CLASS SPECIFICATION

TRANSIT SERVICES SUPERVISOR

DEFINITION OF CLASS:
This is supervisory work concerned with ensuring on-time delivery of public transit bus services in a large geographical portion of Montgomery County. The majority of contacts for employees in this class are with Transit Coordinators and Bus Operators to pass on and receive information, provide operational instructions, and supervise actions taken by Coordinators to relieve transit service interruptions and ensure all scheduled routes are covered. Daily contact is also maintained with the employee's immediate supervisor, to pass on and receive information, receive operational instructions, present reports and recommendations concerning unusual situations and special assignment analyses, and to plan for and coordinate significant changes to operational and administrative standard operating procedures. Frequent contacts are also maintained with equipment maintenance supervisors, usually to resolve significant problems and coordinate actions concerning vehicle maintenance; and with supervisory employees in other departments and agencies, to plan for and coordinate mutually supporting actions (e.g., parades, demonstrations, fairs, etc.). To a lesser degree, employees also have personal, telephone and some written contact with the transit riding public, usually to address and try to resolve a significant operating or service issue or sensitive complaint. Since this class of work is focused primarily on supervisory and administrative matters, direct, one-on-one service or assistance to the public is rendered infrequently by employees.
To ensure that public transit bus commitments are met each day, employees continuously monitor transit service and related operations and reports to spot trends, patterns, and issues requiring both short and longer term corrective action. An employee is expected to anticipate and plan for alleviating service interruptions in keeping with standard operating procedures and accepted practices of the public transit occupation. Work is spot checked on completion, generally only for appropriateness of decisions made, actions taken, report contents, etc. While guidelines for how work is to be completed are both available and detailed, unusual situations occur which are not specifically covered and require an employee in this class to use good judgment, resourcefulness and initiative to bring an issue/problem to timely and equitable resolution. The complexity of the work of this class emanates from the responsibility of coordinating and supervising operational elements of a broad based public transit program. This is further influenced by the fact that the resources (buses and drivers) are maintained/supervised by other supervisory employees, thus presenting "control" problems which are resolved by working with and through other supervisors. Providing on-time, reliable transit services is also complicated by severe weather and road construction conditions, as well as accidents, unanticipated vehicle operator absences, vehicle mechanical problems, passenger complaints, providing accessible service to disabled passengers, and coordinating measures to relieve service disruption through other County Government departments and agencies. Furthermore, solutions to service disruptions must be: timely; in keeping with numerous organizational unit rules, regulations, and policies, laws, and employee labor agreements; and be both cost effective and equitable regarding assignment of work for part-time, substitute, stand-by and full-time employees. The impact of properly performed work results in a closely monitored and controlled segment of the County-wide transit system which is run in a cost effective manner, provides reliable and safe services, and both maintains present and encourages additional ridership. The vast majority of work is of a sedentary nature performed in an office environment which is appropriately heated, lighted and ventilated. Infrequent field visits in a passenger vehicle to observe transit operations does not present either significant hazards or unusual physical demands for employees in this class.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: (Illustrative only)
Supervises daily deployment of available buses and drivers to meet designated transit module service requirements, and ensures on-time and safe service to the public; implements corrective measures to service interruptions and irregularities.
Monitors transit operations, identifies and analyzes trends, patterns and problems, develops recommendations for and/or takes appropriate actions to intervene/resolve presenting situation, and identifies short and long term consequences of recommendations/actions taken.
Supervises Transit Controllers to ensure that their monitoring and control of transit services provided is timely and in keeping with standard operating procedures.
Supervises repair and preventive maintenance of transit fare boxes and associated equipment, and oversees investigations of fare box security breaches.
Reviews and analyzes vehicle condition, revenue collection and ridership, accident/incident, missed trip/service interruption, and other reports. Conducts investigations, prepares reports of findings and recommendations, and implements corrective actions.
Relieves subordinate employees from duty for cause; conducts investigations and prepares reports, including recommendations for disciplinary measures.
Meets/talks with mechanic supervisory employees to identify and resolve bus mechanical problems and with Bus Operator supervisors to resolve Operator attendance, on-time service delivery and safe driving problems.
Supervises revenue collection and performs checks of farebox accuracy.
Serves on task forces and committees as directed.
Supervises route familiarization training for new Bus Operators and provides training for Transit Controllers.
Schedules group "charters" and "specials" in accordance with standard operating procedures.
Notifies other agency representatives (e.g., METRO, Police Department, Department of Fire and Rescue Services, etc.) of significant transit related situations which affect the provision of transit services as well as the services/operations of other agencies.
Interviews and evaluates employees/applicants for subordinate-level positions.
Oversees provision of accessible service for disabled passengers.
Provides recommendations for transit module annual budget.
Supervises periodic "pick" (work schedule selection) conducted for Transit Controllers and Bus Operators.
Occasionally investigates and reports on passenger complaints; prepares correspondence for own signature and/or signature by higher authority.
Administers bus stop sign replacement program for assigned transit module.
Monitors/adjusts allocation of vehicle operator extra work assignments.
Performs related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience: Three (3) years of experience as a Transit Operations Supervisor.
Education: Completion of high school or High School Certificate of completion recognized in the State of Maryland.
Experience: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Considerable knowledge of motor vehicle laws and portions of the Americans with Disabilities Act applicable to a public transit bus system, as well as applicable sections of employee labor agreements and organizational unit standard operating procedures.
Ability to comprehend and evaluate transit system situational facts, exercise sound judgment, and take decisive, timely action in accordance with standard operating procedures.
Ability to conduct investigations, and prepare written reports and correspondence in response to inquiries and complaints from the public.
Ability to work with employees and the public in a tactful, effective and equitable manner.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Ability to use a personal computer to enter and retrieve information.
Ability to operate a public transit bus.

LICENSE:
Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator's license appropriate to the equipment operated by an employee in this class, in accordance with Maryland State Commercial Driver's License requirements.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:
Individuals appointed to a position in this class will be required to serve a probationary period of twelve months and, if promoted to a position in this class, will be required to serve a probationary period of six months. Performance will be carefully evaluated during the probationary period. Continuation in this class will be contingent upon successful completion of the probationary period.

MEDICAL PROTOCOL: Core Exam and Drug/Alcohol Screen

Class Established: May 1979
Revised: August 1985
August 1992 (M)
August 2003 (M)
February 2004(M)
January 2009
April 2010

Medical Protocol revised January 2009
Formerly titled: Transit Operations Supervisor II.