Transportation Director

Transportation Director

Overview

Under the supervision of the Chief Operating Officer, the Transportation Director provides leadership, administrative oversight, and direction for all aspects of the Rutherford County Schools transportation program. The Director is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, reliable, and fiscally responsible transportation of students while maintaining compliance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards governing public school transportation.

The Transportation Director serves as the district's principal administrator for transportation operations and as the primary transportation advisor to the Chief Operating Officer. The Director provides administrative supervision and leadership to Transportation Department personnel and oversees the major functional areas of the department, including school bus operations; routing and scheduling; student transportation assignments; fleet maintenance and repair; driver recruitment, licensing, training, and compliance; transportation technology and communications; financial and inventory operations; and required state and local reporting. The Director exercises discretion and independent judgment in resolving operational problems and works collaboratively with district leadership, school administrators, employees, families, governmental agencies, and other stakeholders.

Professional Responsibilities

The Transportation Director provides leadership, coordination, and administrative oversight of the following essential transportation program activities:

Department Leadership and Administration

• Provide overall leadership and administrative oversight for the Transportation Department and ensure transportation operations support the instructional and operational goals of the school system.
• Direct, supervise, support, and evaluate assigned Transportation Department personnel and establish departmental priorities, procedures, performance expectations, and appropriate accountability for assigned responsibilities.
• Analyze departmental operations, staffing, workloads, and service needs and recommend short- and long-range improvements to enhance safety, efficiency, reliability, and accountability.
• Advise and regularly communicate with the Chief Operating Officer regarding significant transportation operations, personnel matters, safety concerns, service issues, regulatory requirements, and other matters requiring administrative attention.
• Recruit, recommend, supervise, evaluate, discipline, and support Transportation Department personnel in accordance with applicable Board policies and district procedures and ensure employees receive appropriate training and professional development.
• Represent the Transportation Department at district meetings, Board of Education meetings, conferences, training sessions, and other meetings or activities as requested.

Transportation Operations, Routing, and Student Services

• Provide administrative oversight of the safe, efficient, and economical daily transportation of eligible students, including the development and modification of school bus routes, stops, schedules, and student transportation assignments.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the Transportation Information Management System (TIMS) and oversee routing data, student assignments, and related transportation information.
• Work collaboratively with school administrators and appropriate transportation personnel to address routing, school attendance boundary, bus stop, capacity, scheduling, and other transportation concerns.
• Ensure appropriate transportation arrangements are developed and maintained for students with disabilities and others requiring specialized transportation services in coordination with appropriate district personnel.
• Conduct or oversee transportation studies associated with enrollment changes, school attendance boundaries, school consolidation or reorganization, bell schedules, facility use, and other circumstances affecting transportation operations.
• Oversee activity bus scheduling and maintain appropriate communication with schools regarding service interruptions, route changes, driver shortages, and other operational concerns.

Safety, Emergency Response, and Road Conditions

• Promote a culture of safety throughout Transportation Department operations and ensure adherence to applicable safety requirements and operating procedures.
• Investigate or coordinate the investigation and required reporting of accidents involving school transportation equipment and use findings to identify opportunities for improved safety practices, training, procedures, or equipment.
• Monitor road, bridge, traffic, construction, and other conditions affecting school transportation and coordinate with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, law enforcement, emergency management, and other agencies as necessary.
• Evaluate potentially hazardous road conditions and make appropriate recommendations regarding school bus routes, stops, and transportation operations.
• Assess road and transportation conditions during inclement weather and other emergencies and provide timely information and recommendations to the Chief Operating Officer and district leadership to support decisions regarding school delays, closures, early dismissals, and other operational adjustments.
• Coordinate Transportation Department response during emergencies, severe weather, vehicle breakdowns, accidents, and other circumstances affecting transportation operations, including appropriate availability outside normal working hours when necessary.

Fleet Maintenance and Vehicle Management

• Provide administrative oversight of school bus and district vehicle maintenance operations in close coordination with the Transportation Shop Foreman.
• Ensure required inspections, preventive maintenance, repairs, and services are completed in accordance with applicable state requirements, safety standards, manufacturer recommendations, and district procedures.
• Oversee procedures and priorities for vehicle service and repair, work orders, shop scheduling, vehicle downtime, and return-to-service decisions.
• Monitor fleet condition and apply applicable standards and operational considerations in recommending vehicle replacement, acquisition, reassignment, and surplus.
• Oversee systems for parts, supplies, equipment, fuel, vehicle titles, service histories, warranties, and other fleet inventories and records.
• Ensure appropriate procedures are followed for the storage, handling, reporting, and disposal of fuels, oils, pollutants, hazardous materials, and other regulated materials.
• Evaluate transportation vehicles, equipment, technologies, and related products and make recommendations concerning their use within the district.

Driver Recruitment, Licensing, Training, and Compliance

• Provide administrative oversight of the recruitment, selection, training, licensing, certification, and continued qualification of school bus drivers and other transportation employees.
• Collaborate with principals and district administrators to identify and address school bus driver staffing needs, vacancies, absences, and route coverage.
• Ensure driver licensing, Commercial Driver's License requirements, endorsements, medical/DOT examinations, drug and alcohol screening requirements, driving records, and other required qualifications are appropriately monitored and documented.
• Ensure transportation employees comply with applicable federal and state motor vehicle requirements, North Carolina school transportation requirements, Board policies, and district procedures.
• Ensure required employee training is provided and documented and oversee field observations and safety reviews to identify opportunities for coaching and operational improvement.

