Transit Operator

Sun Metro Transportation; El Paso (TX); On-site; AUD 63,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life and health insurance

Vacation leave

Sick leave

Job summary

City of El Paso seeks a transit operator to drive passenger coaches or streetcars on scheduled and demand-responsive routes, ensuring safety, timeliness, and courteous service.

The role includes inspecting equipment, handling fares and transfers, assisting riders with mobility needs, and maintaining reports for daily operations.

Qualifications

• Completion of tenth grade and 2 years of vehicle operation experience or completion of a City transit operator training program.
• Must be 21 years of age at application and pass background checks and physical examinations.
• CDL Class B with passenger endorsement required at time of application; rail certification within 60 days for streetcar operations.

Responsibilities

• Operate passenger coach or streetcar on routes per schedule and on demand.
• Pre-inspect vehicles and report safety or maintenance issues; ensure proper fare collection and passenger transfers.
• Assist passengers, load/unload wheelchairs or scooters, and observe safety procedures at all times.
• Communicate with passengers and staff, maintain cleanliness, and respond to inquiries and incidents.

Skills

Transit operations

Customer service

Communication

Safety practices

Public relations

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Transit operator training program

Tools

CDL Class B with passenger endorsement

Rail certification

Job description

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Completion of tenth grade and two (2) years of experience in the operation of medium commercial vehicles, passenger buses, or streetcars or completion of a City of El Paso transit operator training program. Must be twenty-one (21) years of age at time of application. Must pass background investigation and successfully complete periodic physical examinations as required by federal transportation regulations.

Licenses and Certificates: Texas Class "B" Commercial Driver's License with passenger endorsement or equivalent from another state required a time of application. Positions assigned to operate streetcars will be required to obtain a rail certification within sixty (60) days of appointment.

Special Requirements: Positions requiring a CDL or positions of a safety sensitive nature are subject to drug and alcohol testing in accordance with federal regulations.

General Purpose: Under general supervision, operate passenger coach or streetcar over specified or demand responsive routes to transport people to and from their destination in a safe, courteous and timely manner.

Typical Duties: Operate passenger coach or streetcar over specified or demand response routes on an assigned shift. Involves: Pre-inspect coach or streetcar to detect and report safety or maintenance problems, install and check fare box and observe time schedules along assigned route. On demand response routes, review daily schedule to verify location of all stops. Pick-up and discharge passengers at scheduled stops, ensure receipt of proper fare, accept or issue passenger transfers, compete required paperwork including passenger or transfer counts. Physically assist passengers in boarding and exiting, load and unload scooters or wheelchairs onto lift as necessary, and secure passenger apparatus before moving vehicle. On airport shuttle routes, load and unload baggage as needed. Operate passenger streetcar on embedded tracks within the vehicle maintenance facility, yard storage area and main line in accordance with established operating schedules. Perform related duties as necessary. Involves: Answer passenger questions and furnish accurate information, deal appropriately with disorderly or unruly passengers, report mechanical defects, accidents, road hazards, personal or passenger injuries to supervisors, operate two-way radio, maintain coach cleanliness and observe safe operating practices at all times. Operate wheelchair lift as needed. Observe and report work being performed in or near embedded track that appears to be unsafe and without proper track access authority, report defects or unsafe conditions with regard to movement along the track or overhead contact wire (OCS) obstructions that prohibit streetcar movement.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Application of good knowledge of transit coach and streetcar operations, traffic laws and occupational hazards and safety practices applicable to passenger transportation.
• Application of good knowledge of departmental policies, including accessibility compliance and City geography.
• Application of good knowledge of customer service and public relations practices and procedures.
• Perform basic math, follow verbal and written instructions, read and follow schedules.
• Understand and respond with sensitivity to the transportation needs and physical/mental conditions of disabled passengers.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, coworkers and the general public.
• Communicate effectively and politely.
• Observe safe working practices at all times to ensure both operator and passenger safety.

Other Job Characteristics

• Subject to callback and working flexible hours including weekends, holidays and mandatory overtime, as required.
• Exposure to extreme weather conditions, occasional exposure to infectious disease.
• May lift heavy baggage (over 50 pounds).
• Occasional heavy exertion to assist passenger in boarding, or in bending and reaching to secure luggage or passengers, pushing or pulling self-propelled wheelchairs (up to 500 pounds) in non-motorized mode.
• Incumbents of this position must be insurable.
• Some positions must pass a criminal background check and obtain and maintain federally mandated security clearance for working at an airport.

