Chief Transit Operations

Fairfax County, VA

$80K — $141K *
Transportation
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in public/business administration, transportation planning, or related field
  • 2+ years of professional transit operations experience
  • Valid driver's license
  • Experience with paratransit scheduling or routing
  • Proficiency in transportation-related databases and scheduling software
  • Familiarity with federal/state transportation grants
  • Strong problem-solving and communication skills

Responsibilities

  • Plan and oversee scheduling for para transit and Head Start services
  • Implement and evaluate transportation grants
  • Supervise staff and manage work assignments effectively
  • Recruit, train, and evaluate transportation professionals
  • Monitor compliance in contract dispatch operations
  • Manage vehicle inventory databases with maintenance staff
  • Analyze route structures and resolve complex transportation issues

Benefits

  • Medical/Vision/Dental insurance
  • Group term life insurance
  • Long-term disability coverage
  • Flexible spending programs
  • Paid leave for various needs
  • Deferred compensation options
  • Access to continuous learning opportunities
Full Job Description
Salary : $80,776.80 - $141,359.50 Annually
Location : DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION, 4050 LEGATO ROAD, SUITE 400, FAIRFAX (EJ03), VA
Job Type: FT Salary W BN
Job Number: 26-01211
Department: Transportation
Opening Date: 08/08/2026
Closing Date: 8/28/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S27
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

FCDOT is seeking a highly motivated, qualified, and experienced professional to join the Transit Services Division (TSD). Serving as the Chief of Transit Operations for FASTRAN bus services, this position provides oversight and administration of special transportation services (paratransit) provided for Fairfax County seniors and residents with special needs.

The position oversees scheduling operations, supervising staff, managing program budgets, optimizing routes, resolving service issues, and ensuring compliance across human services transportation programs. This role plays a key part in promoting reliable services and supporting the county's commitment to serving vulnerable populations.

Responsibilities include:
  • Planning, directing, and administering scheduling activities for Fairfax County's Human Services Transportation Para Transit Bus Services, and Head Start Transportation Services;
  • Overseeing implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of federal, state, and county grants supporting human services transportation programs;
  • Supervising transportation professionals involved in ride scheduling, dispatch coordination, and reimbursement processing for Medicaid transportation program; distributing work assignments and reviewing completed work for accuracy;
  • Recruiting, training, coaching, discipling staff, and conducting performance evaluations;
  • Monitoring contract dispatch operations to ensure compliance and recommending efficiency improvements;
  • Overseeing vehicle inventory databases in coordination with the FCDOT maintenance staff;
  • Managing route assignments, ensuring optimal ridership, staffing, and resource utilization;
  • Evaluating human services transportation policies, procedures, and guidelines; preparing or updating them as needed;
  • Coordinating transportation needs and activities with other county human services agencies;
  • Preparing Medicaid and user fee revenue projections and ensuring proper reimbursement collection
  • Assisting with monitoring budget performance and preparing addendums or impact analysis for service changes for the section chief;
  • Analyzing complicated route issues; resolving transportation requests that are not manageable by staff; investigating and resolving complaints from riders, county agencies, and the Board of Supervisors;
  • Reviewing Automated Call Distribution (ACD) reports to identify call trends and operational inefficiencies;
  • Presenting to senior management or the Board of Supervisors in the absence of the Human Services Transportation Section Chief; and
  • Completing other tasks, as assigned.

For more information on the Fairfax County Department of Transportation, please click
Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from a four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in public or business administration, transportation planning, or a related field; plus two years of progressively responsible professional transit operations experience in the transportation field.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, child protective services check, and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Thorough knowledge of the principles and methods of transit and paratransit services planning and analysis
  • Experience in scheduling or routing transportation services (paratransit, human services, or similar)
  • Proficiency with scheduling software, call distribution systems, and/or transportation related database
  • Knowledge of and experience managing federal/state transportation grants
  • Experience with Medicaid transportation reimbursement processes
  • Experience in resolving customer service issues related to transportation programs
  • Strong problem-solving skills and experience analyzing/optimizing complex route structures and operational data for transportation programs.
  • Experience managing dispatch operations
  • Ability to prepare budgets, projections, and cost analyses
  • Experience supervising staff in a transportation or logistics environment
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with subordinates, governmental officials, and the general public
  • Strong communication skills and experience in collaborating across programs and divisions

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work is generally sedentary. However, employee may be required to do some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of items under 25 lbs. in weight. Ability to operate keyboard-driven equipment. Ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Ability to operate a motor vehicle. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

#LI-JY1
Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
  • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
  • Group Term Life Insurance
  • Long Term Disability
  • LiveWell Program
  • Flexible Spending Programs
  • Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
  • Paid Holidays
  • Deferred Compensation
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Employees' Child Care Center
  • Continuous Learning Opportunities
Please click for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
  1. Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
    • Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
    • Flexible Spending Program
    • Deferred Compensation
  2. Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
    • No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
  • Less than 12th grade
  • High school diploma or GED
  • Some college
  • Associate's degree
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree
  • Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.
  • Less than 45 quarter hours
  • 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
  • 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
  • 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
  • 180 or more quarter hours
  • Less than 30 semester hours
  • 30 to less than 60 semester hours
  • 60 to less than 90 semester hours
  • 90 to less than 120 semester hours
  • 120 or more semester hours
  • Not applicable

03

Please indicate all major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
  • Public administration
  • Business administration
  • Transportation planning
  • Other (related field)
  • Other (non-related field)
  • Not applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
05

Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?
  • Yes
  • No

06

How many years of full-time equivalent progressively responsible professional transit operations experience in the transportation field do you possess?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six or more years

07

How many years of full time equivalent experience do you have scheduling or managing transportation services (paratransit, human services, or similar)?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight or more years

08

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have analyzing or optimizing route structures for transportation programs?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight or more years

09

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have resolving customer service issues related to transportation programs?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight or more years

10

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have supervising staff in a transportation or logistics environment?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight or more years

11

Please indicate the supervisory tasks you have experience performing. Check all that apply.
  • Hiring/interviewing
  • Training/coaching
  • Performance evaluations
  • Discipline
  • Assigning work
  • Managing contractor performance
  • None of the above

12

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have managing federal, state, or county grants?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight or more years

13

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have with Medicaid transportation reimbursement processes?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight or more years

14

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have using transportation scheduling systems, dispatch systems, or call distribution systems (e.g., Automated Call Distribution)?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years
  • Eight or more years

15

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have managing dispatch operations?
  • None
  • Less than one year
  • One to less than two years
  • Two to less than three years
  • Three to less than four years
  • Four to less than five years
  • Five to less than six years
  • Six to less than seven years
  • Seven to less than eight years

16

This position is considered "essential/emergency" which requires the incumbent to report to work regardless of the county's operating status (open or closed). Are you able to rep

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Fairfax County, VA

More Transportation Jobs

Find similar Chief Transit Operations jobs: