Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner’s Guide (2023) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 103-145
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NJ Transit also has retention programs that are fairly typical among transit agencies. These programs highlight bus operators' achievements and recognize bus operators who have gone above and beyond the requirements of the job.
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For the last two contracts between the bus operator union and PSTA, an increase in pay rate to remain competitive had been included as part of the contract negotiations, and another pay rate increase was added 6 months after the most recent con tract negotiation with a special adjustment to address inflation. As of March 2022, PSTA bus operators were the highest paid in the state of Florida.
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From page 105... ...
Since the middle of 2021, PSTA has offered a referral award to employees who refer to PSTA new bus operators who make it through training and a 6-month probationary period. Four awards have been handed out so far, and the program seems to be taking off as rewards are handed out and the program gains increased visibility across the transit agency.
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From page 106... ...
Work experiences that a new bus operator in the Early Start Program may gain include route familiarization and customer service through ride-alongs with senior bus operators and face-to-face customer assis tance with the public outreach team. Since PTSA began this new program, no one has dropped out between hiring and the start of training.
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From page 107... ...
The mentor program is also available for bus operators who reach out for additional support at a later time after their formal mentorship is completed. These more experienced bus operators seeking help may be paired with another bus operator for a re-visit of OJT or with an instructor for more targeted training.
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The transit agency is also proactive in identifying potential threats to the safety, security, and well being of bus operators and passengers. PSTA maintains safety committees and a system that allows and empowers any employee to identify and Report any hazard.
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According to an interviewee, there have been very few complaints regarding restroom access by bus operators in PSTA. A general rule for restroom access for PSTA bus operators is to find the next safest place to stop.
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PSTA hopes that by adding some of these extra features, it will demonstrate to bus operators, as well as frontline employees and administrative staff, that their well-being is a priority of the agency, which in turn may hope fully boost retention numbers as well as employee job satisfaction and employee engagement overall. PSTA also utilizes communication as a retention strategy.
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From page 111... ...
Hiring Processes RCPT has a fairly standard, but informal, interview process; bus operator applicants are interviewed by a representative from human resources and by the transit agency's "lead driver." After the interview, in situations where both parties are still interested in moving forward, the bus operator applicant is paired with one of RCPT's drivers for an hour of ride-along experience to get a better feel for the position. Training In response to COVID-19, much of a bus operator's training was delivered online; this included training for new vehicle operators as well as many of the recertification trainings required for incumbent bus and paratransit operators.
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From page 112... ...
Every year in July and August RCPT holds a "safety week." It is designed to be a fun learn ing event where the transit agency brings in all their bus and paratransit operators and other employees from all of its locations and goes over everything they have learned and collected throughout the previous year related to driving and safety, including any new types of wheel chairs or chair securements or new technologies among other issues, and they put on their own internal "Bus Roadeo" event. Bus operators are given the chance to work with any new equipment and compete in the Bus Roadeo against their peers.
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Bus operators at VTA are represented by ATU Local 265. Transit Agency Background Information Geographic FTA Region Fixed Demand # Full-time # Part-time Union Area Route Response Operators Operators Status Bus Bus (Fixed (Paratransit)
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In general, VTA provides bus operators with a fairly typical benefits package. Of note are several provisions.
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In order to prevent situations where bus operators would be pulled from their route schedule to attend new employee orientation, VTA now schedules these classes to line up with the start of new operator training. This change was made because of the increased volume of vacancies that the transit agency needs to fill.
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From page 116... ...
After hearing about the details of this issue from the union through the safety committee, a supervisor with experience of the stress that bus operators face, joined the push for a change to transit agency policy. As a result, the policy was changed so that bus operators are now only required to state the fare if asked by a passenger.
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From page 117... ...
Although the retention rate has reduced due to factors unrelated to the quality of the JWI program, the existence of the program has helped to sustain the relatively high number of bus operators who stay past the training period. VTA has worked to ensure that there are no "dead-end" jobs at the transit agency.
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The research team drew from research reports, govern ment documents, news articles, and publicly available datasets on various aspects of transporta tion and bus operator workforce management. For some topics that were explored as part of this research effort, there was limited existing research.
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Among the many other positions represented, 17 respondents were bus operators with several also filling leadership roles in their union; 35 held high-level positions within transit agencies (e.g., division managers and directors of various departments, CEOs, general managers) ; 43 were union presidents and vice presidents; and eight respondents were financial secretaries.
