Supervisor, Transit Scheduling and Optimization

Supervisor, Transit Scheduling and Optimization

Job Number: 3701

Job Type: Full-Time

Location: 250 Strasburg Rd - Transit-Strasburg Road Ops

Job Category: Transportation

Number of Positions: 1

Department: Transit Scheduling and Optimization

Division: Transportation Services

Hours of Work: 35 hours per week - Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days at home)

Union: Management/Management Support

Grade: Management/Management Support Grade 07

Salary Range: $102, $127,654.80 annually

About Us

The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to:

• Taking only what we need
• Leaving some for others
• Keeping the dish clean

This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core value, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity.

Waterloo Region is home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051.

Guided by our Strategic Plan, "Growing with Care," we prioritize homes for all, climate aligned growth, equitable services and opportunities and a resilient and future ready organization. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core value emphasizes caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.

The Role

Supervises the creation of work and implementation of transit schedules, including vehicle schedules and bus operator work schedules for an integrated transit network for the Region of Waterloo. Supervises the development and maintenance of related systems, and the dissemination of schedule information to internal departments and transit customers.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Supervises Transit Schedulers and students. Administers software maintenance and support contract with vendor.
• Supervises scheduling and addresses related issues as appropriate; updates the Manager, as required.
• Supervises the development of cost-effective, efficient public transit vehicle schedules, based on route design, service standards, route connections, and customer needs. Adjusts schedules based on ridership levels and on-time transit performance metrics.
• Supervises the creation of cost-effective daily and weekly bus operator work schedules.
• Develops an annual bus operator staff complement plan for transit operations; determines number of operators required for service, spare board, and vacation for each booking period to maintain coverage. Produces vacation schedule for bus operators.
• Collaborates in network design and the annual service planning process. Supervises the implementation of service changes, including service level, route, and schedule adjustments in response to operational issues, collective agreements, and labour legislation. Verifies schedule integrity, operational feasibility, and opportunities for optimization (e.g., interlining services).
• Supervises the development and maintenance of plans regarding service hours and number of vehicles and operators required for service delivery. Supervises costing of service hours for new and/or revised service plans.
• Supervises the development and maintenance of the transit network database relating to vehicle and driver scheduling and route information. Ensures data integrity. Supervises related system testing, upgrades, and procurement.
• Supervises the preparation and delivery of schedule data to transit information systems. Assigns and oversees work of transit data analysts related to scheduling data.
• Supervises the development of service plans for secondary and post-secondary student markets and industries. Liaises with representatives from educational institutions and key employers.
• Leads the development of an integrated schedule between Light Rail Transit (LRT) and bus network redesigns, including frequency and hours of operation.
• Coordinates and responds to service issues and requests from transit customers and other community stakeholders. Monitors, evaluates, and implements service and schedule improvements where feasible.
• Participates on union-management committees regarding transit routes, schedules, and bus operator work assignments. Oversees responses to bus operator inquiries regarding scheduling and shifts. Evaluates operational feasibility and calculates cost of proposals during contract negotiations.
• Supervises the evaluation, monitoring, and implementation of vehicle and operator scheduling processes to continuously improve the productivity, working conditions, and morale of bus operators.
• Creates reports and communicates service and schedule information to management, bus operators, and other staff. Prepares transit schedule related statistical summaries for Finance and other departments, as required.
• Prepares and monitors seasonal bookings and the annual bus operator wage budget. Forecasts budgetary impacts related to service changes and staffing (e.g., absenteeism, pay premiums).
• Collaborates and exchanges information with Councillors and area municipalities when designing and implementing new services. Contacts consultants, suppliers, transit agencies, local businesses, industries, and institutions for input/information for service plan development.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of practices, concepts, and issues related to transit planning, scheduling, and operations, including creation of unionized transit operator work assignments; and accounting/ budgeting.
• Knowledge and skill normally acquired through a university or college degree in a related field (e.g., human geography, planning, environmental studies), plus transit-specific training and skill development in scheduling, run-cutting, and rostering, normally acquired through significant scheduling experience, plus training programs offered by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA).
• Demonstrated technical skills and experience with scheduling and transit operating systems (e.g., HASTUS).
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, collective agreements, and related legislation (e.g., employment standards, health and safety, Highway Traffic Act).
• Research, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and continuous improvement skills to coordinate staff to achieve goals and objectives; collect, analyze, and interpret information regarding operational feasibility and costs of changes to transit schedules, routes, and operator work rules and conditions; balance variables/considerations to develop scheduling solutions; and plan and coordinate scheduling and transit software applications.
• Leadership, human relations, and communication skills to supervise, train, develop, motivate, and support staff; respond to/resolve inquiries, requests, and complaints from staff, external organizations, and the public; conduct staff workshops, public meetings, and information sessions; facilitate scheduling and other consultative meetings; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to read and interpret reports, studies, statistical data, industry publications, and computer software documentation. Ability to write reports, including for Council and Committee; directives; and information notices for Regional staff, external agencies, transit customers, and the public.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office, onboard software (e.g., INIT), mapping programs and geographic information system software (e.g., ArcGIS), business performance applications and modeling tools (e.g., Power BI).
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region's values.

Region of Waterloo is committed to building a workforce through fair, equitable, and accessible hiring practices that allow us to hire qualified staff who reflect the diversity of the community we serve and to promote a respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions

For questions or to request accommodations during your recruitment, onboarding or employment, please contact , or by calling our Service First Contact Centre at phone number

Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application. Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).