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Dispatcher — School Bus & Paratransit

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Cathay Express Transportation Dispatcher — School Bus & Paratransit

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As a Dispatcher - School Bus & Paratransit, you will help control Cathay Express Transportation Inc.'s daily school bus, OPWDD, and paratransit/non-emergency medical transportation service. This hands-on role confirms daily readiness, assigns qualified drivers and appropriate vehicles, monitors service from pullout through pull-in, responds to disruptions, communicates with customers and operating partners, and maintains accurate records. The Dispatcher must work within established authority and immediately escalate safety, qualification, handoff, and service risks.

Company Background

Cathay Express Transportation, Inc. is a Queens-based transportation provider serving patients, nursing homes, clinics, private organizations, healthcare partners, public agencies, and community transportation customers throughout New York City and New York State. The company provides non-emergency medical transportation, ambulette, wheelchair, stretcher, school bus, public transit, and related mobility services with a strong focus on safe, timely, reliable, and customer-centered service.
Cathay team members are expected to perform through the Company's Five Operating Pillars: Safety, Service, People, Accountability, and Continuous Improvement. These principles guide daily decisions, employee conduct, customer communication, performance, and improvement across every service line.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Safety:
- Before dispatch, verify in the approved roster or system that the driver is cleared for the work, including required license and endorsements, Article 19-A status where applicable, medical and training status, applicable drug and alcohol status, and available duty time. Do not dispatch an expired, restricted, unclear, or unconfirmed driver or override a qualification hold.
- Confirm that the assigned vehicle is approved for service, has no unresolved safety defect, and meets capacity, wheelchair lift and securement, child-restraint, communications, and equipment requirements. Confirm required pre-trip and DVIR completion and coordinate substitutions or road calls with Maintenance.
- Protect every student and rider through required vehicle sweeps, post-trip child-check confirmation, individual instructions, emergency response, and authorized handoffs. Never approve an alternate or unattended release; keep the passenger safe and immediately follow the notification and escalation protocol.
Service:
- Control daily service from pre-pullout through final pull-in by assigning routes, trips, drivers, vehicles, and required monitors or aides; manage callouts, late reports, open work, and vehicle substitutions without compromising qualifications or safety.
- Monitor vehicles, route progress, schedule adherence, and exceptions through GPS/telematics, routing, broker, phone, and radio systems; respond to traffic, weather, breakdowns, missed trips, late service, and deviations with timely recovery actions and verified ETAs.
- Follow each service line requirement, including approved student routes and bell times for school bus, standing transportation and individual instructions for OPWDD, and manifests, will-calls, returns, add-ons, cancellations, and no-show procedures for paratransit/NEMT.
People:
- Communicate calmly and clearly with drivers, monitors, riders, students, families, schools, residences, program sites, medical facilities, brokers, agency contacts, and internal departments, especially during delays, complaints, incidents, and emergencies.
- Give drivers and monitors current route, passenger, equipment, and service instructions; reinforce dispatch procedures and escalate attendance, conduct, training, or performance concerns to the appropriate supervisor.
- Treat every student, rider, family member, and employee with dignity, and protect sensitive information under Company policy, contract requirements, and applicable privacy laws.
Accountability:
- Maintain a complete, time-stamped dispatch log of assignments, calls, exceptions, notifications, decisions, actions, and outcomes; provide a clear handoff for open work, active incidents, disabled vehicles, and pending follow-up.
- Serve as the first operating contact for accidents, injuries, breakdowns, possible abuse or neglect, elopement, unaccounted-for passengers, and other serious events; stabilize the response, contact emergency services when required, notify management and Safety, and begin documentation without delay.
- Reconcile trips and service records against manifests and electronic systems so timestamps, mileage, trip status, signatures, and other required information support reporting, complaint review, audits, and billing.
Continuous Improvement:
- Review daily results for on-time performance, missed service, callouts, route exceptions, complaints, incidents, vehicle availability, documentation gaps, and recurring failures.
- Identify patterns and recommend practical improvements to routes, schedules, staffing, fleet assignments, communications, training, and escalation procedures.
- Use Samsara, RouteGenie, MAS, TripShot, Trapeze, and other assigned systems effectively; share field observations and help implement approved improvements across service lines.

Qualifications & Skills

Required Qualifications:
- Minimum of two (2) years of dispatch, transportation operations, customer service, logistics, or comparable coordination experience required.
- High school diploma or equivalent required, with the ability to manage competing priorities and make timely decisions in a fast-paced operating environment.
- Clear communication, accurate recordkeeping, strong computer skills, and the ability to learn service-area geography and transportation systems quickly.
Skills and Knowledge:
- Hands-on ability to manage live dispatch, staffing coverage, route performance, driver communication, verified ETA management, and service recovery.
- Sound judgment regarding safety, qualification holds, emergency response, authorized release, documentation, privacy, and escalation.
- Familiarity with Article 19-A, school bus operations, ADA service requirements, OPWDD transportation, MAS transportation, or wheelchair transportation preferred.
Preferred Technology Experience:
- Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and shared digital tracking tools.
- GPS and vehicle-monitoring platforms such as Samsara, along with RouteGenie, MAS, TripShot, Passio, or comparable transportation systems.
- Multi-line phone, radio, and dispatch communication systems.

Job Requirements

- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
- Must meet applicable pre-employment requirements, which may include background screening and testing where permitted or required by law.

Physical Demands

This position requires the ability to work on-site in a fast-paced operating environment, sit and stand for extended periods, use a computer and phone or radio system, communicate clearly, review detailed service information, and move through the dispatch room, driver areas, yard, and vehicles as needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

Disclaimer

The duties and responsibilities listed above are subject to change and may not reflect all tasks required. As Cathay Express Transportation, Inc. continues to grow and evolve, certain tasks may be adjusted to support operational needs. Any material changes in duties and responsibilities will be discussed in advance.

Cathay Express Transportation, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. The company strives to attract and retain a diverse workforce and considers qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.