The New York Times reports that the Secret Service relies on untrained volunteer drivers to transport White House staff and reporters in President Obama’s motorcade. The volunteers pilot 15-passenger vans, and are usually located between the armored Secret Service vehicles and the presidential ambulance.
Why volunteers? Officially, they’re cheaper than Secret Service agents or local police officers. Unofficially? The Secret Service has no obligation to protect either White House staff or reporters that tail the president.
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Getting the job is often as easy as knowing someone who works at the White House, or answering an e-mail. Organizers often reach out for volunteers before the president arrives. While the Secret Service says the drivers are briefed on what to do in the event of an emergency, The New York Times reports that’s not always the case.
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Shockingly enough, this isn’t a new development. The Secret Service has relied on volunteer drivers in the presidential motorcade since at least the 1980s. Head over to The Times to read the full piece.
This story originally appeared on roadandtrack.com via The New York Times.
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