Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority

Background
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) serves the Tampa Bay Florida region with a fleet that includes zero and low emission buses and 920 employees.  PSTA was named by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) as 2023’s most outstanding mid-sized transit agency and the Florida Public Transportation Association’s best transit agency.

Reporting to the Director of Mobility Services, the Deputy Director will provide direct management oversight of all department staff, supporting the department mission, and ensuring implementation of policies, procedures, and tasks issued by the Director.

This position manages the performance of PSTA’s paratransit service (PSTA Access), and other demand-responsive mobility programs provided by PSTA, including the Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) program, TD Late Shift, Mobility on Demand, and Direct Connect.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Operations

• Performs ongoing technical and operational evaluation of transportation services delivered to PSTA’s customers with disabilities, ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and laws, regulations, and policies governing such services.
• Measures operational and financial performance against company goals and industry norms; ensures accuracy of performance data and its timely reporting; and provides Mobility Director with recommendations for corrective action when and where deficiencies may be identified. Serves as the Acting Director when so delegated.
• Manages the monitoring of contractor’s Operations Control Center (OCC) performance to include daily real-time proactive monitoring; analysis of OCC contractor performance through metrics; cost containment measures; and review of reports pertaining to OCC functions. Recommends modifications, policy, and procedural changes to improve service efficiency. Implements corrective measures.
• Manages PSTA’s paratransit and mobility service contract. Ensure that key performance indicators reflect compliance with contractual, legal, and company standards, enforcing contractual requirements as appropriate.
• Reviews and analyzes operating data and pursues prompt corrective action to minimize disruption or degradation of service. Review demand and financial data, making adjustments and recommendations for ongoing adherence to program budgets.
• Exercises general oversight of the Eligibility Division of Mobility, providing guidance to its Ops-Manager and team to ensure timely and compliant processing of applications and determinations of eligibility in accordance with established criteria. Makes sure the Eligibility TEAM is giving PSTA customers a comprehensive understanding of their travel options from among PSTA and other locally available services for people with disabilities.
• Exercises general oversight of the Reservations Division of Mobility, providing guidance to its Ops-Manager and team to ensure ongoing access to the paratransit service by eligible customers. Makes sure the Team performs work accurately and efficiently. Supports the Reservations Ops Manager in maintaining adequate complement of staff; training; equipment; or other resources needed to achieve target levels of performance.
• Serves as the direct manager to four (4) Mobility Service Coordinators. Oversees the Mobility Service Team to ensure operational data is collected from PSTA contractors and reviewed for accuracy/completeness. Makes sure the Mobility Service Team performs work that is free of errors, contains fully reconciled data reports, identifies and flags pertinent service trends by providers, and that all work is completed on a timely basis, meeting specified deadlines by both internal and external vendors and departments alike.
• Leads meetings with all service providers, conveying PSTA directives and inquiring about all aspects of operations and safety, including but not limited to, adequate contractor staffing; proper maintenance of contractor vehicle fleet; accident/incident prevention and investigation; and severe weather procedures.
• Monitors and reports on financial control measures related to operational performance, including review of contractor invoices and fare collection. Reviews financial trends for budget adherence and forecasting purposes.
• Oversees and ensures PSTA’s execution of its responsibilities and duties as the region’s Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) with five (5) transportation operators and eleven (11) transportation coordination agencies.
• Participates in vendor selection process including development of RFPs and evaluation of vendor proposals.
• Responsible for actively supporting implementation of PSTA’s EEO Program and equitably administering all Authority policies and procedures.

Customer Service

• Oversees the monitoring of customer service and courtesy provided by vehicle operators and contractor personnel from both on-street and on-board observation. Recognizes and responds to service deficiencies and customer needs.  Takes action to improve performance and addresses deficiencies. Works to minimize complaints, managing to a quantifiable performance target.
• Serves as Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) of the County’s Transportation Disadvantaged Program.

Data Analysis

• Leads the review of operational data produced by contractors for accuracy and completeness. Compares operational data with customer service feedback and directs operational changes to improve performance and enhance the customer experience.
• Ensures accuracy of aggregated data that is reported to organizational leadership and third parties, identifying, and resolving discrepancies as they are found.
• Leads the analysis and reporting on ridership and other trip related data. Develop ridership trends and project future ridership.
• Provides weekly and monthly statistical data for system-wide operational performance reports and similar information upon request. Prepare and present reports and recommendations within areas of assigned responsibility.

Additional Duties

• Fills in for the Director of Mobility at meetings or for presentations, and OTHER as directed in the event of an absence of the Director of Mobility.
• Represents Mobility Services at operational meetings within PSTA and serves as interface with related functions within the Transportation Division and Safety Department.
• Acts as super-user for departmental software and phone system, escalating to helpdesk and/or vendor-provided support as needed.
• Conducts special projects and performs other duties as assigned by the Director of Mobility Services.
• Reports to work as an “essential employee” in emergency situations or disasters, acts of nature or major incidents.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Four-year college degree. An equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered.
• Four (4) years of experience in operations management and data analysis, and at least two (2) years of experience directly supervising a team of employees. Prefer experience with administration and management of ADA Paratransit or similar transportation services for people with disabilities, contract compliance, and management of remote employees.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of service delivery and integrity, performance measurement, contractor management, audit, analysis, and reporting procedures required. Basic understanding of the public transportation needs of persons with disabilities, seniors, and/or low-income individuals. Knowledge of ADA regulations and their application to the workplace, to paratransit operations, and to transit systems in general.
• Functional knowledge of PSTA service area, and ability to use maps and GPS devices to identify locations within the service area. Functional knowledge of and demonstrated experience in the public transportation field and the interrelated efforts and requirements of providing support to integrating paratransit and community transportation programs.
• Skilled in verbal and written communications, Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), transportation management software. Process analysis to improve service efficiency and effectiveness. Leading teams by example to respectfully serve diverse customers who are transportation disadvantaged.
• Ability to organize and delegate; exercise sound independent judgment; multi-task and prioritize; speak and write clearly and effectively; provide constructive feedback; train others with diverse learning styles, establish and maintain effective working relationships; follow rules and procedures, perform highly detail-oriented tasks with few to no errors.

Salary
Competitive, dependent on experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity
PSTA is an equal opportunity employer.

Further Information and/or to Apply
Send a current resume & salary requirements to: Christopher Boylan, at Harris Rand Lusk Executive Search: cboylan@harrisrand.com, or Rick Bacigalupo: rbacigalupo@harrisrand.com