Paratransit Manager's Skills, Qualifications, and Needs (2007)

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44 What advice or guidance would you offer to future or aspiring paratransit managers to help them be more effective and increase the status and tenure of paratransit managers? 1. Lead by example; dress, conduct, attitude. 2. Understand the work process and practices of subordinates; driver, reser- vations, scheduler, dispatcher. 3. Plan ahead. 4. Build time to cross train staff. Work in as transparent and open an operating environment as possible. Whether it be an advocacy group, passenger, board, elected official, superior, subordinate or “Jane/John Doe,” service reality should be communicated accurately. If it’s “bad news,” owing to budget constraints, etc., communi- cate that early. Never dismiss a complaint and follow-up with each interested party. Have a thorough understanding of op- erating policy and communicate that as consistently as pos- sible at all times. If having a board member or passenger take an unannounced tour of the operating facility was cause for concern, it would indicate something is in need of immediate attention and corrective action. Focus on the development of people and less on manag- ing them. Understand your role and your business from top to bottom. Manage this business as if it was for profit. Know the customers internal and external and be honest with them and true to yourself. Need for understanding of reservations and scheduling. Also need to have sensitivity to passengers with special needs. You must fully understand the business whether it be ADA, Medicaid, operations, reporting, etc. Learn all the basic functions first including driver jobs, schedulers, order takers, and dispatchers. Focus, speak clearly, write well, and be ethical. Being familiar with public transit is extremely helpful. Coming up through the ranks is helpful, but being the man- ager takes on a whole new life. Having a strong support team is essential to the system success. Finally, learn to delegate without flooding your assistants. Focus on customer service and understanding the funda- mentals of ALL aspects of the operations. One cannot relate to the issues of a driver, dispatcher, and such if you are not familiar with the job. APPENDIX D Advice or Guidance Offered to Paratransit Managers Ensure that the organization maintains a supportive and positive culture for employees. This allows the manager to focus on building employee skills and performance rather than constantly recruiting and training new hires. Keep up on changes and needs assessments. I would suggest that they always remember that our clients are why we are here, and our drivers and dispatchers are the backbone of our operations. If you are available, supportive, kind, and sincere you will gain the respect of those who work for you and those whom you work for. They must be a people person and love what they do. They must understand that transportation is not a 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. job—it requires commitment and patience. You must know your people and they need to know you. You cannot manage in a paratransit environment being in the office. You must set the example. Say what you mean and mean what you say... and pray daily. Managers should take advantage of employer-sponsored courses in industry principles. Certifications such as CTAA management courses and paratransit/transit management are invaluable. Ride a route once a week; drive a route once a month. This career requires much patience, a code of ethics, and long hours to ensure persons using paratransit services are afforded every opportunity to function as completely as pos- sible in his/her community. Run your operation as though it were a for-profit business to keep operation in the black and continue to provide over- all service. Be flexible to change. Learn how to manage your resources in the most efficient manner and listen to the riders. They are why you have a job. Be professional at all times. Ensure your data are accurate. Develop a good relationship with your advocacy committee. Ensure your human resources staff has a solid handle on your responsibilities. Accountability—honesty. Ensure that the agency realizes that you are a professional transit manager not unlike fixed-route and rail. Be prepared for a job with an enormous amount of responsi- bility and daily high stress. Be prepared to deal with politicians and government bureaucrats who do not understand the “big pic- ture” in paratransit and expect you to fulfill unrealistic expecta- tions! IT IS A VERY TOUGH REWARDING JOB!!!! Effective and positive dealings with customers of every type and background.

45 Learn the numbers! Learn what reports and statistics are crit- ical to managing. Personnel management (hiring, evaluating, delegating, developing). Demonstrate respect for the customers and advocates—educate them. Time management/prioritizing. Inclusive problem solving and decision-making processes. Stress management. Network with your colleagues and keep up on industry best practices and innovations. Concentrate on being a generalist and developing a diverse skill set that ranges from management and communication to technical and operational knowledge. To be successful, the manager must be well versed in all of these areas. Educate your internal colleagues on what your paratransit operation is doing and how it fits into the overall mission of your agency. Have a good Business Administration background, good analytical skills, and experience with budgets. Have good customer service skills and out of the box thinking. Be a coach and build a team that you can take to playoffs every year and do not worry about winning the Super Bowl. Be proud of your team accomplishments; work on your team’s weakness and get them ready for the next season (of course the season is the annual budget that you need to meet to secure your position). Educate executive management and board members on what the ADA is about, which is equal access to the fixed- route; it is not about ADA paratransit eligibility. Understand the make-up of the client base. Many small is- sues can become quite exaggerated in a short period of time if not anticipated early by a proactive paratransit manager. None. Budget and people management (staff) are the key; deal- ing with the special needs of our riders with empathy is vital. Know your staff. Know your community well and be active in it. Invite them to join you in decision making. Treat it as a career and get as much education as possi- ble. Please note, in our organization the paratransit manager is combined with the fixed-route manager as a manager of operations. Learn how to manage paratransit like a business. Develop sensitivity and interpersonal skills necessary to interact with a wide range of contacts (customers to board members), learn basic transportation operations, and learn the significant impact that scheduling has on operating cost and performance. Establish formal goals and an action plan to achieve them. Understand that your system cannot be all things to all people, but you can strive to provide the best service to the most people with a smile. Take the time to analyze your current system requirements and spend the time to restructure your service plan.