ACCESS OPERATOR 

Training Wage: $16.13/hour; Post-Training Wage: $17.97/hour + some paid leave 

Post-Probation Wage: $18.33/hour + medical insurance after 6 months 

JOB DUTIES: 

ACCESS service is door-to-door or curb-to-curb transit service provided to eligible elderly passengers and persons with disabilities. 

  • Operate a 28-foot or smaller bus or van to pick up and transport elderly passengers and persons with disabilities to/from their destination. 

  • Escort/assist passengers from door at home or pick-up location to bus and help them with boarding and disembarking. 

  • Load and unload passengers using wheelchairs and scooters while operating the vehicle lift and securing the mobility aids in vehicles. 

  • Monitor fare collection and provide information to passengers about available services. 

  • Interact effectively with passengers, coworkers and supervisors in a professional and courteous manner. 

HOURS OF WORK: 

  • Extra-Board Operators must be available to work up to six days a week, including weekends during all hours of operation (Monday through Friday from 4:20 am - 9:30 pm and Saturday from 8:30 am - 6:30 pm). Part-time A Board Operators are guaranteed 30 hours of work per week but often work up to 40 hours a week and sometimes more during peak service times. Operators are guaranteed one day off a week and may receive additional days off, depending on the workload. 

  • Part-time A Board Operators must be available to work up to six days a week, including weekends during all hours of operation (Monday through Friday from 4:20 am - 9:30 pm and Saturday from 8:30 am - 6:30 pm). Part-time A Board Operators are guaranteed 15 hours of work per week but often work up to 20 hours a week and sometimes more during peak service times. Operators are guaranteed one day off a week and may receive additional days off, depending on the workload. 

  • Part-time B Board Operators may limit the days they are available to work, but they must be available during all service hours on the days they are available to work. Part-time B Board Operators do not have a guarantee of hours. 

TRAINING: 

You will attend up to three weeks of classroom and bus maneuvering training and up to 160 – 200 hours of additional ACCESS specific training. 

SALARY & BENEFITS: 

Salary is $16.13/hr. during training, increasing to $17.97/hr during the 6-month probation period. After probation, operator pay increases to $18.33/hr. Extra-Board Operators are eligible to receive medical and dental insurance for themselves and all dependents. Part-time A-Board Operators are eligible to receive medical insurance for themselves and up to two dependents, beginning the 7th month of employment. They also accrue a total of 64 hours of general leave per year, in bi-weekly increments. Part-time B Board Operators are eligible for medical insurance for themselves, beginning the 7th month of employment, for which Kitsap transit pays 50% of the premium. In addition, all part-time operators are eligible for quarterly individual merit pay, when they qualify. 

LOCATION OF WORK: 

Operators are required to report to work on a daily basis at any one of Kitsap Transit's bases. These bases are currently in Bremerton, Port Orchard, and Poulsbo and are required to provide their own transportation to/from all work report locations. 

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: 

  • You must have a valid Washington State Driver's License and an excellent driving record at the time of hire. We review driving records up to the last five years. 

  • You must pass a Commercial Driver's License exam with a Class C and passenger endorsement by the end of training. 

  • You must maintain the CDL, corresponding medical certificate and a good driving record during the length of your employment with Kitsap Transit. 

  • You are responsible for ensuring that during the course of employment as a Kitsap Transit operator, you meet fitness requirements for the job as a CDL driver under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration/Department of Transportation guidelines. Kitsap Transit will follow FMCSA/DOT guidelines in all medical fitness issues. 

AGE: 

You must be at least 18 years old at time of hire. 

EDUCATION: 

Requires a High School Diploma or GED 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

You must be in good physical condition including eyesight correctable to 20/40, and have normal speech and hearing ability. You must pass a pre-employment physical capacities test, CDL physical examination and a drug screen prior to hire. Additionally, you must pass a practical fit test to ensure that you have sufficient strength to operate a large vehicle and help passengers in wheelchairs with their personal belongings. You must be able to fit comfortably in the driver’s seat, safely and effectively reach and operate pedals and equipment and push/pull manual wheelchairs with passengers in them. 

OTHER: 

As a Kitsap Transit ACCESS Driver, you may be assigned to drive in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) and/or Naval Base Kitsap. In order to do so, you must pass a criminal history check and be able to obtain a B8 security clearance badge. We have been informed that under the new security guidelines, only those individuals who are US citizens or permanent residents can apply for this clearance. Additionally, individuals with convicted felonies in the last ten years and/or individuals who have been convicted at any time as sex offenders or have been required to register as sex offenders will not qualify. As our routes include this area, we are unable to accept applications from candidates who may be disqualified under any of the above criteria. 

WORKING CONDITIONS: 

Operators must be able to: 

  • Sit and operate a bus for long periods of time with infrequent breaks. 

  • Turn side-to-side and reach overhead to adjust mirrors and push/pull up to a force of 50 pounds. 

  • Lift up to 25 pounds overhead. 

  • Bend, squat, and kneel to secure wheelchairs many times a day, to install tire chains, and to complete pre-trip inspections of vehicles. 

  • Lift up to 50 pounds to assist passengers with bags or packages. 

  • Partial lift/slide of wheelchair onto the bus (up to 115 lbs. of force) 

  • Maneuver passengers in manual wheelchairs to/from the bus on all surface terrains including ramps, walkways and driveways. 

  • Must be able to climb up to several flights of stairs to escort passengers and to go up and down two steps when getting on and off the bus 20 - 30 times a day. 

  • Maneuver in and out of confined spaces periodically throughout the shift. 

TO APPLY: If you decide to apply for this position, please visit our employment link at http://kitsaptransit.appone.com/. Please contact Marisol Castro at (360) 475-0211, if you have any questions. 

CLOSING DATE: Open continuously. 

  • Kitsap Transit conducts pre-employment drug screening. 

  • Selective certification may be used to achieve affirmative action goals. 

  • Kitsap Transit is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the hiring process, contact jobapplada@kitsaptransit.com at least ten days in advance or (360) 479-4348 (TDD). 

  • If you qualify for Veteran's preference under RCW 41.04.005 and 41.04.010, you must submit at the time of application, a DD214 and a completed Veteran's Preference Declaration form (available at the employment link of Kitsap Transit’s website or by calling (360) 479-6962). 

Kitsap Transit is subject to the requirements of the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and CFR Part 40 & Part 655, which prohibits the use of marijuana at any time while employed by Kitsap Transit. 

Kitsap Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer