Associate Public Utililties For Regulatory Enforcement & Ratepayer Affairs (DPUC)

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management • Warwick, RI

6d • Onsite

About The Position

Within the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (DPUC), this role is responsible for the administration and coordination of a program, as well as the supervision of a regulatory staff, engaged in the enforcement of all laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relevant to taxis, limousines, transportation network companies, towers, movers, other property carriers, and ferries carrying passengers for-hire within the state. The position plans, coordinates, and reviews the work of professional, technical, and clerical staff engaged in consumer affairs and regulatory functions. It serves as the Administrator’s representative to legislative commissions regarding ratepayer issues and assists the Attorney General’s Regulatory Unit on matters relating to the motor carrier industry. Additionally, it administers the federal Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) system and ensures the agency's adherence to UCR Board of Director requirements to maximize the State of Rhode Island’s share of UCR funds. The role also oversees carriers providing Non-Emergency Medical Transportation services, serves as agency liaison to the General Assembly on transportation and low-income energy consumer matters, and testifies before hearing officers and in court proceedings. It coordinates federally mandated interstate carrier audits, represents the Administrator at national and international regulatory bodies, and chairs the Rhode Island Towing Advisory Board. Responsibilities include supervising the regulation of motor carriers, drafting and revising regulations, representing the Administrator at various meetings, presiding over administrative hearings, reviewing and approving tariffs, investigating consumer complaints, conducting covert enforcement operations, coordinating enforcement with the State Police, completing federally mandated audits, coordinating the state’s rail safety program, maintaining motor carrier records, advising on policy decisions, conducting fiscal and field audits of motor carriers, implementing and administering a taximeter inspection program, representing the administrator on the Executive Board of the National Conference of State Transportation Specialists (NCSTS), and representing the administrator as a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR). The role is also responsible for preparing reports and orders pertaining to motor carriers, performing public relations functions, overseeing consumer-protection activities, designing approaches to utility regulation problems (billing disputes, service termination), enforcing laws and orders related to electricity, gas, water, and telephone utilities, organizing programs for new laws, answering public inquiries, developing and coordinating a community education program, receiving and investigating complaints against public utility companies, coordinating study committees, and coordinating division activities for rate hearings.

Requirements

• Thorough knowledge of federal and state laws and the rules and regulations governing motor carriers and services providing for-hire transportation of passengers and property, and the ability to explain these laws and rules.
• Thorough knowledge of state laws and regulations governing ratepayer billings and termination/restoration of service.
• Working knowledge of the concepts and goals of the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Board of Directors, the National Conference of State Transportation Specialists, and the International Association of Transportation Regulators.
• Working knowledge of the policies and procedures of the USDOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
• Ability to supervise professional, technical, and clerical personnel engaged in motor carrier regulation and enforcement.
• Ability to conduct public hearings.
• Ability to assume responsibility for change in methods of record keeping and regulatory activities of defined public utilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with motor carrier officials, subordinates, superiors, legislators, and the general public.
• Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from a college of recognized standing in Business, Communications, Public Administration or a closely related field.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of employment in a responsible supervisory position in a regulatory agency involving the compliance of motor carrier or transportation laws, policies, procedures, and regulations, and utility ratepayer billing, payment plans and termination/restoration of service.

Nice To Haves

• Possession of a master’s degree from a college of recognized standing in Business, Communications, Public Administration or a closely related field and a minimum of three (3) years of employment in a responsible supervisory position in a regulatory agency involving the compliance of motor carrier or transportation laws, policies, procedures, and regulations.

Responsibilities

• Administer and coordinate a program for the enforcement of laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures relevant to taxis, limousines, transportation network companies, towers, movers, other property carriers, and ferries carrying passengers for-hire.
• Supervise regulatory staff engaged in consumer affairs and regulatory functions.
• Serve as Administrator’s representative to legislative commissions regarding ratepayer issues.
• Assist the Attorney General’s Regulatory Unit on matters relating to the motor carrier industry.
• Administer the federal Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) system and ensure agency adherence to UCR Board of Director requirements.
• Oversee carriers providing Non-Emergency Medical Transportation services.
• Serve as agency liaison to the General Assembly on matters regarding for-hire passenger and property transportation.
• Serve as agency liaison to the General Assembly on matters regarding low-income energy consumers.
• Testify before Division hearing officers and in Superior/Supreme court proceedings.
• Coordinate federally mandated interstate carrier audits.
• Serve as the Administrator’s designee to legislative study commissions and as the administrator’s representative to national and international regulatory bodies.
• Serve as the Chair of the Rhode Island Towing Advisory Board.
• Supervise the regulation of motor carriers and hired transportation services, including establishing reasonable requirements for service and a uniform system of accounts and records.
• Draft new regulations and revise existing regulations regarding all passenger carriers and property carriers.
• Represent the Administrator of the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers at legislative, judicial, and other meetings and conferences.
• Preside over administrative hearings pertaining to motor carrier operations and issue decisions.
• Review, evaluate, and approve all tariffs presented by regulated carriers regarding rates, terms, and conditions of service.
• Design and defend the implementation of tariffs for non-consensual towing services.
• Investigate consumer complaints and discovery of illegal operations and prosecute violations of law and regulations regarding motor carriers.
• Oversee the unit’s covert enforcement operations to ensure proper and safe transportation of the public and their property.
• Coordinate enforcement activities with the Rhode Island State Police Commercial Enforcement Unit.
• Complete federally mandated audits of inter-state carriers registered with the Unified Carrier Registration System.
• Coordinate the state’s rail safety program, including the review of all pertinent railroad crossings.
• Maintain a comprehensive recordkeeping system of all motor carriers operating within the state.
• Advise the administrator and division staff regarding policy decisions involving motor carrier operations.
• Oversee fiscal audit procedures to review the accounting procedures of motor carriers.
• Oversee field audit procedures of intra-state carriers to review full adherence to state law, agency regulations, and approved tariffs.
• Implement and administer a program to inspect and verify the accuracy of taximeters.
• Represent the administrator on the Executive Board of the National Conference of State Transportation Specialists (NCSTS).
• Represent the administrator as a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association of Transportation Regulators (IATR).
• Prepare reports and orders pertaining to motor carriers.
• Perform public relations functions relating to transportation and its regulations.
• Be immediately responsible for the consumer-protection activities of the DPUC.
• Design innovative approaches to problems in utility regulation relative to billing disputes and termination of utility service.
• Be responsible for enforcement of laws and orders of the Public Utilities Commission pertaining to electricity, gas, water, telephone, and other public utilities.
• Organize and plan programs for the administration of new laws relating to public utilities.
• Answer inquiries of the public concerning rights and duties under these laws.
• Develop and coordinate a community education program to acquaint the general public with the DPUC's purposes, concerns, operations, and achievements.
• Receive and investigate complaints against public utility companies from utility consumers.
• Coordinate study committees as assigned by the Administrator.
• Coordinate the activities of the division in preparation for rate hearings.

Benefits

• Information regarding benefits available to State of Rhode Island employees can be found on the Office of Employee Benefits' website.
• Direct deposit for all employees is required.
• Employees hired after September 30, 2014, must participate in the direct deposit system.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager