May 18 is National Public Transportation Career Day. 

Working in transit can be a fulfilling experience, because you know your efforts are helping people, protecting our resources and our environment, and bringing communities together.

What kind of skills do you need to work in public transportation?

Transit agencies need people in many different areas to keep them running.

Operators

Bus and train operators have an enormous responsibility and great importance. They must get customers to their destination in a safe and timely manner. They are the face of the transit agency, and they work most closely with the customers, so courtesy, quick thinking, and problem solving are essential skills.

Dispatch

Dispatch teams are in constant communication with the operators. When buses have to detour around construction or a traffic incident, dispatch will determine a safe alternative route and help customers get where they need to go. If a vehicle needs servicing while it’s out on the road, dispatch is the operator’s first call. Dispatch will help emergency teams locate the bus if police or medical assistance is needed.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance professionals monitor the operations of a transit agency to spot problems and keep the system running smoothly. They may use advanced tracking technology, or simply their own eyes and ears when they go out in the field.

Transit planners

Transit planners have the essential and challenging responsibility of creating the routes and schedules for the agency. They look at things like ridership, demographics, local destinations, traffic patterns, safety, and efficiency.

Vehicle technology and maintenance

Vehicle technology and maintenance professionals are in charge of choosing the right vehicles for the agency, supplying the vehicles with technology (like GPS trackers, people counters, and on-board digital displays), and maintaining them so that they can safely serve customers for many years to come.

People who are trailblazers with innovative technologies may work with electric buses, autonomous vehicles, or partnering with app-based ride services.

Facilities and construction

Facilities and construction project management personnel keep buildings, transit stops, and stations safe, functional, and welcoming and supervise new construction.

Finance

Finance professionals such as controllers and accountants are essential. Transit agencies also need personnel who handle fare revenue and grants management.

Procurement

Procurement personnel ensure that agencies are wise stewards of the funds they get from customers and taxpayers.

Government

Public transportation goes hand-in-hand with all levels of government. Personnel that work with elected officials and the executive staff include those in government relations, board support, and executive assistance.

Marketing

Marketing and communication professionals give customers the information they need and share the benefits of transit with people in the community who aren’t customers. They may use digital media (like websites, blogs, and social media) or other media like video, photography, and printed content. They also may plan events and find other ways to engage with the community.

Most agencies will need assistance in positions you could find in organizations from many different fields: customer service, information technology, reception, human resources, contract managers, executives, supervisors, and general managers.

Do you see a place for yourself in the world of public transportation? We invite you to go good places with us. Open positions at our administrative offices in West Covina are listed on our Careers page. Our operations and maintenance facility in Arcadia as well as our four Transit Stores are managed by Transdev. Click here to find their employment opportunities. Search in Arcadia for operation and maintenance positions and in El Monte and West Covina for customer service and facilities positions. And click here for our operations and maintenance facility in Pomona, managed by Keolis.