Transportation Planning Manager

Job Title:              Transportation Planning Manager
Department:       Transportation Planning
Reports to:           Director of Operations
FLSA Status:        Salary, Exempt
Office Location: Camarillo, CA
Wage Scale:          $80,000-$85,000

COMPANY

Since 1991, R&D Transportation Services, Inc. (R&D) has successfully worked with California Regional Centers and School Districts to deliver a comprehensive brokerage model that consists of Scheduling, Billing and Contract Administration, Customer Service Center, and Quality Assurance for Field Operations.  Although not a direct transportation service provider, R&D coordinates with vendors to ensure that they operate safe, reliable, and efficient transportation services for people with developmental and physical disabilities. 

SUMMARY

R&D’s Transportation Planning Department is the gateway to how we accomplish our organizational mission to promote safe, efficient, reliable, and cost-effective transportation solutions for our customers.  This begins with important work that takes place in vendor contract administration, computerized routing, and scheduling, and is ultimately reflected in the quality of our billing services.  For this reason, the quality of the key performance indicators of this department is held to a high standard of service delivery.  Ultimately, the results-driven outcomes are manifested in the strong partnerships that R&D has built with customers over the past 32 years.  The Transportation Planning Manager is responsible for the leadership and administration of the department, technical support/expertise, and on-going training and development of personnel.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include, but are not limited to the following:

Leadership / Management

• Manage department including staff training/development, monitoring and adhering to R&D policies/procedures that align with organizational goals and objectives
• Communicate and implement safety rules, organizational policies, and procedures and maintain accountability for the performance of all subordinate employees
• Develop department guidelines, strategies, and policies.
• Assign functions/projects to department staff and continuously evaluate the productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the department
• Provide technical support and policy guidance to interface transportation vendor contracts, with R&D’s computerized routing and planning systems, to produce accurate billing reports
• Nurture and maintain open communication between Scheduling and Billing/Contracts staff for the purpose of keeping all informed of items pertinent to them, their region, and/or the company
• Looks for opportunity to expand IT to build capacity and improve capabilities of the department to enhance service delivery to our customers

Contracts / Billing Administration

• Ensure that Billing/Contracts Specialist:
  • processes billing invoices within established Center timelines, in order to ensure that payments are completed by the expected timeline
  • collaborates with Schedulers to resolve billing discrepancies for vendor submissions that exceed the scheduled allowable units
  • generates monthly quantitative reports
  • completes and reconciles Monthly/Adds Deletes reports to monitor that the Centers process authorizations accordingly
  • generates monthly customized billing reports as requested by customers
• Ensure that contracts are established in accordance with respective project requirements, create and maintain a database of active contracts, renewal timelines, and maintain current contract files that include amendments, current insurance certificates, and pertinent contract source documents

Routing / Scheduling

• Ensure that Schedulers:
  • establish routes in accordance with routing and scheduling guidelines for respective projects
  • create and maintain a database of area program schedules
  • maintain a database of vendor vehicle configurations and capacities; and
  • maintain a database of rider files (including special needs like wheelchair accessibility, behavioral, and ride-time limits)

Building Partnerships with Customers

• Resolve and respond to escalated customer questions, complaints and comments as they relate to the department
• Prepare comprehensive reports, correspondence, and presentations

Reporting / Special Projects

• Analyze cost of proposed additions/changes to existing transportation systems
• Review accuracy of billing reports (include routing and ridership figures) that are the product of the work generated by the Schedulers
• Review and analyze statistical information for accuracy and compliance to numerous vendor contracts and distinct project budgets
• Conduct complex planning, implementation, funding, and analytical projects
• Apply, develop, and evaluate analytical, quantitative, and statistical tools and their results
• Develop and monitor projections, impacts and budgets for regional center and school district transportation systems
• Evaluate costs, benefits, and risks of alternative vendor selections
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed herein are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree (B.A) from four-year college or university; and minimum five (5) years’ progressively responsible experience in management of passenger operations, transportation planning, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Demonstrated management ability with staff management and development and/or proven track record in project management leading team(s) to perform optimally in accordance with contractual/budgetary requirements.

KNOWLEDGE

• Theories, principles, practices of passenger transportation planning in the area of ADA
• Applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations; governing transportation policy
• Passenger transit system safety culture, operations, and scheduling
• Organization and processes of local, regional, and state government, including legislative regulations
• Financial, analytical, statistical, and mathematical methods and procedures

ABILITIES

• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Excellent numeracy skills that include advanced mathematics, algebra, geometry, statistics, an ability to interpret bar graphs
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Interact professionally with various levels of employees and outside representatives
• Professionally represent R&D before our customers
• Think and act independently
• Conduct comprehensive studies and analyses
• Establish and implement relevant policies and procedures
• Experience with Versatrans routing and planning system preferable. However, experience with other computerized routing and planning programs will be considered.
• Computer proficiency in Windows and Microsoft Office Applications

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit.  The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel mostly in the use of a computer keyboard and mouse; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and color vision for use of the computer and the color differentiations in the computer routing programs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.