SUMMARY

Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner’s Guide

Bus operators make up more than 60 percent of the public transit workforce. Given their high degree of interaction with customers, they serve as ambassadors for transit agencies and influence transportation and mobility decisions among riders and potential riders. They also affect service elements such as on-time performance and reliability and, in many cases, offer critical services including transporting patients to medical appointments, essential workers to their places of employment, and students to school.

This guide is timely because many transit agencies are experiencing difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified operators. Even though bus operator positions for the most part are well-paid stable jobs with excellent benefits, transit providers face numerous obstacles recruiting qualified operators. There is a perception among many potential candidates that the position involves long working hours, lack of adequate breaks, regulatory barriers to entry, and an inflexible working environment.

Across all industries, 24 percent of the U.S. workforce in 2020 was over the age of 55. However, among the bus operator workforce, nearly 50 percent was over 55. The large representation of older workers highlights the need to attract new candidates. Some evidence shows younger job seekers are less attracted to the prospect of a stable, long-term career at a single employer but rather tend to prioritize work–life balance and flexibility in their work. Many of them are not even aware of the potential career opportunities and employee benefits that are available at transit agencies.

This report provides recommendations and resources enabling transit agencies to better assess, plan, and implement their operator workforce management programs.

To develop this guide, the Eno Center for Transportation, the International Transportation Learning Center, and Huber and Associates completed a thorough literature review, surveyed labor and management stakeholders from transit properties, convened a focus group, conducted in-depth interviews, and developed seven comprehensive case studies of the following transit agencies: Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Fairmont-Marion County Transit Authority (FMCTA), Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit), Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), River Cities Public Transit (RCPT), and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

Figure S-1 shows key findings related to the seven elements of bus operator workforce management.

Workforce Needs Assessment

When departments within a transit organization work together, they can better assess staffing needs with consideration for attrition, expected absences, turnover, and planned service changes. Quantitative information (such as turnover rates, workforce demographics, and service changes) that is collected from human resources, service, and planning departments can help to provide a better understanding of a transit agency’s workforce needs.

Many transit agencies have indicated that this collection of data is minimal, nonexistent, or not shared strategically between departments. Likewise, despite the potential benefits of incorporating unions early and often into workforce planning discussions, some industry experts say that unions rarely get involved.

Recruitment

While many new recruitment platforms, such as social media and digital advertising, have changed bus operator recruitment, traditional tools still attract potential candidates. Signage and advertisements in visible locations, such as on billboards and buses, can be effective.

Recruiting new employees by using referrals from the existing employee base has long been a highly effective strategy. Many transit agencies award financial bonuses to their employees who recruit new operators. Providing sign-on bonuses directly to new employees also helps with recruitment.

Newer strategies (such as videos) are also making a difference in how agencies recruit operators. Since transit agencies’ websites are valuable recruitment tools, it is important that their home pages allow potential operators to easily find information about hiring events, employment opportunities, and employee benefits.

Transit providers need to be aware that many job seekers do not understand a bus operator’s role and have negative preconceived notions about the position. Providers in their outreach materials can even consider using the term “bus driver” rather than “operator” to avoid confusion. They should also be prepared to address a wide range of concerns that potential job applicants may have.

Compensation

Noncompetitive wages are often cited as one reason why transit agencies have difficulty attracting new operators. Regular wage comparisons with other similar industries and major employers in their geographic areas can help transit agencies address this issue. Many transit agencies have also been reducing the amount of time needed for bus operators to reach the highest pay grade.

In its Wage Rate Database, APTA indicated that the average fixed-route bus operator wage was $21.74 per hour and the average paratransit operator wage was $17.29 per hour in 2019. By comparison, the average wage for commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in 2019 was $22.52.

Transit agencies could better inform potential employees about the wide range of benefits they provide, which is often not considered as compensation. Many other employers do not offer the same level of medical coverage, retirement programs, and paid time off.

Transit agencies can increase pay without increasing the wages of every bus operator. For example, eligible employees at the Santa Clara VTA who opt out of the agency’s health insurance program can receive a monthly check for approximately half of the agency’s savings. FMCTA pays operators for unused vacation days and also distributes Thanksgiving bonuses that vary depending on the number of years of service.

Hiring Processes

Transit agency employees are aware that their hiring processes for bus operators need to be improved. When asked in this study’s industry survey (on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is the most effective) about the effectiveness of their application processes, the average response was 4.1.