Financial Management, Purchasing, and Inventory

• Develop, administer, and monitor state and local Transportation Department budgets and analyze expenditures, operational costs, staffing needs, and fleet needs to support sound financial and operational decisions.
• Recommend capital expenditures, vehicle and equipment purchases, and other significant transportation investments based upon documented needs and available resources.
• Oversee transportation purchasing, accounts payable, fuel expenditures, activity bus invoicing, parts and inventory operations, and other departmental financial processes.
• Ensure procurement of equipment, parts, supplies, fuel, contracted services, and other resources complies with applicable requirements and appropriately monitor associated contracts and vendor relationships.
• Maintain appropriate internal controls and accountability for transportation inventory, equipment, parts, fuel, and other district assets.

Technology, Communications, Records, and Reporting

• Maintain working knowledge of transportation technology and information systems, including TIMS, GPS and vehicle tracking systems, radio communications, electronic maintenance and work-order systems, FileMaker or successor applications, and other technologies utilized by the department.
• Utilize transportation technology and operational data to improve safety, routing, communication, efficiency, accountability, and service delivery.
• Oversee school bus radio communications and ensure effective communication among drivers, transportation staff, schools, and district administrators.
• Ensure transportation records are accurately maintained and protected in accordance with applicable requirements and direct the accurate and timely preparation and submission of required state, federal, local, and district reports.
• Gather, analyze, and interpret transportation data to evaluate departmental performance, identify operational trends, support planning, and inform administrative recommendations.

School, Family, and Community Relations

• Serve as the district's primary administrative contact for significant transportation concerns and work collaboratively with school administrators, families, and transportation personnel to resolve service-related issues.
• Communicate transportation procedures, operational changes, and other relevant information clearly and professionally to employees, administrators, families, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with school administrators in addressing student transportation concerns by providing available bus video footage, records, routing information, and other relevant transportation information necessary to support school-level investigations.
• Coordinate with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina Department of Transportation, law enforcement, emergency services, and other governmental or community agencies on transportation-related matters as appropriate.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Chief Operating Officer.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants for the position must demonstrate:

• Considerable relevant experience in transportation operations, logistics, fleet operations, or a closely related field, including progressively responsible supervisory or management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading personnel and coordinating complex operational functions.
• A valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) appropriate for the operation of school transportation vehicles, including all required endorsements.
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is preferred; an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience may be considered as determined by Rutherford County Schools Human Resources.
• Experience in public school transportation or a comparable transportation operation is preferred.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The Transportation Director demonstrates:

Programmatic and Administrative Knowledge

• Considerable knowledge of transportation management and the safe and efficient operation of a transportation system.
• Working knowledge of applicable federal and state laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards governing school transportation, commercial motor vehicles, and North Carolina motor vehicle operations.
• Working knowledge of school bus routing and scheduling principles, TIMS, and transportation technology and information systems.
• Working knowledge of vehicular service, preventive maintenance, repair, inspection, and fleet-management principles sufficient to effectively oversee transportation maintenance operations.
• Working knowledge of driver licensing, CDL, medical qualification, drug and alcohol testing, training, and other compliance requirements applicable to school transportation personnel.
• Considerable knowledge of administrative, supervisory, budgeting, purchasing, and personnel practices necessary to effectively lead a multifaceted transportation department.

Leadership and Decision-Making

• Ability to plan, organize, direct, supervise, and evaluate employees performing varied technical, mechanical, operational, and clerical functions.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, resolve complex operational problems, and make timely decisions in routine, stressful, and emergency situations.
• Ability to analyze relevant information, develop appropriate solutions, and make well-supported recommendations to district leadership.

Professional and Ethical Standards

• Thorough knowledge of ethical guidelines, confidentiality requirements, and professional standards of conduct.
• Ability to exercise appropriate discretion and maintain confidentiality when addressing personnel matters, student information, investigations, accidents, and other sensitive matters.
• Ability to model professionalism, dependability, integrity, sound judgment, and accountability.

Communication and Interpersonal Relations

• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in oral and written form and explain transportation procedures, operational decisions, technical information, and regulatory requirements to varied audiences.
• Ability to prepare professional correspondence, reports, recommendations, procedures, and presentations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with district leadership, school administrators, employees, families, governmental agencies, vendors, and members of the general public.
• Ability to effectively address complaints, disagreements, emergencies, and operational concerns with professionalism, tact, courtesy, and sound judgment.

Analytical and Technical Skills

• Ability to gather, interpret, and analyze transportation, financial, routing, staffing, fleet, safety, and operational data to support effective decision-making.
• Ability to effectively utilize transportation management systems, GPS and vehicle tracking technologies, electronic communications systems, databases, spreadsheets, reporting systems, and other computer applications necessary for transportation operations.
• Ability to evaluate routes, fleet needs, staffing levels, operational practices, and resource utilization to identify opportunities for increased safety, efficiency, and effectiveness.

Employment Terms and Application Instructions

This full-time position is subject to an employment contract and observes a 12-month employment calendar. The position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Compensation for the position is made in accordance with the applicable State salary schedule, plus an applicable local supplement. The position qualifies for standard full-time employment benefits.

Interested candidates should submit a completed application for employment online at www.rcsnc.org. A cover letter and current resume must accompany the online employment application. Questions about the position should be directed to Mr. Kevin Bradley, Chief Operating Officer, by email to kbradley@rcsnc.org or by telephone at 828.288.2220.