Service Manager - Bus Service Center Operations (Foreman)

Job Responsibilities

The mission of the South Carolina Department of Education is to serve students, support teachers, empower parents, and engage the community so that every student graduates prepared to reach their full potential.

At the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE), transportation plays a critical role in student access, safety, and opportunity across the state. Our work ensures that students arrive at school safely, reliably, and ready to learn—every day. SCDE Transportation helps districts statewide deliver safe, reliable, compliant service through operations, maintenance, safety, training, fleet management, and leadership. As a state agency, SCDE offers career pathways, professional development, and long-term stability—plus experience with modern systems, statewide operations, and data-driven decision-making.

Job Purpose

The South Carolina Department of Education is seeking an experienced, solutions-oriented Service Manager to lead daily school bus maintenance and repair operations within an assigned service center. This role focuses on hands-on shop leadership, technician supervision, maintenance quality, fleet readiness, and safety compliance, ensuring vehicles are safe, reliable, and available to support student transportation needs.

The Service Manager provides service-center-level leadership and direct oversight of school bus maintenance activities. This position ensures fleet readiness, effective technician performance, safety compliance, and facilities and equipment integrity through active supervision, technical expertise, and consistent operational standards.

The Service Manager works closely with Operations Managers, service center leadership, and regional management to align shop-level maintenance performance with statewide transportation priorities, regulatory requirements, and service expectations in support of South Carolina's pupil transportation mission.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Ensure fleet readiness

Summary: Manage and perform preventive maintenance and complex repair activities to keep fleet assets service-ready, minimize downtime, and ensure accurate, complete, and timely maintenance documentation.

• Schedule, assign, and oversee daily maintenance and repair workloads
• Perform preventive maintenance services and assist with repairs as operational demands require
• Diagnose and repair computer-controlled vehicle systems using advanced diagnostic tools
• Perform advanced diagnostics and repairs on engines, transmissions, brake systems, exhaust systems, electrical systems, and cooling systems
• Diagnose, evacuate, recharge, and repair air-conditioning and climate-control systems
• Reduce out-of-service vehicle counts and ensure timely return to service
• Conduct required 30-day, quarterly, and annual vehicle inspections and ensure corrective actions are completed
• Verify accuracy and completeness of AssetWorks work orders and maintenance documentation

Maintain facility integrity

Summary: Maintain safe, compliant service center facilities, tools, and equipment through inspections and consistent shop cleanliness and readiness standards.

• Conduct shop and equipment inspections to ensure compliance with standards
• Maintain clean, safe, and compliant shop and work environments
• Ensure tools, equipment, and facilities meet operational and regulatory requirements
• Ensure facilities and shop practices comply with environmental, safety, and departmental standards

Lead personnel effectiveness

Summary: Supervise, train, and support maintenance staff by managing workloads, attendance, technical development, and performance expectations while serving as the senior technical authority in the shop.

• Supervise maintenance technicians and support staff
• Monitor attendance, schedules, and workload distribution
• Provide instruction, mentoring, and technical guidance to technicians
• Identify training needs and support certification and skill development
• Serve as a technical resource for complex diagnostics and repairs
• Support required certifications, CDL compliance, and professional development
• Address performance concerns and participate in employee-relations processes
• Provide instruction to school bus drivers regarding vehicle operation, defect reporting, and the impact of maintenance practices on safety and reliability

Enforce safety compliance

Summary: Promote a safe maintenance environment by enforcing OSHA and environmental standards, ensuring PPE use, investigating incidents, and responding appropriately to emergencies.

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, and safety regulations
• Enforce PPE and safety procedures across shop operations
• Respond to road calls and emergency service situations as required
• Support accident investigations and required documentation

Deliver consistent service

Summary: Support reliable maintenance service delivery through coordination, communication, inventory control, and accurate recordkeeping.

• Coordinate with Operations Managers and service center leadership regarding maintenance priorities
• Support inventory management, parts usage tracking, and supply control
• Assist with emergency, weather-related, and seasonal transportation operations
• Maintain permits, inspections, and maintenance records in audit-ready condition
• Perform other duties supporting statewide transportation services and agency priorities