City of Guelph careers – Transit operators

Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities with the Guelph Transit Services Department.

When positions are available they’ll be posted on our current openings page.

Position summary

Duties

• Provide excellent customer service and public relations to transit riders and the general public.
• Provide information to the public regarding transit routes.
• Operate a conventional and/or mobility van/bus.
• May be required to transport and assist passengers with special needs, under the Mobility Bus program while providing excellent customer service and public relations to transit mobility passengers.
• Collect fares/transfers, issue transfers and document all incidents.
• Operate City buses according to Guelph Transit routes and schedules.
• Responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle and safety of all passengers.
• Operate electronic fare equipment and Automatic Vehicle Location equipment.
• Keep the transit vehicles/facility in a clean, neat and safe condition.
• Fuel transit vehicles and check fluid levels.
• Comply with all City regulations, policies and procedures.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Experience related to the duties listed above, normally acquired through the completion of a Grade 12 diploma and experience in a fast paced, high volume customer service environment. Candidates with equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• A valid Class G driver’s license with a good driving record.   Successful candidates will be required to provide a current driver’s abstract and if applicable a CVOR prior to their start date to confirm their license is held in good standing and that it has not been suspended or revoked under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) or Criminal Code of Canada in the last 5 years. The City of Guelph will take into consideration the number of demerit points and/or nature of the infractions to determine if it meets our requirements.
• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to deal with the public in an effective and efficient manner.
• Must be able to perform physical work (e.g. sitting for extended periods of time, standing, reaching and pulling).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work on their own and in a team environment.
• Knowledge of the City of Guelph is an asset.
• Must hold, or be willing to obtain within the probationary period, a B-Z driver’s license (note: the minimum age requirement for a B-Z license is 21 years old).
• A satisfactory Police Record Check including Vulnerable Sector Check is required at time of offer.
• Previous experience operating a bus and/or a valid B driver’s license is considered an asset.

Hours of work

This position will work a minimum of 40 hours, Sunday through Saturday. Shift work will be a requirement of this position.

Notes

Successful candidates will be required to provide a current driver’s abstract prior to their start date to confirm they have a valid driver’s licence held in good standing and that it has not been suspended or revoked under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) or Criminal Code of Canada in the last 5 years. The City of Guelph will take into consideration the number of demerit points and/or nature of the infractions to determine if it meets our requirements.

This position could lead to a full time position with Transit Services.

Recruitment Process

The process for this position consists of the following:

1. Application process
2. Testing
3. 1st interview
4. Possible 2nd round of interviews
5. Referencing
6. Job Offer

Step 1: Application process – instructions on completing online application

New applicants (Creating a profile and applying for a job)

1. Click “Apply For This Position” at the bottom of posting
2. Will be redirected to ICIMS application system
3. Click “Apply For This Job Online”
4. Upload document (cover letter and resume must be uploaded as ONE document) and submit
5. Fill in fields on the “create a profile” screen and submit
6. Please fill out additional information about yourself where applicable and submit
7. Complete job questionnaire
8. You should see a message at the top of the next screen that reads “Your application was submitted successfully”
9. You should also receive 2 emails- 1 thanking you for starting your application and 1 for submitting your application
10. If you do not receive this confirmation please contact [email protected]

Returning applicants

Click “Apply for this position” at the bottom of posting

1. On top right of screen click “Log back in!”
2. You can update your resume and cover letter by selecting “replace”. Resume and cover letter must be uploaded as ONE document
3. Include any new information that is relevant to the job
4. Click “update profile”
5. Complete job questionnaire
6. You should see a message at the top of the next screen that reads “Your application was submitted successfully”
7. You should also receive 2 emails- 1 thanking you for starting your application and 1 for submitting your application
8. If you do not receive this confirmation please contact [email protected]

Step 2: Testing

If your application has been selected, you will be asked to complete a 2-part testing. The invitation will be sent to the email address listed on your ICIMS account/application. Part 1 is the Transit Suitability Assessment (TSA) which is a multiple-choice assessment that is completed online. The invitation to complete this assessment will be sent directly from the National Testing Network. Part 2 is an in-person testing session.

