Route Planner

RESPONSIBILITIES: ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE CLASS (May not include all duties performed) Schedules bus transportation (routes/runs/stops/times/sequences/buses/etc.) for all students using various computer software, mainly computer-assisted routing software (currently edulog) and covering a multiplicity of factors, including but not limited to data on APS buses/equipment/drivers, students, neighborhoods, road networks, traffic patterns, driver availability and routes. Plans for the school year, after-school programs, sumer school, field trips, other special events, etc. Adjusts all schedules, as needed, on daily-, short and long-term bases. Assigns students to routes, completes written schedules, and submits schedules to supervisor for review, approval and distribution.  Analyzes various types of data for a range of purposes. Examples: Analyzes route coupling options, mileage data, vehicle load data, fuel costs, etc to assess costa. Analyzes short-term alternatives that consider weather, construction, etc. to make short-term adjustments or emergency changes in routes/schedules as well as daily rerouting/rescheduling. Provides input from route planning/scheduling and general analytical perspectives on student transport performance and performance improvement options in support of the supervisor. As assigned, analyzes long-term route/schedule alternatives by considering 'what-if' changes in student enrollment levels, school configurations and other variables as well as performance data (such as vehicle loads, late stops, missed stops, and speeds) and performance trends to highlight areas of problematic or suboptimum transportation performance to help identify and suggest options for improvements.  Tracks buses and riders using Geographic Positionig System (GPS) information (if/when equipment is installed by APS) for routine and non-routine purposes, such as emergency parent notification after an accident.  Maintains security of data of all types.  Stores and retrieves information about special needs students, special nees vehicles, routes/schedules for transporting special neds students. Reroutes and reschedules ransportation for special needs students, as pertinent to conditions by specifying all paramenters; may use system in automatic mode and let system decide or make deicision 'outside of system' after the sytem provides options.  On behalf of supervisor, may coordinate with the Office of Special Education to respond to special needs transportation requests. May develop, andmaintains, recordkeeping systems and ddatabases on Bus Drivers and Bus Attendants for special needs students to monitor their work and support management decision-making on deployment of resources. May attend Individualized Educaiton Program (IEP) meetings where individual student needs are discussed to offer input concerning transportation alternatives.  Maintains situationa awarenes (weather, traffic, roadwork, early-late school openings and closings, etc.) to make rapid, effective adjustments to transportation servies in alignment with 'environmental' conditions and instructional operations.  Uses the system to produce required and special reports.  Quality assures data before entry in databases or use in reports.  On behalf of supervisor, may coordinate software issues with vendor or Department of Information Services. May also interface with instructional personnel regarding student data/information systems.  Stays abreast of developments directly affecting APS school bus transportation routing/scheduling, including but notlimited to vehicle/fleet data, enrollment data, road network data, software upgrades, standars and issues emanating from the Virginia Department of Education, the School Boards, APS officials, advocates for students with special needs, and other sources; this includes short- and long-term effects of schedules and unplanned road work and schoool boundary planning. Notes impact and takes appropriate action or notes potential impact and may prepare options for action.  Provides basic training to co-workers in Transportation Services at authorizes usage level of pertinent modules of the system. Responds to internal 'help desk' calls, coordinates with supervisor or others, as needed and in conformance with procedures. etc.  Uses a computer and modern office software suites for communication (email), work processing, research (Internet) and other general office applications, in addition to specialized software for bus route planning/scheduling and performance analysis.  May act as, or for, the supervisor, as assigned.  Performs related duties, as assigned.  EXPERIENCE: MINIMUM EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS An Associates Degree in business, logistics, information technology or systems, transportation or any field related to the corre duties and responsibilities of this class; or,  An equivalent combination of education, experience and training, and Three years of progressively responsible experience in bus transportation route planning and schedule comparable to the size and scop of APS, which included us of planning and scheduling software comparable to that used by APS, are required.  Experience working with people of diverse background and tailoring and delivering work products and services to meet the needs of diverse groups is required.  Experience using edulog software to plan student bus routes is desired at the time of placement into this position.  Experience using knowledge of Arlingotn County road networks, neighborhoods, school boundaries and other local information to plan ground transportation routes/schedules, as pertinent to effective route planning for transport of K-12 students, is desired at the time of placement into this positions.  Licenses/Certification None Physical Attributes Work is predominantly sedentary and involves light physical effort. It requires moving about frequently to obtain work objects, supplies, etc., distribute work products, coordinate with others and perform related functions; operating office and communications equipment, such as a computer (at times for prolonged periods) and a telephone; and reviewing all kinds of written documents containing small print, symbols and special notations.  QUALIFICATIONS: REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES Commercial driver's license Class A or Class B which should include air brakes with S" and "P" endorsements.  Knowledge of bus route planning and scheduling in consideration of a multiplicity of geographic, demographic and other factors (such as road networks, traffic patterns, locations, speeds, times, distances, fleet capability/availability and students with special needs); of software that assists in route planning and scheduling in consideration of such parameters; and of related bus transportation operations (such as dispatching and safe bus operation) to conduct school bus transportation planning and scheduling, APS-wide. This includes full performance user-level knowledge of and skill in, or ability to rapidly acquire this level of knowledge of and skill, the route planning/scheduling software of APS (currently edulog).  Knowledge of, or ability to rapidly acquire knowledlge of, key Federal,State and local regulations, Arlington School Board policies, and APS PIPs, initiatives, guidelines and standards applying to the planning and scheduling of K-12 student transport. These include but are not limited to requirements governing transportation accessibility in general, APS 50.6-1 (Pupil Transportation), and transporation requirements/standards of the Federal government, the Virginia Department of Education and APS, to ensure one's own routing and planning efforts alighn with APS instructional operations, to help improve/optimize use of theAPS fleet trhough data analysis support of the supervisor, to serve the transport needs of students in daily work, including students with special needs, and to perform related functions.  Skill in problem solving to select, organize and logically process releveant information (verbal numerical or abstract) to solve a problem. This includes ability to recognize subtle aspects of problems, identify releveant information and make balanced anaylyses and recommendations. Examples include using quantitative and non -quantitative measures to plan/scheduling and recommending improvements; and adjusting route/schedules on a daily or short-term basis consistent with 'environmental' conditions (such as weather, roadwork and fleet availability). Skill i oral communication to understand verbal information (including instructions, description and ideas), and to express such information verbally to toerhs so they will understand. This includes skill in issuing clear, complete and concise route planning and scheduling information, discussing software questions with vendors/tehnical specialists, and coordinating with APS administrators on the transport of students with special needs; and the ability to listen 'actively' and encourage effective oral communication by others, such as co-workers int he Transportation Services.  Interpersonal skills to interact with contacts in a businesslike, customer service-oriented manner by establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and working in harmony with supervisors, staff, students and the general public.  Skill in using a computer, modern office suite software (such as MS Office) and telecommunications deices to plan, schedule, communicate, word process, research (Interned), help train others, etc.  Ability and willingness to work in a 'luid environment' under pressure of changing priorities, deadlines and peak periods.  APPLY TO: SALARY: Salary range based on the 25/26 pay plan.  DAYS: