Major Duties and Responsibilities

This position is responsible for providing transportation for persons with disabilities.

• Drives and schedules trips for ADA paratransit and Dial-A-Ride premium bus service.
• Maintains route schedule; and collects fares.
• Prepares the bus for safe operations; performs pre-trip inspection; performs safety prevention checklist daily.
• Boards and assists ADA qualified persons as needed; operates a wheelchair lift; straps down wheelchairs to prevent them from moving during transportation; ensures that passenger travel is safe and timely
• May perform the duties of the ADA Coordinator in his or her absence; types schedules for the following day and sends to the Transfer Station. Provides information and directional assistance.
• Accesses revenue readings for surveys data reports.
• Participates in random drug and alcohol testing.
• Notifies dispatcher and obtains necessary repairs and maintenance work at each turn around point; secures bus in case of accident or engine malfunction; directs traffic around the bus if needed.
• Performs administrative duties; answers the paratransit phone; schedules appointments; records appointments as they are called in.
• Assists in training new bus operators.
• Knowledgeable about the special customer service needs and assistance needs of persons with mental and physical disabilities.
• Provides transportation to Homeland Security support in the event of an emergency (Small Bus Only).
• May perform dispatcher duties such as answering questions about routes, fares, schedules, 10-10 for buses leaving the transfer center, relay incident & accident information, sell passes when ticket vending machine is not working, process Metra ID cards and perform customer service duties. Attend driver refresher training; attend courses in defensive driving. Participates in random drug and alcohol testing.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the skills necessary for the possession of a commercial driver's license.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of securing wheelchairs and clients for transportation in a bus.
• Knowledge of city streets. Knowledge of ADA regulations and requirements.
• Knowledge of safe van access points, safety precautions, and first aid techniques and procedures. Skill in the operation of standard office equipment.
• Skill in the operation of a bus.
• Skill in the operation of a wheelchair lift and tie down equipment.
• Skill in oral and written communication.

Minimum Educational and Training Requirements

Knowledge and level of competency commonly associated with the completion of specialized training in the occupational field, in addition to basic skills typically associated with a high school education. Sufficient experience to understand the basic principles relevant to the major duties of the position, usually associated with the completion of an apprenticeship/internship or having had a similar position for one to two years. Possession of or ability to readily obtain a valid driver's license issued by the State of Georgia for the type of vehicle or equipment operated.

Physical Requirements

The work is typically performed while sitting for prolonged periods of time in a driver's seat and/or at a keyboard. The employee must have the ability to: lift up to twenty-five (25) pounds; push an occupied standard wheelchair with weight capacity per ADA standards (600 pounds); open emergency hatch on top of bus; manually lift bus ramp if needed; open emergency exit windows; walk around and inspect vehicle. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Balancing - maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching.
• Crawling - moving about on hands, knees, or hands, feet.
• Crouching - bending body forward by bending leg, spine.
• Feeling - perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.
• Grasping - applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.
• Handling - picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
• Hearing 1 - perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.
• Hearing 2 - receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling - bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.
• Lifting - raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.
• Manual Dexterity - picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
• Mental Acuity - ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
• Pulling - use upper extremities to exert force, haul or tug.
• Pushing - use upper extremities to press against objects with force, or thrust forward, downward, outward.
• Reaching - extending hands or arms in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion - substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
• Speaking - expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
• Stooping - bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities. and back.
• Sitting – ability to sit for long periods driving and/or scheduling.
• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word.
• Talking 2 - shouting to be heard above ambient noise.
• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.
• Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.
• Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.
• Visual Acuity 4 - operate motor vehicles/heavy equipment.
• Visual Acuity 5 -close acuity for inspection of small defects, machines, use measurement devices, or fabricate parts.
• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

The work is typically performed in an office, library, computer room, or outdoors where the employee may be exposed to noise, dust, dirt, grease, fumes, machinery with moving parts, contagious or infectious diseases, irritating chemicals, hot, cold or inclement weather.