| Summary Description: Under general direction of the Deputy Chief of the Division of Transportation Services, provides strategic leadership, coordination, and operational oversight of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) initiatives and leads the safety, training, and professional development efforts for all transportation employees. This role ensures alignment between student travel safety education, transportation safety standards, and countywide pedestrian and traffic safety efforts. The team leader supervises staff, leads program planning and implementation, collaborates with internal MCPS offices such as facilities management and systemwide safety, and external partners (including Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and law enforcement), and ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local transportation safety regulations. Provides strategic analysis of bus routes, walksheds, and bus stop infrastructure to improve efficiency and ensure student safety during annual route reviews.
Physical Demands: Ability to meet prescribed pre-employment testing requirements. Ability to lift heavy objects 50 lb. minimum.
Special Requirements: Ability to work a flexible schedule, including attending and facilitating midday, afternoon, and evening training courses and meetings Occasional participation in community and Board of Education meetings. Travel to various sites, depots, and schools required.
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KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Thorough knowledge of school transportation safety principles, pedestrian and bicycle safety programs, design and construction of roadways, sidewalks, pedestrian walkways, and Safe Routes to School frameworks. Strong leadership, staff supervision, and team development skills. Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and agencies. Excellent written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences, including presenting at County Council, Board of Education, and other public forums for students, parents, staff, and community partners. Ability to analyze safety data, assess risks, and recommend evidence-based safety improvements. Knowledge of MCPS organizational structure and transportation services preferred. |
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EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE; CERTIFICATION AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: Education, Training, Experience: Bachelor’s degree in education, transportation planning, public safety, public administration, law enforcement, design and construction, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Demonstrated experience leading safety, transportation, or youth-focused programs. Experience supervising staff or leading teams. Experience working with Safe Routes to School initiatives or similar pedestrian/bicycle safety programs. Experience in a public-school system or local government transportation agency.Training or certification in traffic safety, injury prevention, or related disciplines.Certificate and License Requirements: Valid Maryland driver’s license and ability to travel to school and community sites throughout Montgomery County and transportation service areas |
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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Example Duties: (The job duties listed are typical examples of the work performed by this job classification. Not all duties assigned are included, nor are all duties listed performed in every office.)• Leads the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the Safe Routes to School program, ensuring student walking, biking, and arrival/dismissal safety around schools. • Leads the Ride by the Rules campaign and ensures consistent messaging regarding safe, respectful, and responsible behavior at bus stops and on school buses. • Aligns SRTS and Ride by the Rules initiatives with Division of Transportation Services safety priorities and student behavior standards. Develop annual program goals, metrics, and safety outcomes for both pedestrian and bus safety education initiatives.• Supervises staff supporting safety education, outreach, and training activities.• Provides guidance and performance feedback consistent with Safety, Training, and Staff Development expectations.• Ensures staff are trained in MCPS transportation rules, student conduct expectations, and age-appropriate safety messaging.• Supports Walking School Bus programs and safety awareness events consistent with SRTS goals. • Collaborates with counselors and school staff to extend transportation safety learning into classrooms and school-based support structures. • Coordinates parent-facing Ride by the Rules resources and outreach, including guidance on supervision responsibilities, reinforcing bus safety expectations, and supporting positive student behavior. • Serves as a liaison with principals, parent organizations, community groups, and county partners to reinforce consistent transportation safety messaging.• Represents MCPS DOT at school construction work groups, government roundtables, and other venues requiring MCPS participation.• Forms recommendations to bus stops, walking/bicycling routes, school traffic patterns for modifications and upgrades.• Participates in community safety events, school meetings, and outreach initiatives related to SRTS and Ride by the Rules.• Ensures SRTS and Ride by the Rules activities comply with MCPS policies, transportation regulations, and applicable federal, state, and local laws. • Supports schools and transportation leadership in addressing student conduct concerns on buses, including trends related to unsafe or disruptive behavior.• Works with state and local transportation personnel on school bus, pedestrian and vehicular topics, legislation, rules and policies, and keeps DOT current with regulatory requirements and administers best practices to enhance the safety of MCPS students.• Participates in annual route reviews to optimize efficiency and ensure safe and equitable bus routes and bus stop locations.• Participates on the Bus Accident Review Board (BARB) and provides data and information to the Deputy Chief of Transportation in collaboration with other members of the Safety, Training and Staff Development Team.• Monitors federal, state and local laws, policies, regulations, and rules governing safe access to schools, transportation modalities of all kinds, and industry best practices. May attends conferences, workshops, work groups, and other applicable professional learning opportunities to stay current with industry safety standards for implementation with MCPS.• Coordinates and collaborates with facilities management, construction, systemwide safety staff and school-based administrators on enhancements of school traffic flows and processes.• Collaborates with transportation safety staff when incidents or concerns indicate a need for enhanced education, training, or outreach.• Maintain reports, program documentation, and safety data to support continuous improvement.• Performs related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position. |
