1349 Transit System Administrator-Planner

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Director of Safety and Transportation

MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR Vice President for Administration and Finance

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Transit System Administrator/Planner serves as the University's single point of contact for all Transit System matters and is responsible for the management, administration, and planning functions for the University's Transit System. The Transit System Administrator/Planner serves as the University's representative to the Springfield Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and cooperates with such other planning organizations as are appropriate to support the University's transit system and facility transit planning, e.g., Missouri Public Transit Association. The Transit System Administrator/Planner maintains liaison with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and Region VII of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regarding all matters affecting the University's transit system, prepares and submits all required reports, serves as the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Officer for the Transit System, establishes and maintains such records and files as are necessary (including any contracts for transit services) to manage the transit system, remains current on all relevant state and federal transit regulations, supervises other staff as may be required to effectively administer the transit system, and manages the Transit System budget.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A high school diploma or the equivalent, combined with a record of successful completion of training/education in transportation planning and/or transit system management/operations, is required. A Bachelor's degree is preferred.

Experience: If the educational level is less than a Bachelor’s degree, 10 years of professional experience in transit-related positions are required. More specifically, for any educational level, at least two of the years of experience must be in federal or state grants management in any of the following areas: urban planning, transportation planning or management, transit system management, or Federal Transit Administration (FTA) programs.

Skills: Effective oral and written communication skills, the ability to manage and direct staff, competency in organizing administrative functions and preparation of narrative and financial reports, and computer literacy including familiarity with electronic reporting, are required. Familiarity with National Transit Database (NTD) reporting and the Transportation Electronic Award and Management (TEAM) system are preferred.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Ensures that the University's Transit System is in compliance with applicable federal and state transit regulations by maintaining a library of relevant transit regulation, policies, circular, and similar documents, becoming knowledgeable of and remaining current on all such applicable publications, interpreting federal and state transit policies and regulation to determine the University's compliance requirement, and implementing such federal and/or state policies and regulations as are necessary to assure that the University's Transit System is compliant, including mandated drug testing and training of those covered by the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act.

2. Communicates the University's Transit System needs to local decision-making bodies by participating as a member of the Springfield Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), being knowledgeable of and conversant on the University's transit system master plan, and preparing and submitting the University's annual Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) as directed by the MPO.

3. Provides direction and leadership for the University's Transit System planning effort by serving as the chair of the University's transit system planning group, developing such transit system plans as are necessary and which support the transit system master plan, scheduling meetings of the University's transit system planning group as necessary to obtain decisions on transit system plans, and preparing such transit system planning documents as are necessary to support the transit system master plan.

4. Ensures compliance with federal and state transit system reporting requirements (such as the National Transit Database (NTD) annual report) by determining what reports are required by each governmental administrative or transit agency and when such reports are submitted, preparing all required reports and obtaining any necessary supporting documentation, retaining sufficient copies in appropriate files to demonstrate reporting compliance, and submitting such reports as specified in the governing regulation or policy.

5. Maintains effective liaison with MoDOT and Federal Transit Administration Region VII by serving as the University's single point of contact on all transit system matters, maintaining currency on all approved and pending transit system grants, projects, and programs, and being knowledgeable of and conversant on the University's transit system master plan.

6. Assures satisfactory results on the Federal Transit Administration Triennial Review by being knowledgeable of the applicable FTA regulations and the required standards in all evaluated areas, organizing the various University offices and agencies who participate in FTA grants activities or provide support to such activities into an effective working group, supervising preparations for the Triennial Review in all evaluated areas, communicating with the FTA Review Team and providing such advance packet information as they may require, coordinating and scheduling the Triennial Review on-site visit, and participating in the on-site Triennial Review.

7. Ensures the accountability of and monitors the condition of all transit system property and equipment by receiving, inventorying, and recording all property and transit equipment purchased with federal funding assistance, maintaining accurate property control records of all transit system equipment, conducting such periodic inventories as are required by federal and/or state regulations or directives, reporting equipment losses or damage as soon as discovered and determining fault or obtaining relief, repair, and/or replacement of such items, and providing all required reports to the requesting agency as directed.

8. Assures that the University's contract for "purchased transportation services" provides the specified services, meets Federal Transit Administration requirements for such services, and protects the University's financial investment by working with the University's Purchasing Office in bidding and selecting a provider of such transit services, including such language in the contract as meets FTA regulatory requirements for federally funded grant recipients, monitoring transit system operations to determine effectiveness of services and routes, condition and maintenance of vehicles, and users' complaints, and meeting with the "purchased transportation services" provider to discuss and correct transit system contract issues.

9. Ensures the University's compliance with federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) requirements by serving as the University's Transit System DBE officer, being knowledgeable of the applicable FTA regulations, monitoring compliance with such DBE requirements in all transit system contracts, investigating all DBE complaints and providing the Administration with the specifics of the complaint and recommended corrective action, if necessary, creating and maintaining appropriate DBE records and files, and submitting timely and accurate DBE reports.

10. Administers the University's Federal Transit Administration grants program by interpreting FTA Circulars and policies to ascertain grant requirements with which the University must comply, prescribing guidelines for creating/maintaining a credible/functional filing and cross-reference system among University offices/agencies that fulfills FTA requirements, monitoring the University's grant execution actions and assuring good dialogue with affected agencies/offices on and off campus, and functioning as a clearing house for University FTA grant actions originated on campus.

11. Ensures that operation of the shuttle system provides the specified services in meeting university students' goals and requirements for the system by working cooperatively with the Student Government Association (SGA) and other such representative bodies as may be appropriate in shuttle system planning and communicating transit system master plans and decisions to SGA representatives.

12. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses required by the Director, Safety and Transportation.

13. Contributes to the overall success and effectiveness of the University's Transit System by performing all other relevant duties and responsibilities as assigned.

SUPERVISION

The Transit System Administrator/Planner is supervised by the Director, Safety and Transportation.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES REVISED NOVEMBER 2003