Classification Status

(Ord. 016439 08/22/06), (CC 01/27/09), (HR 08/13/09), (CC 07/29/12), (HR 11/7/17), (HR 05/22/22), (HR 09/11/22) (HR 03/12/2023), (HR 09/10/23), (HR 09/08/2024), (HR 02/23/2025).

As provided under Classification and Compensation Ordinance 8064, Section 2.2, General purpose and typical duties summarized are only illustrative of work customarily assigned and performed. Typical requirements shown may be more specifically defined by additional job analysis. Equivalencies for education or experience shown may be more specifically defined by CSC-approved guidelines.

Benefits

LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE

The City of El Paso is a self-insured entity with a third-party administrator for Medical and Pharmacy benefits. Basic Life Insurance Coverage is available at no cost to eligible employees. Additional Life Insurance and coverage for your dependents are also available.

Employees can select optional Dental, Vision, and Short Term Disability coverage. Employees also have the option to participate in a Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account (healthcare and/or dependent care for daycare expenses). All of these insurance and coverage options can be configured within a month of your new employee orientation date.

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with access to mental health sessions, therapy, and more is available at no cost. A trained counselors are also available to help you and your dependents cope with life’s stressors so that you can live a happy productive lifestyle.

The City’s Wellness Program seeks to promote better health and wellness amongst the workforce through various programs and incentives in which employees may choose to participate in, to include wellness education, fitness tests, biometric screenings, group fitness, health coaching and so much more!

Keep Learning, Growing & Reinventing Yourself! The City of El Paso's Tuition Assistance Program encourages employee personal and professional development by sharing educational costs with those employees who have successfully completed their original probation, and in turn retain a skillful workforce. Each year, employees can obtain Tuition Assistance for Degree, Certifications, Continuing Education, and Books & Equipment.

ELIGIBILITY FOR VACATION LEAVE

All regular employees who are regularly scheduled to work on an average, a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week, who have held a position in the City Service for a period of six months from date of employment, shall be eligible for vacation allowance as hereinafter set forth. Part-time employees shall accrue vacation leave at a pro-rated amount of full-time entitlement based on the number of hours that they are scheduled to work. Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements shall accrue vacation as provided in the applicable agreement.

For 0 - 5 Years Of Service (12 Days)

Regular employees in the City Service shall accrue vacation credit at the following rates per pay period, calculated from the date of employment of each employee:

40 hour per week employees - 3.70 hours per biweekly pay period

For >5 to 15 years of service (17 days)

40 hour per week employees - 5.24 hours per biweekly pay period

For >15 or more years of service (20 days)

40 hour per week employees - 6.16 hours per biweekly pay period

SICK LEAVE WITH PAY

Employees shall be entitled to accrue sick leave with pay in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Service Commission.

ACCIDENT WITH PAY LEAVE

The Amended Section 4.4 of the Ordinance shall become effective upon adoption and shall apply to occupational injuries and occupational diseases occurring on and after date of adoption. Occupational injuries and occupational diseases occurring before such date will be governed by the Ordinance in effect at the time of the date of injury or disease.

PREGNANCY LEAVE

• Pregnancy shall be treated the same as any other temporary physical disability.
• An employee on pregnancy leave shall use accumulated and unused regular sick leave time and then (unless granted use of special sick leave) shall be on leave without pay, unless the employee chooses to use any accumulated and unused annual leave.
• An employee going on pregnancy leave shall give written notice to her department head with appropriate medical verification. Before returning to work from pregnancy leave, the individual will provide appropriate medical documentation releasing the employee to return to work, as is required for any individual who has been on leave for a temporary physical disability.

LEGAL HOLIDAYS

• First day of January (New Year's Day)
• Third Monday in January (Martin Luther King Holiday)
• Thirty-first day in March (Cesar Chavez Day)
• Last Monday in May (Memorial Day)
• June 19 (Juneteenth)
• Fourth day of July (Independence Day)
• First Monday in September (Labor Day)
• Eleventh Day in November (Veteran's Day)
• Fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day)
• The Friday following the fourth Thursday in November (Day after Thanksgiving)
• Twenty-fifth Day in December (Christmas Day)
• Employee's Birthday

In addition to the above days, the following days are also declared to be legal holidays: 1. Any day designated as a holiday by City Council. 2. When any legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be considered a legal holiday. 3. When any legal holiday falls on a Sunday, the following business day shall be considered a legal holiday.