Transit Operator

Job Summary

Do you want to help move people across the city? Do you enjoy interacting with the public in a fast-paced environment? MiWay is looking for enthusiastic individuals with a passion for customer service, safety and driving. If that’s you, then come on board! Help the public get where they need to be, by becoming a Transit Operator with MiWay.

Why Work for MiWay?

• Start with MiWay as a Full-Time Permanent Transit Operator;
• Competitive compensation and benefits package with pension (OMERS Retirement Savings Plan);
• Career advancement opportunities.

Want to Learn More?

Take a ride on one of our 500+ fully accessible buses and see if this job is for you! Plan your trip using our online Trip Planner. Only have your G license? No problem! We offer a 5-week comprehensive training program for all new hires that will give you the knowledge and experience you need to be successful in the role.

Watch this video to learn more about a typical day in the life of a Transit Operator.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide exceptional customer service to passengers by providing information about routes, directions and fares, while ensuring they arrive to their destination with ease.
• Safely operate a MiWay vehicle while adhering to the schedule and rules of the road; including various road, weather and traffic conditions.
• Effectively communicate with Transit Control, Supervisors and Transit Enforcement for important information.
• Perform safety inspections of the bus and report any incidents to Transit Control.
• Ensure the needs of passengers with accessible seating or mobility devices are met, and kneel the bus and deploy the accessibility ramp when necessary.
• Monitor activities on the bus to ensure safety of passengers and a positive customer experience.
• Observe payment of cash and PRESTO fares, enter data into the farebox and issue/check the validity of transfers/passes.
• Demonstrate the MiWay values of teamwork and commitment at every opportunity.

Skills and Qualifications

• Must possess a minimum grade 12 education (Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent).
• Must possess a valid, unrestricted fully-licensed Class “G” Driver's Licence or above (or equivalent for out of province applicants) for a minimum of 3 years.
• All candidates: a 3-year Driver Record with 0 demerit points, up to 1 infraction, and no record of your licence being suspended or revoked.
• Commercially licenced candidates: a 5-year CVOR Driver Abstract with a driver’s safety performance acceptable to the City of Mississauga.
• Minimum 3 years of face-to-face customer service experience in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work a variety of shifts including nights, weekends, holidays, and split and straight shifts in a 24-hour, 365-day operational environment.
• Must be able to meet all legislated standards governing the issuance of a CZ Licence, including the successful completion of a medical exam.
• Proven ability to understand, speak and write in English in order to communicate effectively with the public and to report on incidents involving safety and/or service.
• Strong ability to learn and use computer software applications and email.
• Demonstrated experience dealing with the public in a position which requires independent problem solving and conflict resolution.
• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• A Criminal Record Check (Vulnerable Sector Screening – Level 3) provided by local police service will be required of the successful candidate, at their own expense, to verify the absence of a criminal record for which a record suspension has not been granted.

Application Requirements

We will only accept one application per person. Applicants found to have multiple candidate profiles in the same recruitment will be disqualified.

Applicants with a Class G licence are required to submit the following at the time of application:

• A current 3-year uncertified Driver Record with 0 demerit points, up to 1 infraction, and no record of your licence being suspended or revoked.

You must obtain your Driver Record from Service Ontario either online or in-person. No third-party records will be accepted. Driver Records must be dated within 28 days of your application. Your Driver Record must be uploaded to the Application Documents section.

Applicants with a Class A-F licence are required to submit the following at the time of application:

• A current 3-year uncertified Driver Record with 0 demerit points, up to 1 infraction, and no record of your licence being suspended or revoked; AND 
• A current 5-year uncertified CVOR Driver Abstract with a driver’s safety performance acceptable to the City of Mississauga.

You must obtain your Driver Record from Service Ontario either online or in-person. You must obtain your CVOR Driver Abstract from the Ministry of Transportation online. No third-party records will be accepted. Both your Driver Record and CVOR Driver Abstract must be dated within 28 days of your application. Both your Driver Record and CVOR Driver Abstract must be uploaded to the Application Documents section.

Please note, applicants who do not meet the criteria for the above Driver Record/Abstract requirements and applicants who do not upload the required document(s), will not be considered and will be automatically disqualified.

Physical Demands of the Job

The successful candidate must have the ability to meet the physical demands of the job including, but not limited to:

• Prolonged periods of sitting for approximately 20-75 minute intervals
• Periods of standing for approximately 15 minutes/shift (pre-trip inspections, waiting for vehicles and Operator relief)
• Walking for approximately 10-20 minutes/shift (through garages, transit facilities and terminals/stations)
• Climbing on/off the bus and in/out of driver’s seat approximately 2-10 times/shift and climbing on top of driver’s seat during an emergency
• Consistent use of right foot for gas/brake pedals with approximately 13.5-20.5 kilogram-force and left foot for turn signals, both for approximately 20-75 minute intervals
• Balance required for climbing in/out of Operator cab
• Lifting from ground to knuckle of <10 lbs items (flares/reflectors during breakdowns)
• Push and pull of 11-19 kilogram-force parking brake approximately 6-8 times/hour and 1.5-8 kilogram-force Driver Protection System (DPS) shield approximately 2-4 times/hour
• Consistent gripping (power, palmar) of steering wheel, levers/controls, transfers, seats to assist passengers, bike rack, etc.
• Fine finger dexterity approximately 40-100 times/hour (issue transfer slips, enter data into farebox/iBus, operate controls)
• Repetitive vertical reaching above the shoulder approximately 1-2 times/hour (destination sign)
• Frequent shoulder movement (flex, extend, abduct, rotate) up to 100 times/hour
• Bending (approximately 20-40 times/hour) and twisting (approximately 1-2 times/minute) of the back
• Crouching/squatting approximately 4-6 times/shift (inspections)
• Repetitive bending and twisting of the neck for mirror checks every 4-6 seconds and other movements approximately 100-200 times/hour for 5-10 seconds
• Wrist postures are mostly neutral in range and dynamic for approximately 40-50 minutes/hour
• Twisting of the elbow every few minutes
• Working indoors and outdoors with exposure to varying weather conditions
• Teamwork with other Transit Operators required
• Operating 40 and 60 foot vehicles of different makes and models
• Walking and standing on rubberized flooring, concrete and pavement
• Exposure to noise levels of 71.9-76.9 dbA (hearing protection not required)
• Exposure to whole-body vibration with moderate risk
• Exposure to interior lighting on bus, natural light through bus windows and fluorescent lighting in facilities
• Potential exposure to chemical/biological (bodily fluids, mercury, asbestos, lead), sharps (items left on bus), mechanical (accessibility ramp, doors) and hot/cold (weather conditions) hazards
• Exposure to vapour/fumes (diesel, gas, coolant, CO, NO2, particulate matter, ultrafine particles, passenger perfume or body odour)
• Required to work with the public while driving the bus alone
• Required to work in an enclosed space due to bioshield or DPS shield
• Sensory requirements include hearing, speaking, vision (near, distance and depth) and tactile/feeling

Cognitive Demands of the Job

The successful candidate must have the ability to meet the cognitive demands of the job including, but not limited to:

• Predominantly working independently with no supervisory responsibilities, however, may need to direct passengers in the event of an emergency
• Responsible for safety of passengers as well as members of the public on roadways, with errors in judgement or attention having the potential for grave or life-threatening consequences
• Required to work cooperatively with others and provide customer service
• Frequent exposure (up to daily) to emotionally stressful circumstances or emotionally distressed individuals (frustrated/angry customers, vehicle incidents, public disputes, public use of alcohol/drugs, etc.)
• Frequent exposure (up to daily) to confrontational situations or hostile people whether or not assistance is available
• Moderate memory ability is required to recall information that is harder to remember because it is recalled infrequently, or because there are time constraints within which to recall the information (provide customer service, adhere to procedures and laws, remembering routes, announcing stops if required)
• Moderate and frequent pressure to work within time constraints in order to adhere to scheduled stop times as per assigned route, with delays occurring beyond the Operator’s control
• Moderate communication skills required to comprehend and communicate information fluently (communication with Supervisor, Operators, customers/passengers)
• Occasionally required to use computers for basic data input (shift sign-ups, print schedules)
• Moderate reading ability required to follow written instructions (street signs, policies, procedures, training materials, route information, collision reports)
• Required to compose text in which accurate grammatical construction and spelling are not essential (incident reports, collision reports, vehicle condition reports)
• Intense attention to detail and concentration is required for the majority of the shift
• Divided and alternating attention required and responsible for concurrent tasks, with some time management skill and judgment required to determine priorities
• Moderate to high degree of distracting stimuli are present for the majority of the shift where successful task performance is critical
• Occasionally required to solve routine problems and make decisions (how to respond to passenger inquiries and behaviours, when to reach out to dispatch how to address bus issues, etc.)
• Constantly required to work with safety issues and/or equipment and course of action impacts safety or self or others

Important Information

These are unionized positions, involving split shifts (8 hours of work over a 12-hour period), straight shifts (8 hours of work with no meal breaks), nights, weekends and holidays, with limited options for vacation weeks. You must provide maximum flexibility for a 40-hour work week to be scheduled any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Shifts and vacation time are selected by seniority.

The first step in the recruitment process is testing. Details of test times, dates and location will be emailed only to applicants who meet the position requirements and screening criteria, and are selected to move forward in the recruitment process.

Note: If successful in all steps of the recruitment process, out of province candidates will require an Ontario licence prior to their start date.

Applicants interviewed for this position in the last 9 months will not be considered for this current competition.

We thank all who apply, however, only those candidates selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted. You can also check your application status in your candidate profile online. As a mass recruitment, the entire process can take up to 6-8 months.

All personal information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, the City of Mississauga will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities. If selected to participate in the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please inform Human Resources of the nature of any accommodation(s) that you may require in respect of any materials or processes used to ensure your equal participation.