• When you attend the testing session you will need to bring your driver’s license with you.
• The in-person testing session takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete and will consist of the following:
  1. Human Relations Test
  2. Reading Test
• You must successfully complete all elements of the testing in order to continue in the recruitment process. You will be notified of your results (both successful and unsuccessful candidates) about 1 week after the testing date.

Step 3: First interview

• If you have been notified that you were successful in the testing session you will be contacted for an interview when there are vacant positions to be filled.
• Interview is usually between 30 – 45 minutes.
• There will be a reference form to complete and return prior to your interview. Interviews may be done virtually or in person.
• If accommodation is required, please let us know at the time that the interview is being scheduled, so we can make this a successful experience.
• There will be a Supervisor from Guelph Transit and a member of the Human Resources team on the interview panel. The interviews are formal in nature, and quite structured in terms of the process.
• Please listen carefully to the instructions given at the beginning of the interview as these are guidelines as to how the interview will be structured.
• If you are unclear to what the question is asking, please ask the panel member to repeat the question.
• Please focus on answering what has been asked. If the panel wants more information from you they will let you know.
• We will be writing down your answers so please try to cover off as much information as you can because we can only assess you on what you tell us during the interview.
• You will have an opportunity at the end of the interview to ask any questions you may have about the position and/or the recruitment process.
• Questions are based on experience, knowledge and skills (competencies) required for the position.
• Candidates will be notified a few weeks after we have completed the interviews if they were successful at the interview stage.

Step 4: (possible) 2nd round of interviews

In some cases and depending on the length of time between the 1st round of interviews and the next training session we may ask you to come in for a 2nd round of interviews.

Step 5: References

• Candidates will be asked to sign off on an authorization to check references upon arrival for the interview. The form requires a signature acknowledging understanding of the contents and consequences of making a false statement.
• Candidates are to provide up to 3 work related references with at least 2 of them being current or previous supervisors, managers or other individuals that they may have reported to. If you have any issues with these requirements, we ask that you inform us when you are contacted for an interview.
• References are only contacted if the candidate was successful in the interview stage.
• Candidates are informed prior to having their references contacted.

Step 6: Job offer and next steps

• A member of the Human Resources team will contact the candidates who have been successful up to this stage to discuss a job offer.
• You will be given a tentative start date to begin your training towards becoming a licensed Extra Board Operator.
• In the job offer there are several conditions that the candidate will need to complete or have in progress prior to starting.
• The following are the conditions on the job offer that need to be completed:
• Obtain and complete an application for School Bus Driver Improvement Course.
• Have the application signed off by the Ministry of Transportation indicating your medical exam results (from your family doctor) have been examined and accepted by the Ministry of Transportation, and that a criminal record check has been initiated by the Ministry of Transportation.
• If you already have a BZ license then you do not need to complete this requirement.
• Successful candidates will be required to provide a current driver’s abstract prior to their start date to confirm they have a valid driver’s licence held in good standing and that it has not been suspended or revoked under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) or Criminal Code of Canada in the last 5 years. The City of Guelph will take into consideration the number of demerit points and/or nature of the infractions to determine if it meets our requirements.
• Proof of your High School Diploma or College Diploma/University Degree.
• You are also required to pass the pre-employment Functional Abilities Assessment that will be scheduled for you at an external company.
• A current satisfactory Police Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Check needs to be obtained from your local police department.

Training and licensing

On the first day of your training, you will be given an overview of what will take place in the coming weeks. Typically training lasts for about 6 weeks and will vary in terms of classroom training, driving, practical assessments and testing. The trainer will be responsible for ensuring you have completed all the necessary training and testing to complete your BZ License requirements for the ministry if you do not already have one. Once you have been successful in obtaining the license and completing the training you will be operating a city bus with another operator for a couple of weeks.