Director of Transportation

DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION POSITION TITLE: Director of Transportation REPORTS TO: Superintendent of Schools FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt / Exempt (Based on District Classification) EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-Time (12-Month / 260-Day Contract) POSITION SUMMARY The Director of Transportation oversees all aspects of the district’s student transportation system to ensure safe, efficient, and dependable transit for all students. In a rural district setting, this hands-on leadership role requires balancing administrative duties—such as route planning, state reporting, and compliance—with direct operational duties, including driving regular or activity routes when needed and performing routine vehicle maintenance. PRIMARY PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Fleet Management & Maintenance Perform routine preventative maintenance, fluid checks, minor repairs, and pre-trip/post-trip safety inspections across all district buses, vans, and suburban fleet vehicles. Diagnose mechanical issues and coordinate major mechanical repairs or warranty work with certified commercial mechanics/contracted service centers. Maintain complete maintenance, fuel, and repair logs for each vehicle in accordance with state department of transportation standards. Schedule and prepare all district vehicles for annual state safety inspections, ensuring 100% fleet compliance. 2. Route Coordination & Logistical Operations Design, evaluate, and optimize daily morning and afternoon routes for efficiency, fuel economy, and minimal student ride times across a geographically spread rural area. Coordinate and assign drivers and vehicles for all extracurricular activities, athletic trips, field trips, and special events. Serve as the primary district contact for severe weather decisions, participating in early-morning road condition checks with local road departments and county emergency management. Establish temporary detour routes during road construction, flooding, or winter weather road closures. 3. Bus Driving & Route Coverage Maintain a valid Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with Passenger (P) and School Bus (S) endorsements and serve as a primary or sub bus driver for daily routes as district staffing requires. Drive activity and athletic routes when scheduled or during driver shortages. Maintain order, safety, and a positive environment on assigned bus routes, enforcing district student conduct policies. 4. Compliance, Safety & State Reporting Complete and submit all required state department of education reports, including transportation claim reports, mileage logs, student rider counts, and state reimbursement filings. Conduct annual bus safety drills for students and organize mandatory safety and in-service training programs for all district transportation staff. Oversee student behavior management on buses, collaborating with building principals and parents to resolve student conduct issues promptly. 5. Personnel & Department Leadership Recruit, interview, train, and evaluate bus drivers, van drivers, and substitute drivers. Manage driver scheduling, substitute coverage, payroll time tracking, and leave requests. Foster a positive, supportive team culture among transportation staff. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES Extensive knowledge of motor vehicle operations, mechanical systems, and commercial vehicle maintenance. Strong familiarity with rural district roads, county geography, and local weather patterns. Ability to operate route scheduling software, state reporting portals, spreadsheet tools, and digital communication devices. Strong interpersonal and communication skills for working with parents, building principals, school board members, and community emergency responders. Ability to handle high-stress situations calmly and make quick, safety-focused operational decisions. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education: High school diploma or equivalent required; vocational or technical certification in automotive/diesel mechanics or business administrat…

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