Coordinator Special Services Planning, CTA

Position Title: Coordinator, Special Services Planning

Primary Location: USA-Illinois-Chicago

Job: Planning 

Position Type: Full-time Permanent 

For more information and to apply visit: CTA Career Postings

Position Summary: CTA implements special service on the bus and rail systems when regularly scheduled service levels are inadequate for expected ridership or there is a scheduled service interruption. Special services are primarily grouped into three categories: providing service for large events, providing service for area high schools and colleges, providing bus shuttles during rail construction events. For each of these categories, the Coordinator of Special Services Planning maintains a database of event schedules, analyzes past ridership and projects future ridership, creates service plans, works with the Scheduling department on producing schedules, coordinates with the Operations department on implementing service, and analyzes service post-event. Examples of service changes could include extra trips on a given bus route, modified routings to serve an event, changes to vehicle types, extra bus service provided at school dismissal times, and bus shuttles to supplement a rail construction project, among others. The person in this position works on many special events at once, coordinating among several internal and external stakeholders, and must reach consensus among all parties in a timely manner to provide a service plan that best serves ridership demand within CTA’s operating and budgetary constraints.

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Reviews special service ridership trends to determine potential need for supplemental transit service. Historical ridership and transit operations data will be used to evaluate demand.

• Prepares recommendations for service, for large events, bus shuttles, and school related service, including potential cost, revenue, manpower, and equipment implications.

• Determines supplemental funding needs as appropriate for contractual services.
• Reviews material with management staff, including discussions with Budget department to ensure compliance with budgetary constraints.

• Designs draft schedules and routing information as needed. Prepares written reports, briefings, presentations, and responses to inquiries regarding facilities, equipment, and service.

• Develops and maintains special service database that provides historical fleet and manpower requirements for recurring events. Provides support for one-time events including guidance on estimated supplemental needs.

• Coordinates with CTA Departments and external agencies to obtain data and implement special services.

• Conducts fieldwork and research to gather information on various CTA facilities, operations, and service. Develops teams to assist in collection of data as needed.

• Performs related duties as assigned.

Challenges: 

• Must track the schedules of special events and schools within the CTA service area, which change regularly. 
• Must keep all internal stakeholders abreast of all special event service in a timely manner.  Coordinating among many internal and external stakeholders.
• Must strike a balance between providing adequate service while using CTA resources efficiently (vehicle availability, workforce availability, etc.).
• Fast-paced work environment while working on many service plans at once.

Education/Experience Requirements:

• Requires a bachelor’s degree in Transportation Planning, Urban Planning, Engineering, Statistics, Economics, Business Administration, Data Analytics or other disciplines with a strong quantitative component, or a significant amount of experience in the transportation field.

Physical Requirements:

• Requires sitting for extended periods of time, standing, visual acumen, manual dexterity and fingering for working with computer keyboards.
• Chicago Transit Authority requires all employees to be COVID-19 vaccinated.  If you are offered employment, proof of  COVID-19 vaccination will be required as a condition of employment and as part of the hiring process. Visit www.transitchicago.com/careers for full notice.
• Service Area Requirement: Exempt (Non-Union) employees must live within the boundaries of the CTA Statutory Service Area either at the time of employment or within 6 months of beginning employment at CTA.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Ability to demonstrate research, analytic, quantitative, and evaluation skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including the ability to summarize and present large amounts of data.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to collaborate with groups and individuals working in different fields or organizations
• Working understanding of transit planning fundamentals, both economic and schedule-related.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills.
• General knowledge of GIS skills to conduct spatial analyses and develop presentation-quality maps, or interest in developing such skills.
• General knowledge using SQL to query and manipulate large data sets, or interest in developing such skills.
• General knowledge in PowerBI, or interest in developing such skills.
• Working knowledge of CTA rail and bus operations and service area is preferred.
• Ability to manage and prioritize several projects and initiatives in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment.

Working Conditions: 

• General office environment.
• May be exposed to field conditions in all weather when traveling to CTA bus garages, rail terminals, and shops.
• Minimal weekend and early/late-hour work may be required.

Equipment, Tools, and Materials Utilized:

• Standard office equipment.
• Personal computer and related software.

For more information and to apply visit: CTA Career Postings