Supervisor, Transportation Shift

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority•Austin, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Transportation Shift Supervisor reports directly to the Supervisor, Rail Transportation and provides first-line floor supervision for Engineers and Conductors on an assigned shift, while also carrying crew-calling responsibility. During peak crew-change windows, crew calling—building and managing the crew board, calling crews within hours-of-service windows, marking crews up and down, and managing the extra board—is the primary focus. Outside those windows, floor supervision, including ride checks, efficiency testing, real-time incident response, coaching, and discipline, is the default duty. The position maintains proficiency in both functions through cross-training so crew calling can continue when another Transportation Shift Supervisor is unavailable. Safeguards, including a second review by the Supervisor, Transportation, apply to crew assignment decisions made immediately after disciplinary action to protect fairness and hours-of-service compliance. The role ensures safe, accurate, and consistent crew supervision and staffing in accordance with CapMetro operating rules, safety procedures, and applicable FRA requirements, including hours-of-service regulations under 49 CFR Part 228. It supports regulatory compliance, audit-ready documentation, incident response, and CapMetro’s Safety Management Systems process. The supervisor directs and manages department personnel, including planning and scheduling work, overseeing assignments, coordinating work with vendors and consultants, and conducting personnel actions. Work takes place in a rail yard, field, and dispatch/crew-office environment, with exposure to inclement weather, moving equipment, and other rail-yard hazards. The position requires sustained attention and time-critical decision-making during crew-calling windows, travel throughout rail-yard and field locations, and the ability to work varying and rotating shifts, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays. It is an onsite position, with work in an office or field location expected four or more days per week.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Eight years of progressively responsible experience in railroad or rail transit T&E crew operations.
Knowledge of railroad or rail transit T&E crew operations, operating rules, and hours-of-service regulations under 49 CFR Part 228.
Knowledge of crew-calling and crew-board management practices, including marking crews up and down and managing the extra board.
Ability to promote and sustain a positive safety culture and recognize and respond to safety risks, rule deviations, and fatigue-related concerns.
Supervisory capability, including assigning work, monitoring performance, coaching employees, addressing attendance or conduct concerns, and administering discipline.
Ability to manage competing priorities between floor supervision and crew-calling duties, particularly during peak crew-change windows.
Strong interpersonal and leadership skills and the ability to communicate effectively and professionally across a politically, economically, and culturally diverse workforce.
Ability to recognize potential conflicts of interest between discipline and crew-assignment responsibilities and follow established safeguards.
Proficiency in standard business, scheduling, and crew-calling software applications.
Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle and use telephone or radio/headset equipment.
Ability to stand, walk, and travel throughout rail-yard and field locations for a significant portion of the workday; lift and move material weighing up to 20 pounds; work at a computer terminal for several hours a day; and function amid constant interruptions.
Ability to work varying shifts, days, nights, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts, including peak crew-change windows.
Regular and predictable attendance at the assigned work location.
Must be currently authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.
Must participate in the employer’s testing program for prohibited substances; participation is a condition of employment, and safety-sensitive employees are subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
Incumbents are subject to annual background checks.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree or bachelor’s degree in Transportation, Business Administration, or a related field.
One year of lead, supervisory, or crew-calling/scheduling experience.
Previous experience as a Conductor or Engineer, or direct crew-calling/crew-dispatch experience.

Responsibilities

Supervise Engineers and Conductors on the assigned shift, monitor performance, coordinate shift coverage, review attendance, and ensure crew positions are staffed for safe and compliant rail operations.
Conduct ride checks, efficiency testing, and operational testing in accordance with CapMetro and FRA requirements; document results and coach crews on findings.
Provide first-line coaching, guidance, and feedback to support safe, accurate, and rules-compliant performance.
Serve as the on-duty supervisory escalation point for service disruptions, incidents, and urgent operational decisions within established authority; escalate matters beyond shift-level authority to the Supervisor, Rail Transportation.
Promote a proactive safety culture by encouraging hazard identification, near-miss reporting, and timely escalation of safety concerns.
Document coaching, attendance, performance concerns, rule-compliance issues, and corrective actions; administer discipline consistent with CapMetro policy.
Build and manage the crew board for the assigned shift and call Engineers and Conductors for assignments within applicable hours-of-service windows.
Mark crews up and down, manage the extra board, and fill vacancies to maintain continuous, compliant crew coverage.
Track and document hours-of-service compliance for crew-calling decisions and flag near-miss rest-period issues to the Supervisor, Rail Transportation.
Coordinate crew-calling activity with the OCC so crew availability aligns with train movement and service needs.
Maintain proficiency in crew-calling through cross-training to ensure coverage when another Transportation Shift Supervisor is unavailable.
Ensure crew supervision and crew-calling activities comply with applicable FRA requirements, including hours of service, crew qualification, and required documentation, as well as FTA, TxDOT, and agency policies.
Review shift logs, crew-calling records, incident records, and other required documentation for completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and audit readiness.
Support incident response and after-action follow-up by collecting shift information, identifying rule-compliance issues, and tracking corrective actions.
Coordinate regularly with the Supervisor, Rail Transportation regarding shift staffing, crew performance, hours-of-service compliance, and operational readiness.
Support CapMetro’s Safety Management Systems process by ensuring staff follows safety and security policies, considers safety in their actions, and reports safety and security concerns.
Plan, schedule, delegate, and oversee employee work assignments; authorize, coordinate, and schedule work with vendors and consultants; and conduct personnel actions, including hiring and interviewing, as well as overseeing hiring, training, work assignments, and performance evaluations.
Perform other duties as required and/or assigned.