“Please note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring salary for this position will be $58,257."
WHO WE ARE
The mission of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is to move people and connect places with seamless, equitable transportation options that are safe, environmentally responsible, and support economic growth and vibrancy in Montgomery County. The Department has five divisions: Highway Services, Parking Management, Transit Services, Traffic Engineering and Operations, and Transportation Engineering. We are a large organization with over 1,200 employees and a dedicated County budget of $300 million.
The Division of Transit Services coordinates transit services in Montgomery County. Transit accomplishes an essential mobility mission of the County, connecting people, communities, workplaces, educational institutions, recreational opportunities, and many other essential destinations. The Division employs 850+ people, operates nearly 400 buses on 80+ fixed routes throughout Montgomery County. The Division plans, schedules, and manages the County's Ride On bus system, consisting of County-owned and operated buses. Ride-On carries roughly 18 million riders annually.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
MCDOT is seeking Full-Time Transit Bus Operators to safely operate public transit buses and provide reliable, efficient, and courteous transportation throughout Montgomery County. Transit Bus Operators play a critical role in connecting people to jobs, schools, and essential services while maintaining adherence to traffic laws, safety standards, and scheduled routes.
The ideal candidate demonstrates excellent communication and customer service skills to assist riders and represent MCDOT professionally. This candidate maintains a strong commitment to safety while navigating varying traffic conditions, weather, and road environments, and uses sound judgment to ensure timely service. The candidate also brings flexibility to work different shifts, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and consistently demonstrates a positive attitude and professionalism while serving the community.
Qualified applicants must possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record. Applicants with a CDL License are strongly encouraged to apply.
As a Transit Bus Operator, you play a critical role in advancing MCDOT/Transit Services’ mission by delivering safe, reliable, and efficient bus service that prioritizes safety, customer service, and accessibility across the Ride-On network.
Responsibilities include:
Essential Status: Transit Bus Operators are Essential Employees, meaning you must report to work during emergencies or liberal leave periods. You will also be required to adhere to a strict attendance policy and work a flexible schedule that may include nights, weekends, holidays, split shifts, and overtime. Ride On operates 22 hours a day, 7 days a week, with service beginning at 3:30 a.m. and ending at 1:50 a.m.
Training Program: All new Operators begin as temporary trainees and must successfully complete a comprehensive six-week training program that includes classroom instruction and on-the-road practical experience in both daytime and nighttime conditions. The program covers safety procedures, operating policies, customer service standards, and defensive driving techniques to ensure operators are fully prepared for service. Once training is complete, Operators will be assigned to a depot to continue hands-on learning and transition into serving our passengers as fully qualified Transit Bus Operators.
Additional Requirements: A County-administered medical exam with drug screening and a criminal background check are required for all Transit Bus Operator positions.
If selected for an interview, you will be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Experience: Three (3) years minimum driving experience as a motor vehicle operator with a current Class C (or equivalent) driver's license from the applicant's state of residence and a current safe driving record as determined by the Department/Agency to which the position is assigned, and one (1) year of direct customer service experience.
Education: Sufficient education to understand and express instructions, descriptions, and ideas (such as bus route/schedule information, customer service policies, and bus condition information) in both spoken and written English, and to make basic arithmetic calculations (such as addition and subtraction to keep to schedules).
Equivalency: None.
License: At appointment/placement in the class, candidates must possess a valid Class B Commercial Driver's License (CDL) or Permit with Passenger and Air Brake Endorsements from the incumbent's state of residence in order to drive a Transit Bus during emergencies and for training and demonstrations; the license must be maintained.
Driving Record: No more than one (1) current point on driving record.
At the Time of Employment Application:
First Day of County Employment:
Upon Completion of the Transit Bus Operator Training by Montgomery County:
Physical Ability: Ability to operate all transit buses in the County's inventory (currently from 30-40 feet in length), which requires, but is not limited to, physical abilities needed to operate a transit bus throughout a shift. They include, but are not limited to, the abilities to (a) conduct pre-trip and post-trip inspections, (b) operate hand controls, (c) operate foot controls, (d) help passengers with disabilities who use assistive devices and other passengers who need help 'negotiating' the bus, (e) announce stops and route information and exchange other types of information face-to-face and use a public address system, a radio-telephone and other equipment, and (f) attend to multiple work inputs and outputs simultaneously using vision and hearing.
Other: Applicants must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age on the first day of employment in this job class.
Medical Exam and Background Investigation:
Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:
Note: Applicants selected for interviews must provide a certified driving record indicating one (1) point or less to complete the interview. No exceptions.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits
Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.
Retirement Benefits
All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.
Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness
Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.
Free Mass Transit Benefit
County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.
Reduced Child and Health Care Costs
Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.
Employee Wellbeing
We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.
Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
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