Transit Operations Manager: Fixed-Route Reliability

Capital Area Transit System (CATS); Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Capital Area Transit System (CATS) in Baton Rouge, LA seeks an experienced Transportation Manager to oversee day-to-day fixed-route service. You will lead Supervisors and Dispatchers, ensure on-time performance, safety, and reliable service, and coordinate with planning, HR, and maintenance to resolve issues.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in transit operations with supervisory experience and strong leadership, communication, and data-driven decision-making skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in public transit operations, fixed-route transportation, passenger transportation, dispatch/service control, or a closely related transportation environment.
• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory or management experience involving responsibility for transportation employees, supervisors, Dispatchers, Operators, or comparable operational staff.
• Demonstrated experience managing daily transportation service, workforce deployment, staffing, Dispatch, service interruptions, or service recovery.
• Working knowledge of fixed-route transit operations, Dispatch/service control, workforce scheduling, attendance management, and service reliability.
• Experience managing employee performance, documentation, attendance, or other workforce-accountability processes.
• Ability to use operational data and technology to monitor service performance and make timely operating decisions.
• Strong leadership, coaching, conflict-resolution, communication, organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple operational priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily fixed-route service delivery, including pull-out, route coverage, service interruptions, detours, missed trips, and service recovery.
• Ensure appropriate Transportation Supervisor and Dispatch coverage throughout the operating day.
• Coordinate responses to employee callouts, uncovered work, vehicle shortages, incidents, special events, and unusual service conditions.
• Directly supervise, coach, evaluate, and hold Transportation Supervisors and Dispatchers accountable for performance.
• Establish expectations for field supervision, terminal/hub monitoring, operator support, service control, documentation, and communication.
• Develop supervisors' ability to independently manage routine employee and service issues.
• Monitor operator and supervisory staffing, attendance, callouts, vacation, overtime, and uncovered assignments.
• Identify recurring staffing and service-coverage issues and recommend corrective action.
• Coordinate with Service Planning regarding schedules, run cuts, running times, and other issues affecting service reliability and operability.
• Facilitate attendance and employee-performance management in coordination with Human Resources.
• Ensure employee documentation is timely, accurate, and consistent with agency policies and applicable collective bargaining requirements.
• Coordinate significant employee and labor-relations matters with the Director and Human Resources.
• Ensure effective communication among Operators, Dispatch, Transportation Supervisors, Maintenance, Risk and Safety, Customer Engagement, and management.
• Coordinate service-impacting vehicle issues and operational incidents with Maintenance and Risk and Safety.
• Ensure customer-impacting service information is promptly communicated to appropriate departments.
• Monitor service reliability, missed trips, on-time performance, overtime, attendance, complaints, incidents, and other operational performance measures.
• Analyze performance trends, initiate corrective action, and prepare recurring management reports.
• Ensure operational systems, records, and data are used consistently and accurately.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

Problem-solving

Conflict resolution

Organizational skills

Decision-making

Prioritization

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Degree in Transportation, Business Administration, Public Administration, Operations Management, or related field

Tools

CAD/AVL

Dispatch systems

Workforce-management software

Transit scheduling software

Job description

Capital Area Transit System (CATS) in Baton Rouge, LA seeks an experienced Transportation Manager to oversee day-to-day fixed-route service. You will lead Supervisors and Dispatchers, ensure on-time performance, safety, and reliable service, and coordinate with planning, HR, and maintenance to resolve issues.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in transit operations with supervisory experience and strong leadership, communication, and data-driven decision-making skills.