to perform physical duties outlined in job description.
Dependable and timely. Adhere to an established schedule.
Understand and adhere to Washington State traffic laws.
Understand and apply the principles of defensive driving.
Safely operate a 7-12 passenger van.
Respond appropriately to hazards while driving during the day and night.
Ensure that written and verbal reports are completed accurately and on time.

Physical Demand, Frequency, and Description of Task:

Frequency Guidelines

Never (not at all)
Seldom (1-10% of the time)
Occasional (11-33% of the time)
Frequent (34-66% of the time)
Constant (67-100% of the time)

Sitting, Constant (67-100% of the time), Office work or driving.
Standing, Seldom (1-10% of the time), Standing when performing pre-trips.
Walking, Occasional (11-33% of the time), As needed.
Heights/Ladders/Stairs, Never
Crawling, Never
Reaching Out, Constant (67-100% of the time), Pre-trip inspections and driving vehicle.
Talking/Hearing/Seeing, Constant (67-100% of the time), While working with the passengers and coworkers.
Working Above Shoulders, Seldom (1-10% of the time), Mirror adjustments
Handling/Grasping, Constant (67-100% of the time), Pre-trip inspections and driving vehicle.
Fine Finger Manipulation, Frequent (34-66% of the time), Writing and using computer.
Driving, Frequent (34-66% of the time), As needed based on ride demand and in the absence of volunteer driver availability.
Repetitive Motion, Constant (67-100% of the time), During pre-trip inspections, driving, and computer use.
Vibratory Tasks, Never
Lifting (<10 lbs), Seldom (1-10% of the time), While storing items on vehicle, tablet and clipboard.
Carrying (<10 lbs), Seldom (1-10% of the time), Carrying items to store or bring to and from vehicle.
Pushing/Pulling (<10 lbs), Seldom (1-10% of the time), Open and shut van door.

Contact:

Izi LeMay (they/them) Village Vans Supervisor
[email protected] | O: (360) 705-5831 | M: (564)233-8708