E26/27 ROUTE PLANNER (TRANSPORTATION)

Arlington Public Schools•Arlington, VA

4d•$66,974 - $109,774•Onsite

About The Position

Plans and schedules school bus routes for students (Special Needs/General Education) APS-wide, utilizing route planning and GPS software to provide decision-support information for safe, timely, effective, and efficient student transportation. This includes optimizing routes, stops, runs, times, and bus assignments, considering factors like school boundaries, road networks, traffic patterns, student needs, and fleet capacity. The role also involves analyzing route coupling options, fuel costs, and "what-if" scenarios related to enrollment and school configurations to identify areas for improvement. The software capabilities include bus, stop, and rider tracking through GPS information.

Requirements

Knowledge of bus route planning and scheduling considering geographic, demographic, and other factors (road networks, traffic patterns, locations, speeds, times, distances, fleet capability/availability, students with special needs).
Knowledge of software that assists in route planning and scheduling.
Knowledge of related bus transportation operations (dispatching and safe bus operation).
Full performance user-level knowledge of, and skill in, or ability to rapidly acquire this level of knowledge of, the route planning/scheduling software of APS.
Knowledge of, or ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of, road networks, traffic patterns, locations of schools, and related geographic and demographic information pertinent to transport of K-12 students in Arlington County.
Knowledge of, or ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of, key Federal, State and local regulations, Arlington School Board policies, and APS initiatives, guidelines and standards applying to the planning and scheduling of K-12 student transport.
Skill in problem solving to select, organize and logically process relevant information to solve a problem.
Ability to recognize subtle aspects of problems, identify relevant information and make balanced analyses and recommendations.
Skill in written communication to understand written information and express such information in writing.
Skill in oral communication to understand verbal information and express such information verbally to others.
Ability to listen actively and encourage effective oral communication by others.
Interpersonal skills to interact with contacts in a business-like, customer service-oriented manner.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and work in harmony with supervisors, staff, students, and the general public.
Skill in using a computer, modem, office suite software (such as MS Office), and telecommunications devices.
Ability and willingness to work in a fluid environment under pressure of changing priorities, deadlines, and peak periods.
An Associate degree in business, logistics, information technology or systems, transportation, or any field related to the core responsibilities of this class, OR an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
Three years of progressively responsible experience in bus transportation route planning and scheduling comparable to the size and scope of APS, which included the use of planning and scheduling software comparable to that used by APS.
Experience working with people of diverse backgrounds and tailoring and delivering work products and services to meet the needs of diverse groups.

Nice To Haves

Experience using school bus routes to plan student bus routes.
Experience using knowledge of Arlington County road networks, neighborhoods, school boundaries and other local information to plan ground transportation routes/schedules.
CDL Class B with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements are preferred.
Must successfully qualify for and obtain a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements within one year of accepting the Route Planner position as a condition of continued employment in the role.

Responsibilities

Plans and schedules school bus routes for students (Special Needs/General Education), APS-wide.
Maintains and uses APS route planning and GPS software to generate alternatives and decision-support information for school bus transport.
Analyzes route coupling options, fuel costs, and short-term alternatives considering weather and construction.
Conducts preliminary analysis of "what-if" changes in student enrollments, school configurations, and other variables.
Analyzes performance data and trends to highlight areas of problematic or suboptimum transportation performance and identify improvement options.
Schedules bus transportation (routes/runs/stops/times/sequences/buses/etc.) for all students using computer-assisted routing and GPS software.
Plans for the school year, after-school programs, summer school, field trips, and other special events.
Adjusts all schedules as needed on a daily, short-term, and long-term basis.
Assigns students to routes, completes written schedules, and submits them for approval and distribution.
Analyzes mileage data, vehicle load data, and fuel costs to assess costs.
Makes short-term adjustments or emergency changes in routes/schedules due to weather, construction, etc.
Provides input from route planning/scheduling and general analytical perspectives on student transport performance and improvement options.
Analyzes long-term route/schedule alternatives by considering "what-if" changes in student enrollment levels, school configurations, and other variables.
Analyzes performance data such as vehicle loads, late stops, missed stops, and speeds to identify and suggest improvement options.
Tracks buses and riders using Geographic Positioning System (GPS) information for routine and non-routine purposes.
Maintains the security of data of all types.
Stores and retrieves information about students, vehicles, and routes/schedules.
Reroutes and reschedules transportation for students as pertinent to conditions.
May coordinate with the Office of Special Education to respond to special needs transportation requests.
May develop and maintain record-keeping systems and databases on Bus Drivers and Bus Attendants.
May attend Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings to offer input concerning transportation alternatives.
Maintains situational awareness (weather, traffic, roadwork, school openings/closings) to make rapid, effective adjustments to transportation services.
Uses the system to produce required and special reports.
Quality assures data before entry into databases or use in reports.
May coordinate software issues with a vendor or the Department of Information Services.
May interface with instructional personnel regarding student data information systems.
Stays abreast of developments directly affecting APS school bus transportation routing/scheduling.
Provides basic training to co-workers in Transportation Services on system modules.
Responds to internal help desk calls.
Uses computer and modern office software suites for communication, word processing, research, and other general office applications.
May act as, or for, the supervisor, as assigned.
Performs related duties, as assigned.