Planning and Innovation Program Assistant

Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide); Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) is seeking a Planning Intern (Part-Time) to support the Planning & Innovation Division with data analysis, performance monitoring, and communications tasks as part of AAATA's 2045 Long Range Plan. The role offers hands-on experience in planning for transit service plans and capital programs.

The position supports routine project tasks, data visualization, and documentation, with opportunities to engage in AI research and stakeholder

Qualifications

• Enrolled student in a related field such as transportation, urban planning or GIS.
• Familiarity with data analysis, visualization, or performance monitoring is a plus.
• Willingness to assist across planning, scheduling, and AI-related tasks.

Responsibilities

• Assist with data collection and analysis for ridership, GIS, and other data.
• Support verification and data cleaning activities.
• Perform basic statistical and GIS analyses.
• Help monitor on-street performance and service metrics.
• Document customer service issues and track performance indicators.
• Assist with route, schedule, and boarding location planning adjustments.
• Support long-term planning initiatives including facility projects and bus rapid transit.

Skills

Data analysis

Performance monitoring

Communication

Education

Enrollment in transportation/urban/land use planning or related field (GIS/ data visualization)

Tools

GIS

Visualization tools

Job description

PART-TIME position posting will be open through Wednesday, October 7, 2026: PLANNING PROGRAM ASSISTANT TEMPORARY (3 MONTHS) Pay Rate: $21.50

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Planning Intern is a temporary, part-time position within the Planning & Innovation Division (P&I), providing hands-on support across a range of functions including data analysis, performance monitoring, planning and communications support, peer reviewing, and artificial intelligence (AI) research. The role offers a currently enrolled student in transportation/urban/land use planning, GIS/ quantitative data analysis and visualization, communications, or other related field the opportunity to work in support of transit service plans, capital projects, and other programs as part of AAATAs 2045 Long Range Plan (LRP). The LRP lays out a 20-year shared vision and strategy for public transportation services in the Ann Arbor Ypsilanti area. The Planning Intern assists P&I staff on routine project tasks, data analysis, visualization, and documentation, and special projects as assigned by the Team Lead- Service Planning, Team Lead- Data & Scheduling, and Senior Project Manager.

Responsibilities and Essential Functions

• Data Analysis Assistance with ridership/GIS/other data collection.
• Verification and cleaning (including video and other methods).
• Basic statistical/GIS/other analyses.
• Performance Monitoring Assistance in observing on-street operations.
• Documentation and classification of customer service issues, Tracking on-time performance, ridership, and other service metrics.
• Planning Assistance Collaboration in providing analyses in support of short/medium-term service adjustment plans (including route, schedule, and boarding location adjustments in response to customer concerns).
• Collaboration in support of long-term/capital plans and projects (including but not limited to future facilities construction plans, bus rapid transit, and other projects).
• Communications Support Assistance in preparation of internal and customer-facing communications materials (including maps/schedules, customer-facing online tools, and on-vehicle information systems).
• Support of P&I staff at stakeholder feedback/informational sessions.
• Peer Review Research of industry best practices.
• Collection of data from agencies with characteristics similar to AAATA.
• AI Research Research of potential uses of AI tools and practices for planning and data related analyses in support of future development of a divisional and agency-wide set of AI usage policies.