Paratransit General Manager

First Student•New York, NY

2d•$195,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Paratransit General Manager leads all aspects of daily paratransit operations, including safety, service performance, contract compliance, employee leadership, customer partnership, and financial results. This role oversees a fast-paced transportation operation supporting passengers who rely on safe, dependable, and accessible service. The General Manager partners with drivers, dispatch, maintenance, safety, training, customer stakeholders, and regional leadership to ensure service is delivered safely, on time, and in compliance with company and contract expectations. The ideal candidate is a hands-on transportation leader who can balance people leadership, customer service, operational discipline, and performance accountability in a high-volume environment.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required
Valid driver’s license required

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Transportation, Logistics, Operations Management, or related field preferred
5+ years of transportation, paratransit, transit, logistics, school bus, or passenger transportation leadership experience preferred
Previous general management, operations management, location management, or terminal leadership experience preferred
Experience managing contract-based transportation operations strongly preferred
Experience leading frontline teams, including drivers, dispatchers, supervisors, and operational support staff
Knowledge of paratransit, ADA transportation, accessible transportation, or demand-response operations preferred
Experience with collective bargaining, union environments, or union labor relations a plus
Strong understanding of transportation safety, compliance, service performance, customer expectations, labor planning, staffing, scheduling, and performance accountability
Ability to analyze operational data and use performance metrics to drive improvement
Strong customer service, communication, conflict resolution, relationship management, problem-solving, decision-making, and follow-up skills
Ability to lead in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and time-sensitive service needs
Financial acumen with the ability to manage labor, productivity, expenses, and operational efficiency
Computer literacy required, including ability to use Microsoft Office and transportation-related systems
CDL or appropriate passenger transportation license preferred or required based on location needs

Responsibilities

Lead daily paratransit operations to ensure safe, reliable, compliant, and customer-focused service
Oversee dispatch, routing, scheduling, driver performance, service delivery, and operational support functions
Ensure compliance with contract requirements, company policies, safety standards, and applicable regulations
Monitor key performance indicators, including on-time performance, missed trips, service delays, customer concerns, safety, staffing, and operational efficiency
Partner with customer stakeholders, agencies, and internal leadership to resolve service issues and maintain strong working relationships
Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to drivers, dispatchers, supervisors, trainers, and other location team members
Support recruiting, onboarding, training, retention, attendance, performance management, and labor planning
Promote a safety-first culture through communication, coaching, incident review, documentation, and accountability
Partner with maintenance to support fleet readiness, vehicle availability, preventive maintenance, and timely issue resolution
Support financial performance through effective management of labor, overtime, fleet utilization, productivity, and controllable expenses
Maintain accurate records, reporting, audits, and compliance documentation
Identify operational gaps and implement process improvements to improve service quality, safety, communication, and efficiency
Communicate regularly with regional leadership regarding performance, risks, staffing, customer concerns, and operational needs
Complete special projects and additional duties as assigned