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Count of Responses Percent of Responses Public transit agency 202 58% Labor union 109 31% Local, municipal, or tribal government (not 3 1% a transit operator) Non-profit 6 2% Private transportation provider 19 6% Other 8 2% Source: TCRP F-28 Industry Survey, Summer 2021 Table B-3. Number of bus operators employed at the survey respondents' transit agencies.
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From page 121... ...
required to provide transit services • Information on schedule adherence, season, absenteeism, and overtime Recruitment: • How transit agencies attract prospective bus operator candidates Selection and onboarding of qualified bus operators: • Application process and access • Selection of qualified bus operators • Pre-screening and certification requirements Training and mentoring: • Length of training program • Components of training program • Cost of training per operator • Mentor program and length, if applicable Compensation: • Compensation rate • Benefits package • Value of seniority • Number of years to reach top pay Working conditions: • Perception of safety of vehicles and workstations (driver's compartments) • Perception of condition of vehicles and work stations • Perception of design of vehicles and work stations • Work schedule considerations, including minimum number of hours between shifts • Timing and location of breaks • Access to restrooms • Child care options • Other amenities Retention and motivation: • Current retention rate • Programs designed to increase employee engagement • Employee recognition programs Transit senior management, program coordinators, operators, and local union representatives were recruited for the interviews, covering varying areas of expertise and experience related to operator workforce programs being implemented to improve metrics.
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For all topic areas, the interview and data collection process will attempt to reveal the benefits of that process or program over others and determine if there are qualitative or quantitative impacts observed or tracked by the stakeholders. The interviews included questions on the rationale for a pro gram or method and what led the transit agency to implementation.
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The goal of this project is to develop a practitioner's guide to bus operator workforce management that reflects current practices for how agencies foster and sustain a culture of workforce innovation. This guide will address all aspects of workforce management for bus operators, namely operator workforce needs assessment methods, recruitment, operator selection and onboarding, training and mentoring, compensation, working conditions, safety and health, and retention and motivation.
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What issues and challenges do bus operators face in the areas of work schedules, work ing conditions and safety/health?
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Industry Survey Questions The research team designed an industry survey to gather information on the current state of bus operator workforce management programs, policies, and related workplace initiatives as well as management and labor perspectives on bus operator workforce conditions and programs. Questions included a mix of multiple choice, sliding scale, and open-ended formats.
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126 Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner's Guide
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Additional Methodology Materials 127
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128 Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner's Guide
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Additional Methodology Materials 129
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130 Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner's Guide
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132 Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner's Guide
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Additional Methodology Materials 133
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134 Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner's Guide
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Additional Methodology Materials 135
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136 Bus Operator Workforce Management: Practitioner's Guide Case Study Selection Criteria This Practitioner's Guide contains case studies about seven transit agencies. The research team selected these seven transit agencies based upon the following criteria: diversity of size and geog raphy, a demonstration of innovative and effective programs, insight into more than one topic area of workforce development, an opportunity to hear from multiple perspectives at a transit agency, and survey responses.
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These candidates employed novel practices and/or were seen as having effective practices. For example, the research team paid close attention to the open-ended responses to the survey, such as answers to questions like "In your opinion, is there sufficient training for bus operators beyond the initial onboarding phase at your transit agency?
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From page 138... ...
Answered 5 or above Training and development: • In your opinion, is there sufficient training for bus operators beyond the initial onboarding phase at your transit agency? Answered yes, provided thoughtful explanation • Does your agency offer career ladder programs to provide bus operators with the ability to move up within an organization?
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• Are your transit agency's bus operators represented by a union? How is the union involved in bus operator recruitment?
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What happens if funding for training is insufficient? • Does your transit agency offer a mentorship program for bus operators?
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2001. TCRP Synthesis 40: A Challenged Employment System: Hiring, Training, Performance Evaluation, and Retention of Bus Operators, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC.
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Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, DC; Committee on Future Surface Transportation Agency Human Resource Needs: Strategies for Recruiting,Training, and Retaining Personnel.
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2001. TCRP Synthesis 40: A Challenged Employment System: Hiring, Training, Performance Evaluation, and Retention of Bus Operators, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC, p. 5.
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2001. TCRP Synthesis 40: A Challenged Employment System: Hiring, Training, Performance Evaluation, and Retention of Bus Operators, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC, p. 5.
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2001. TCRP Synthesis 40: A Challenged Employment System: Hiring, Training, Performance Evaluation, and Retention of Bus Operators, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC, p. 12.
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