Associate Transportation Planner

City of Lodi, CA

$84K — $102K *
Lodi, CA 95240In-Person
Transportation
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in public administration, urban planning, transportation planning, or related field.
  • 3+ years experience in transit or transportation planning within a public agency.
  • Proficient with GIS tools such as ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro.
  • Strong analytical skills with experience in data collection and analysis.
  • Knowledge of federal, state, and local transportation regulations.

Responsibilities

  • Manage the operation of Lodi GrapeLine public transit system.
  • Develop long-range plans and transportation strategies.
  • Analyze data to support planning and project development.
  • Prepare technical reports and ensure compliance with regulations.
  • Lead the management and coordination of transportation projects.

Benefits

  • 13 paid holidays annually.
  • 2 weeks paid vacation, increasing with service.
  • 10 days of sick leave per year.
  • Health insurance plans available for employee and dependents.
  • 401(k) and other retirement plan options.
Full Job Description
Salary : $84,188.51 - $102,331.64 Annually
Location : Lodi City Hall 221 West Pine Street Lodi, CA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 1246.8.2026
Department: Public Works
Division: Administration/Transportation
Opening Date: 08/06/2026

Job Description
Join our Public Works Department as an Associate Transportation Planner and help shape the future of public transportation in Lodi! This position offers the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, multi-faceted, very hands-on environment, with a broad range of projects to help manage the City of Lodi's transit system. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented and has strong analytical, project management, and communication skills, is able to adapt to changing priorities, and is proficient in the use of planning tools such as GIS and is familiar with state and federal transportation regulations.
Job descriptions are intended to present a broad and general range of duties which includes, purpose, responsibilities, and scope of work. Job descriptions are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

DEFINITION

Performs professional work in the field of planning, public administration, environmental analysis, and economic development, as it relates to transportation. The Associate Transportation Planner plays a critical role in overseeing transit administration, transportation programming, and transportation initiatives that enhance efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability of the City's mobility network.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the full journey level class in the planning series. Positions in this class have the knowledge and ability to perform a variety of professional planning duties for the City. Work is of a greater complexity, with the incumbent learning and performing tasks in an independent nature. This is a flexibly staffed class series in that the Assistant Transportation Planner may reasonably expect to progress to the Associate Transportation Planner with training, satisfactory performance and management approval.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED AND RECEIVED

Receives direction from higher level personnel. May exercise technical or functional supervision over lower level planning class positions and other personnel.

Examples of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

Performs a wide range of administrative duties related to the operation and administration of the Lodi GrapeLine public transit system; Develops medium to long-term plans and strategies for transit service and transportation programming.

Collects, maintains, updates, monitors, and analyzes data required for planning activities; Conducts field surveys; Documents findings and justifies recommendations; Utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other technical tools to support planning activities;

Performs, and assists in performing, routine to moderately difficult research studies; Prepares technical reports and recommendations for a wide variety of transportation issues; Interpretation of data, plans documents, technical reports, regulatory directives, and program guidelines.;

Prepares data for Federal, State, and Local reports, adhering to strict regulatory requirements; Maintains project documentation, databases, and reports per regulatory requirements; Manages grant applications; ensures grant requirements are met during implementation. Assists in the completion of reporting requirements;

Leads in the development and management of projects and contracts from start to completion, including managing project teams; Ensures regulatory compliance in contracts and during procurement; Exercises oversight over contracts; Coordinates with contractors, consultants, and internal staff to ensure delivery of projects; Performs administrative duties necessary for project delivery;

Leads public meetings and outreach engagement activities; Performs more complex public engagement; Represents City interests at regional committees and working groups; Prepares materials in-print, and online (webpage and social media); Prepares graphics including plans, signs, forms, and exhibits;

Participates in multi-agency coordination for larger-scale initiatives;

Develops program budgets;

Develops policies and plans;

Performs other duties related to the operation of the department and the City including additional duties that enable the department and City to meet the diverse needs of its community.