Some transit agencies have been consolidating and speeding up their hiring processes. A multi-step application process that spans several days or even weeks can cause some applicants to pursue other employment activities. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many transit agencies to conduct interviews exclusively online and some transit agencies plan to continue the practice.

Candidate screening tools are used to narrow down the pool of applicants and identify the best candidates. However, interviewees for this study revealed some limitations of these types of tests. For example, some candidates may have a language barrier that does not reveal their full skill set and potential capabilities.

Specific requirements can pose challenges for recruiting and hiring operators. Agencies have found success with eliminating arbitrary barriers or providing resources that enable applicants to successfully complete requirements. Agencies are also working to reduce the number of operators who drop out between hiring and the start of training, such as allowing new hires to begin immediately in a paid position, similar to a paid internship.

Just as existing bus operators can help out in recruiting, they are also an invaluable resource in the hiring process. RCPT in South Dakota, for example, pairs bus operator applicants with a driver for an hour of ride-along experience as part of their hiring process.

Training

Training ensures that operators are proficient in their job responsibilities. However, U.S. transit agencies invest less in training compared to other industries. In some cases, providing better training resources can help transit agencies spend less money on issues like road calls. Bus operators have indicated that more training is often needed for map reading, schedule reading, and understanding the features of advanced technologies. New employees might not have some skills that many employers take for granted.

In the research, stakeholder interviewees indicated that some transit managers do not appreciate the importance of training. Respondent interviewees, however, noted the strong correlation between ongoing training and increased operator retention.

Bus operators also need to hone their soft skills such as interpersonal communication, problem solving, and personal resilience. However, only 20 percent of survey respondents believe that training in these soft skills was offered at their transit agencies.

One of the most important findings of this study is the benefits of mentorship programs. Mentors participate in scheduled “ride-alongs” with new operator mentees, perform periodic check-in calls, and can also serve as their mentee’s liaison as questions arise. They provide the needed support and guidance during the difficult first months of employment. Increasingly, transit agencies are formalizing mentorship programs by folding them into registered apprenticeship programs.

In the absence of a mentorship program, new operators may reach out to an operator who may not be the most qualified and/or experienced for mentorship purposes. Consequently, and despite good intentions, the new hire may not get the best information and assistance in dealing with on-the-job challenges.

Safety, Health, and Working Conditions

Operator well-being directly affects retention as well as the costs and quality of bus services. To encourage nutritious diets, exercise, and responsible alcohol use, many transit agencies have active health and wellness programs.

Work schedules designed to accommodate riders and optimize efficiency (such as weekends and split shifts) can make it challenging to attract and retain bus operators. According to the industry survey, some operators are given as little as 4 hours of notice before they are expected to report for their shifts. Unusual and unpredictable working hours can cause fatigue and stress among bus operators, especially for those with childcare responsibilities. This can directly affect safety, according to survey respondents.

Mentors can offer support to new employees as they gain traction and deal with on-the-job challenges. Mentors offer their personal experiences ranging from practical considerations, like scheduling, to the emotional and psychological impacts of the job. The interactions between mentors and mentees can decrease the sense of isolation many bus drivers report feeling.

Restroom access is an often-overlooked component of the bus operator’s working conditions, but one that can put a daily strain on the operator and lead to adverse health outcomes, such as urinary tract infections. Agencies address this issue by preparing maps, installing portable toilets, and making arrangements with businesses along routes.

Retention and Motivation

Transit agencies have a wide range of programs to improve retention rates such as listening to operator concerns, providing career advancement opportunities, offering rewards programs, and establishing mentorship programs.

Agencies can increase job satisfaction by involving bus operators in department meetings and decision-making processes. This gives operators a chance to be heard and to highlight problems they face.

Providing opportunities for career advancement can also positively contribute to retention. However, most survey respondents indicated that their transit agency did not offer programs or training regarding career advancement.

Agencies can reward their employees and host special events to acknowledge their contributions. Some bus operators participate in industry-wide events like training and conferences. RCPT and FMCTA host special events like holiday parties and summer activities for workers and their families.

Mentorship programs can also help with retention. Mentors find offering guidance to be rewarding as well as an opportunity to develop leadership skills. Despite the widespread benefits of mentorship programs to new operators and experienced operators, only 6 percent of the respondents reported that their transit agency had mentorship programs in place.

Figure S-2 summarizes the forward-looking approaches for the seven key areas.