Bus Operations Manager

About the role

The Bus Operations Manager supervises bus transit employees engaged in Bus Operations, including the safe and efficient operation of bus services and facilities, and the enforcement of WMATA rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Responsibilities include administrative processes, customer relations, emergency assignments, and other special tasks. The role involves assisting in the direction and coordination of WMATA’s bus operation system at the division level, supervising Depot Clerks, resolving operational issues, and responding to emergency situations. The Bus Operations Manager may cover various shifts, including evenings, overnights, weekends, holidays, and special events.

Responsibilities

• Monitors operations and ensures effective and consistent operating practices, including safe, reliable, and courteous customer service.
• Provides supervision to bus operators and clerical employees in the absence of the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent.
• Makes decisions related to operations within the assigned division, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Conducts interviews, counsels employees, and evaluates employee performance; recommends corrective action to management.
• Performs on-time performance checks when buses are dispatched from the division to meet scheduled/headways requirements.
• Responds to and investigates customer comments, complaints, and concerns.
• Assists in the preparation of operational reports; documents actions that may lead to progressive discipline and investigates accidents or on-duty injuries.
• Ensures consistent administration of accident reports, payroll, customer complaints, sick reports, vacation, etc., and ensures timely upload of information to the appropriate personnel repository.
• Communicates proactively with management, frontline employees, customers, and other intra- and inter-departmental stakeholders.
• Coordinates with the Metro Integrated Command and Communications Center (MICC), Bus Planning, and Street Operations to maintain standard bus service.
• Testifies at hearings, including legal and worker’s compensation hearings.
• Works various shifts (evenings, overnights, weekends, holidays) as needed, including for special events.
• Maintains and promotes awareness and accountability with safety policies and procedures while performing job functions.

Requirements

Knowledge

• Relevant strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and WMATA.
• Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services, including customer needs assessment and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Bus Safety Policies and Procedures; WMATA and Federal Safety and Organizational Policies and Procedures; WMATA Bus Standard Operating Procedures and Employee’s Handbook.
• WMATA collective bargaining agreements.
• Processing internal Human Resources transactions and applications, including payroll.
• Methods of monitoring and maintaining on-time performance for bus operations when operators report to assignments late.

Skills

• Intermediate computer skills (Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, etc.), and ability to learn and use other software as required.
• Executing operational forms and reports with accuracy and completeness.
• Executing investigations, including thoroughly evaluating facts, following through, and documenting actions taken.
• Strong leadership skills with proven ability to lead effectively in a fast-paced and complex work environment.
• Effective management, communication, writing, reasoning, information processing, and evaluation skills.

Abilities

• Learn new skills related to the enforcement of WMATA policies and procedures, including various applications that support operations and administrative business processes.
• Handle confidential information in a professional manner and communicate effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Manage, train, and evaluate personnel, exercising active listening skills and good judgment to coach and develop staff.
• Independently think and solve complex problems using deductive reasoning and critical thinking.
• Understand and adhere to established policies, rules, regulations, and union labor contracts.
• Coordinate and initiate actions necessary to implement decisions.
• Manage multiple assignments at a time and maintain timeliness.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate (GED).
• Participation in Bus Operations Management Training within the first six (6) months of hire.
• A minimum of three (3) years of supervisory or training experience, or experience assessing the performance of others, to include at least two (2) years of transportation experience.
• Valid driver’s license and maintenance of a satisfactory driving record.
• Completion of WMATA Bus Operations Manager training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field.

Tools and Technology

• Trapeze or comparable transit operations software
• Microsoft Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel)
• CRM, Safety Management System (SMS), DriveCam, Documentum, ELM, Kronos, PeopleSoft, BORMS, and Manifest Scanning

Supervisory Responsibility

Supervises work of others, including planning, assigning, and scheduling work, reviewing work and ensuring quality standards, training staff, and overseeing their productivity. May offer recommendations for hiring, termination, and pay adjustments, but does not have responsibility for making these decisions.

About Us

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), known as Metro, is the region’s leading public transportation provider. Serving a 2,054-square-mile jurisdiction, Metro operates six rail lines, 98 stations, 126 bus routes, and Metro Access, a shared-ride paratransit service. As one of the nation’s busiest transit systems, Metro connects communities, supports economic growth, and provides safe, reliable transportation.