Relief Driver: City Bus Route and Para Transit

Salary: $18.53 Hourly
Location : Butte, Silver-Bow County, MT
Job Type: Relief
Job Number: 2025-066
Department: Public Works
Division: Transit
Opening Date: 10/29/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: ATU


General Statement of Duties / Distinguishing Features of the Class


Looking for a role where every shift makes a difference? Join our team as a Relief City Bus Route and Para Transit Driver and help keep our community connected. You'll operate small and medium buses to provide safe, reliable public transportation-bringing people to work, school, appointments, and more. This is a hands-on, mission-driven position where your skills and dedication directly support the daily lives of those around you. If you take pride in responsibility, enjoy being out on the road, and want to serve your community with purpose, this is your chance to be part of something bigger. Apply today and help drive the future of public service.


This is responsible and technical transportation work involving the operation of transit vehicles for public transportation purposes. The work is performed under the general direction and supervision of the Bus Operator II, but some leeway is granted for the exercise of independent judgement and initiative. The nature of the work performed requires that an employee in this class establish and maintain close cooperative working relationships with the Transit Coordinator, Bus Operator II, transit users, and the general public.


This position is covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City-County of Butte-Silver Bow and the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local No. 381

Examples of Essential Work (Illustrative Only)

• Operates a small and/or medium duty public transit bus for a fixed or demand and response route.
• Collects monies, tickets, passes and transfers and maintains records.
• Cleans buses and conducts pre- and post-trip inspections.
• Fuels buses, conducts minor preventative maintenance and inspections and reports findings and problems.
• Responds to inquiries and public requests for operational information.
• Attends meetings, conferences and workshops as requested and authorized.
• Perform all duties and work assignments in a safe, healthy, and environmentally sound manner, specifically, maintaining work areas in a safe and orderly manner; identifying and reporting unsafe conditions; reporting all accidents; wearing required personal protective equipment; and attending safety-related meetings, training sessions, fit testing, etc.
• Perform all duties and work assignments in compliance with project quality requirements.
• Act responsibly and ethically, and in conformance with generally accepted business, occupational, and professional standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

PUBLIC RELATIONS:

• Projects a positive image of the BSB Transit System to the public, using effective public relations skills.
• Exhibits friendliness, patience, and consideration of passengers, the general public, and vendors during routine and adverse circumstances.
• Provides passengers with accurate information about the BSB Transit System and Butte; or directs them to appropriate sources.
• Possesses an awareness of and ability to effectively deal with diversity among people, including disabilities among passengers.
• Follows the Para-transit Description of Service and ADA regulations.
• Demonstrates enthusiasm for her/his work.
• Presents a neat appearance and competent manner.
• Exhibits good work habits, including attendance and punctuality.
• Performs related work as required.

OPERATIONS:

• Conducts pre-trip inspections of vehicle, including reporting problems and repair needs.
• Safely operates a vehicle over various routes and according to time schedules under the guidance of the Transit Dispatcher.
• Picks up, transfers, and discharges passengers at various locations and maintains order among passengers. Greets passengers and maintains a friendly attitude.
• Attends to transport related special needs of passengers, including elderly and disabled passengers; operates mobility device restraints and all types of mobility device lifts including hydraulic wheelchair platforms, ramps, and restraints.
• Answers questions about BSB Transit schedules, routes, etc. Directs people to a reliable information source if unable to answer questions.
• Collects fares, sells passes, and follows established fare and driver report procedures.
• Operates the vehicle in a safe and skillful manner to endure a smooth and comfortable ride.
• Assists with training of new drivers.
• Adheres to operator handbook policy and guidelines.
• Serves as a responsible team member.

ADMINISTRATIVE:

• Communicates with supervisors as appropriate to report situations, request assistance, report driving hazards, etc.
• Maintains a variety of operational records including passenger counts, pre-trips, mileage, number of ambulatory and non-ambulatory passengers, and train and traffic delays; prepares tabulations and summaries; conducts surveys as required.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is typically performed in an outdoor environment when driving BSB Transit vehicles. The person in this position must be able to perform the essential function of the position with or without reasonable accommodations(s).
• The Para-transit operator must be able to operate a vehicle used to perform duties such as picking up and delivering passengers to the appropriate destination.

PERSONAL CONTACTS:

• Contact with passengers, non-customer public, other Para-transit operators, and supervisors.
• Frequent contact with management and administrative staff.
• Occasional contact with board members, law enforcement personnel.

