Job Title: Transportation Operations Specialist
| Reports to: | Senior Manager, Transportation |
| Job Group: | Non-Instructional Non-Bargaining |
| FLSA: | Non-Exempt |
| Job Code: | 5281 |
| Salary Schedule: | PG25 |
JOB GOAL
Responsible for coordinating tasks and responsibilities of assigned transportation staff, coordinating the design and development of effective, safe, and efficient bus routes, managing and monitoring all transportation software, resolving issues and conflicts, ensuring transportation staff meet deadlines, and other duties as required to increase the efficiency of the department’s services.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide direction to assigned personnel, train, and delegate work to appropriate staff, and make recommendations for appropriate employment actions, including the hiring of Route Analysts and applicable transportation staff.
- Provide guidance to Route Analysts relative to routing software operation and established practices.
- Monitor and coordinate school bus routes using computerized routing system software to maximize safe and efficient bus use.
- Work with Route Analysts and Field Service Specialists to monitor and analyze arrival, layover, and departure times, student load data, driver input, and other related information to implement routing and scheduling adjustments that ensure the safety and efficiency of the transportation system.
- Communicate with software vendor(s) regarding fees, software updates, training opportunities, and skill acquisition to support transportation operations.
- Monitor routing practices, performance, and recommend strategies to administration for improving route operations.
- Communicate administration directives to staff related to routing procedures.
- Coordinate route and stop change notifications with all stakeholders including, but not limited to, families, schools, management, and bus drivers to ensure successful implementation.
- Work with applicable District staff to determine Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students’ needs and transportation service requirements including, but not limited to, reviewing proposed ESE boundaries for feasibility and collaborating on improving procedures for the routing of students with specialized transportation.
- Prepare and maintain required reports and records including, but not limited to, Florida Educational Finance Program (FEFP) surveys, route sheets, and route/stop change documentation, while ensuring privacy and confidentiality statutes compliance.
- Work with the Planning Department to establish and maintain the mapping system and attendance boundaries by updating and editing the map for additions or changes to roads with the District’s planned routes.
- Ensure compliance and maintain working knowledge with federal and state laws, Department of Education (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOT) rules and regulations, and School Board Policy and Procedures.
- Maintain detailed records of route/driver observations to document and provide relevant statistics and related information regarding students transported and transportation services provided.
- Communicate professionally and effectively with parents, the public, and all school board employees to ensure positive relationships are maintained while meeting all of the goals of a safe, efficient transportation system.
- Manage and monitor all transportation software including, but not limited to, routing, student ridership, school bus parent application, time and attendance, parent notification system(s), FEFP, school bus video systems, and District systems.
- Collaborate with applicable District staff to maintain and develop new technology initiatives and to remain aware of and prepared for important issues or upcoming events pertaining to student information and related procedures.
- Provide training, technical assistance, and support to school and District staff regarding various applications and technology.
- Write and maintain user guides and implement hands-on training sessions for topics including, but not limited to, software implementation and updates, process updates, and call center procedures.
- Develop and submit enhancement requests for current software based on end-user input and documented needs and analyze existing workflow systems and procedures to make recommendations that improve efficiency.
- Prepare, coordinate, and supervise testing and implementation of software upgrades.
- Write and program school messenger communications based on transportation needs.
- Act as a liaison between the Transportation Department and all stakeholders, including parents/guardians, staff, community members, and software vendors, and collaborate with Communications to develop and process District-wide communications as needed.
- Collaborate with applicable District staff to gather relevant site plans to map within routing software.
- Collaborate with District departments to develop procedures and forms for routing students participating in various programs, including school choice students.
- Attend training sessions, conferences, and workshops to keep up to date on software changes and updates.
- Assist with the development of departmental policies and procedures, revising procedures as needed to increase the efficiency of the department’s services.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
- Knowledge of applicable laws, rules, policies and procedures related to school bus services and transportation of students
- Knowledge and understanding of state and local traffic laws and regulations
- Geographic knowledge of Pasco County and school locations
- Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences, orally and in writing, including electronic media
- Excellent time management skills and ability to organize, prioritize, manage, and carry out duties efficiently and within established timeframes
- Ability to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with all stakeholders
- Operating knowledge of computer programs, including email, word processing, spreadsheets, and databases
- All hires must submit to and pass an initial drug test and subsequent random drug tests in accordance with District requirements
EDUCATION, TRAINING & EXPERIENCE
- High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED) from an accredited institution
- Two years’ experience working with student transportation services
- OR
- Any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the position
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES & REGISTRATIONS
- Valid Florida Driver’s License
- Must maintain a driving record that meets the standards of the District Safe Driver Plan. Driver’s License must be maintained as a condition of continued employment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Associate degree from an accredited institution in the field of Transportation and Logistics, or related field
- Four years’ experience working with student transportation services
- Two years’ experience using automated routing system
- Valid and current Florida Commercial Driver’s License
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY
Direct supervision of assigned personnel. Responsibilities include planning, assigning, and directing work; addressing complaints and resolving problems; training employees; evaluating performance; and interviewing, testing, hiring, and assignment of personnel.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently. If the use of arm and / or leg controls require exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated as Light Work.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit, talk, and hear; stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms. The employee occasionally lifts and/or moves up to 25 pounds. Specific vision ability required by this job includes close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Indoors: The worker is subject to inside environmental conditions. There is protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.
Outdoors: The worker is subject to outside environmental conditions. There is not effective protection from weather conditions such as wind, moisture, sunlight, extreme temperature changes, etc.
Indoors and Outdoors: The worker is subject to both environmental conditions. Activities occur inside and outside.
Cold: The worker is subject to extreme cold. Temperatures are below 32 degrees for periods of more than one hour.
Heat: The worker is subject to extreme heat. Temperatures are above 100 degrees for periods of more than one hour.
Noise: The worker is subject to noise. There is sufficient noise to cause the worker to shout in order to be heard above the ambient noise level.
MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT
- Transportation equipment including wheelchairs, car seats, school bus lifts, and other adaptive equipment and devices as necessary.
- General office equipment, including personal computers, fax machines, copiers, telephones, etc.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
Salary and benefits shall be paid consistent with the District’s approved compensation plan. Length of the work year and hours of employment shall be established by the District.
Performance of the job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the School Board’s policy on evaluation of personnel.
Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Pasco County Schools will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to allow them to perform the essential functions of the job when such individuals request an accommodation.
