Bus route supervisor

Bus route supervisors coordinate vehicle movements, routes and drivers, and may supervise loading, unloading, and checking of baggage or express shipped by bus.

The duties of a bus route supervisor include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinating with other departments within an organization, such as human resources or human resources, to ensure that policies are followed
• Reviewing safety procedures in vehicles and equipment to ensure they are working properly
• Monitoring fuel inventories and ordering supplies as needed to ensure that vehicles have enough fuel to operate properly
• Overseeing the loading and unloading of cargo to ensure that it is safely handled
• Establishing routes and schedules for drivers to follow
• Ensuring that drivers are following company policies and procedures, including safety measures and disciplinary actions if necessary
• Assigning new routes to drivers as needed, based on customer requests or other factors that affect demand for services
• Reviewing driver logs to ensure that they are following safe driving practices and complying with federal regulations regarding hours worked and breaks taken
• Maintaining records of mileage, fuel costs, accident reports, and other relevant information regarding a transportation business’s operations

The following job titles also refer to bus route supervisor:

coach route manager
bus route manager
supervisor of bus routes
coach route supervisor
bus service manager
transit supervisor
bus dispatcher

Bus route supervisors typically work in an office setting, although they may spend time outdoors observing the activities of the workers they supervise. They usually work a standard 40-hour week, but they may be required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays to ensure that the transportation system is running smoothly.

Bus route supervisors may also be on call 24 hours a day to respond to emergencies. The work can be stressful, and bus route supervisors must be able to handle the pressure of meeting deadlines and dealing with difficult customer service issues.

A high school diploma is often a minimum requirement for bus route supervisors. Some employers may prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in transportation, logistics or a related field.

Many bus route supervisors have completed a course of study in transportation logistics, which includes coursework in supply chain management, transportation management, business management and economics.

Many bus route supervisors receive on-the-job training, which may last for a few months. This training may include shadowing a current bus route supervisor and performing duties under supervision until they are comfortable enough to complete tasks on their own.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Bus route supervisor is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to bus route supervisor.

taxi controller
freight transport dispatcher
drill operator
cabin crew manager
bookmaker

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of bus route supervisor. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of bus route supervisor with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

aviation data communications manager
desalination technician
international forwarding operations coordinator
freight inspector
grants administrator

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of bus route supervisor.

• Road traffic laws: Understand road traffic laws and the rules of the road.
• Road transport legislation: Know road transport regulations at regional, national, and European level in matters of safety and environmental requirements.
• Condition of local roads: Know local streets and their condition in order to provide efficient and timely transportation services.

These skills are necessary for the role of bus route supervisor.

• Communicate verbal instructions: Communicate transparent instructions. Ensure that messages are understood and followed correctly.
• Manage assignment of bus routes: Supervise the work of others and effectively coordinate the completion of regularly assigned bus routes via various check-in systems.
• Give instructions to staff: Give instructions to subordinates by employing various communication techniques. Adjust communication style to the target audience in order to convey instructions as intended.
• Keep task records: Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.
• Monitor drivers: Ensure that drivers meet the legal requirements to operate, arrive at work at required times, present no signs of alcohol or drug abuse, and follow the commissioned itineraries of the day. Monitor drivers to ensure quality work performance and efficiency. Ensure maintenance of record of time expended and distances covered.
• Schedule and dispatch drivers: Schedule and dispatch drivers, working equipment and service vehicles to desired locations as requested by customers; use telephone or radio communication.
• Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
• Match vehicles with routes: Match types of vehicles to transport routes, taking into consideration service frequency, peak transport times, service area covered, and road conditions.
• Investigate road accidents: Investigate road vehicle accidents and conduct post-accident debriefing conferences. Analyse the exact circumstances of the accident and present conclusions to the authorities. Provide recommendations on how future accidents may be prevented.
• Analyse work-related written reports: Read and comprehend job-related reports, analyse the content of reports and apply findings to daily work operations.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of bus route supervisor. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Use spreadsheets: Use spreadsheet documents for organisation, analysis and data storage in tabular form.
• Ensure implementation of safe driving practices: Establish principles and standards of safe driving among staff. Impart information on safe driving practices to staff and ensure that they utilise these in the performance of transport operations.
• Conduct drug abuse tests: Conduct alcohol and drug tests according to government and company policies and procedures. Conducts random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident testing using basic equipment.
• Write work-related reports: Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
• Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.
• Recruit bus drivers: Recruit bus drivers having assessed their skills following examinations, and with consideration of the feedback of other professionals about the ability of the candidates.

4323 – Transport clerks

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References

1. Bus route supervisor – ESCO
2. Transportation Supervisor Job Description: Salary, Duties, & More – Climb the Ladder
3. Featured image: By Solomon203 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0