SCOPE AND EFFECT:

• This person functions independently under general guidance and direction of management staff in compliance with established policies and procedures of Butte-Silver Bow and BSB Transit. Serious errors in judgment or lack of performance may endanger the health and safety of the customers or staff and may cause legal and/or financial liability for Butte-Silver Bow.

Required Experience, Training, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience working with the public is preferred.
• Must be 21 years of age or older at time of hire.
• Prior to hire, must have 36 months free of moving traffic violation convictions or preventable accidents.
• Prior to hire, must have 3 years without a revoked or suspended driver's license.

Excellent oral and written communication skills including demonstrated ability to:

• Communicate directly and effectively, both orally and in writing, with a variety of individuals including co-workers, supervisors, and passengers.
• Accurately relay messages and convey information to others.
• Maintain a variety of operational records.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including demonstrated ability to:
• Work cooperatively and effectively with others
• Treat all people with dignity and respect.
• Interact with people in a pleasant manner under routine or stressful situations.
• Accept, act upon, and offer constructive criticism.
• Excellent conflict resolution skills, including willingness to take responsibility for own part in communication breakdowns.
• Ability to learn and follow all pertinent Federal, State, and local laws, codes, and regulations including administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Ability to follow instructions and to adhere to company policies and procedures.
• Ability to understand occupational hazards and follow standard safety practices necessary in the area of work.
• Ability to focus and effectively perform repetitious job duties for extended periods of time, including the loading and unloading of 600 lb. mobility devices, including passenger, up and down ramps and walkways.
• Familiarity with Butte and ability to learn the geography of the city, including landmarks, streets, businesses, medical facilities, and community centers.
• Ability to perform simple math functions used to collect fares, sell tickets, and to prepare tabulations and summaries.
• Demonstrate good work habits including attendance and punctuality.
• Ability to report for shift work on short notice when needed.
• Must be available to work shift work when required.
• Good knowledge of small and medium bus operation and maintenance.
• Good knowledge of bus routes and procedures for route variance.
• Some knowledge of standard first aid practices and procedures.
• Ability to maintain proper passenger behavior and discipline on the bus.
• Ability to fuel buses and perform routine fluid checks and preventative maintenance.
• Ability to communicate well with others both orally and in writing, using both technical and non-technical language.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, supervisory personnel, transit users and the general public.
• Ability to prepare accurate and reliable reports containing findings, statistics, conclusions, recommendations and receipt accounting.
• Ability to use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to written specifications and/or oral instructions.
• Ability to perform a wide variety of driving and passenger loading and unloading tasks with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology.
• Ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.

Acceptable Experience and Training:

• Graduation from high school or possession of a GED; and
• Some experience driving commercial transport or buses preferred; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.

Required Special Qualifications:

• Possession of a Commercial Driver's License issued by the State of Montana.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol screen.
• Must registering with the Federal Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
• Must be a resident of Butte-Silver Bow during employment according to Butte-Silver Bow Ordinance. See below.

"2.08.010 Residence during employmentFrom and after October 1, 1979, all employees of the local government of Butte-Silver Bow shall be bona fide residents within the boundaries of Butte-Silver Bow during the period of their employment by the government of Butte-Silver Bow. (Ord. 85 § 1, 1979)"
Essential Physical Abilities:

• Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to communicate well with Butte-Silver Bow staff, passengers of all ages and abilities and the general public.
• Sufficient vision, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to drive small and medium duty buses, recognize street signs and hazards, observe passengers and their behavior, receive fares and change monies and read and prepare reports and memoranda.
• Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to operate small and medium duty buses and receive and change monies.
• Sufficient personal mobility, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to enter and exit buses, assist passengers with loading and unloading and provide accommodation to disabled passengers.
• Ability to sit for long periods of time, stand, walk, bend, kneel, crouch, stoop, squat, crawl, twist, climb, push and pull; to move up to 75 pounds on a frequent basis, and the ability to align a wheelchair into position for use of lift equipment.
• The nature of this work requires exposure to cold, heat, noise, odors, outdoors, vibration and possible mechanical hazards.
• Passing a physical and mental fitness to perform the required job functions is determined by passing a required United States Department of Transportation (DOT) physical. In compliance with DOT regulations, no accommodations can be provided to individuals not passing this federally required physical.

Additional City-County information
The City-County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical disability, or veteran status.


The job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities. Tasks and duties of the employee may differ from those outlined above.
ADA Accommodation Notice

The City-County of Butte-Silver Bow is committed to providing equal access to employment opportunities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process or participate in the hiring process, please contact us.
This position offers benefits according to a Collective Bargaining Agreement.