Typical Qualifications
Knowledge of:

Transportation planning principles as they pertain to transit (fixed route bus routes, demand response, scheduling, run cutting, bus stop locations, bus stop amenities, policy, regional connectivity) and multimodal transportation; Short- and long-range transit planning;

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro for data analysis, database maintenance, and data visualization;

Strong competence with technology, enabling understanding of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for transit uses, such as CAD/AVL, fare payment, and GTFS; use and operation of computers and specialized peripheral equipment for transit technologies;

Principles, practices, procedures, and information sources of transportation, economic, environmental and/or social concepts applicable to the transportation planning process;

Regional and national transportation trends and their implications on strategic planning; Community trends and market analysis techniques; marketing theories, principles, and practices and their application to transportation;

Fundamental process frameworks for the municipal function;

General principals of urban and regional planning and transportation systems and networks;

Complex Federal and State funding frameworks, including funding formulas and award requirements.

Public administration processes at the local, state, and federal levels, especially as they pertain to relevant agencies (Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, State DOT, State regulatory boards, Metropolitan Planning Organization/Regional Transportation Planning Agency, etc);

Land use, environmental impacts, community planning, zoning, ordinances, public works projects/processes, and regulations;

Transportation planning principals as they relate to transportation network integration, complete streets, sustainability, and transit-oriented development (TOD);

Advanced data collection and analysis techniques, including modeling and statistical analysis skills;

Up-to-date knowledge of developing trends, technologies, and best planning practices;
Ability to:

Analyze and interpret federal, state, and local laws, codes and regulations, processes, and programs;

Ability to apply federal, state, and local laws, codes and regulations, standards, processes, and programs; Understands ADA, Title VI, and DBE requirements; Regional and national transportation trends and their implications on strategic planning.

Communicate clearly, orally and in writing;

Ensures regulatory compliance in contracts and during procurement; Exercises oversight over contracts.

Prepares grant applications; ensures grant requirements are met during implementation.

Leads public meetings and outreach engagement activities.

Prepare clear, accurate and concise tables, schedules, reports, summaries and other materials in statistical, technical and narrative form;
Perform difficult and complex technical research and analysis of planning issues and problems;

Establish and maintain various transit data collection systems, record keeping, tracking, filing, and reporting systems;

Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals. Develop recommendations for problematic areas and implement and monitor changes;

Read complex schematics and system configuration drawings to troubleshoot ITS hardware;

Understand the organization and operation of the city, the Transit Division, and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities;

Work independently, coordinate multiple projects and meet critical deadlines;

Work under steady pressure with frequent interruptions and changing priorities;

Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Education:

Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public administration, business administration, urban planning, transportation and planning, or closely related field.

Experience:

Three years of increasingly responsible experience with a public agency in the field of transit service planning, transportation planning or closely related field.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS:

Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment with some travel to different sites and locations. May be exposed to safety hazards including, fumes or odors, dust or gases, chemicals, toxic materials, oil, and a variety of mechanical machinery. May be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends and may be required to travel outside City.

Essential functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time; to see well enough to read, write and make observations; hear well enough to converse on the radio, telephone and in person; bodily mobility to occasionally walk, bend, kneel, reach, stand, crouch, operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard, cell phones and/or hand held electronic devices; to verbally communicate to exchange information; and may be required to work nights or weekends as needed.

FLSA Status: EXEMPT

Supplemental Information

Interested applicants must submit an online application at www.lodi.gov. No paper applications will be accepted. For technical difficulties with your online application, please call the Neogov helpline at 855-524-5627.

Telephone: 209-333-6704. Persons with hearing impairment, please call the California Relay Service 7-1-1.

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

SALARY - The starting salary is the first rate shown on the job announcement. Advancement to the higher steps of the salary range is based upon merit in accordance with the Salary Ordinance and Rules for Personnel Administration. Eligibility for the first merit increase is effective after 12 months and for additional merit increases after one year intervals until the employee has reached the maximum step.

HOLIDAY, VACATION, SICK, AND ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE - Holiday - An average of 13 paid holidays per year. Vacation - 2 weeks paid vacation annually, increasing with length of service depending upon the appropriate labor agreement. Sick Leave - 10 days per year depending upon the appropriate labor agreement. Administrative Leave - Management/Mid-Management positions receive 80 hours per fiscal year, and specified professional/technical positions receive 40 hours per fiscal year (Pro-Rated).

HEALTH INSURANCE - Medical, Dental and Vision plans are available for employee and dependents. A portion of the prem

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