How to Get a Job in Public Transportation

If you're a proponent of public transportation and want to join a team of employees who support environmentally conscious, reliable mass transit, apply for an industry-related job in your region. Many transit careers offer competitive salaries, training programs and tuition assistance, along with the satisfaction of knowing you're helping reduce society's environmental footprint.

Instructions

1. Visit the American Public Transit Association (APTA) website to search its online job bank (see Resources below). The organization publishes new mass transit and APTA job openings each week, and you can get them by accessing a direct link or subscribing to its weekly online newsletter. The newsletter will be delivered to your inbox so you'll have easy access to new postings.

2. Browse the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website to find transit authorities in your area (see Resources below). The site lists mass transit resources and links by city, and city transit authority websites list local job opportunities. Career options include positions for engineers, technicians, clerical staff, transit drivers and transit officials, among others.

3. Find out what training you need for the job in which you're interested. For example, bus drivers need to have a commercial driver's license and must take a written examination through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Transportation management positions may require vocational training, an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in transportation systems. If the job listing does not give specific education requirements, call the transit authority to find out what training you'll need, and whether it provides it or whether you must pursue it independently. For more thorough descriptions of careers in the mass transit field, visit Khake.com (see Resources below).

4. Check out Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com to get a comprehensive list of mass transit job openings nationwide (see Resources below).

5. Attend the Transit Trainer's Workshop in Denver, Colorado, sponsored by the National Transit Institute (see Resources below). This national event provides workshops and speakers covering a variety of topics, including safety concerns, engineering and operations, human resources and transit maintenance. The workshop will help acclimate you to the public transportation industry, provide a snapshot of job opportunities and responsibilities and increase your chances of getting a mass transit job.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a subscription to the print or online version of MassTransitMag.com so you can keep up with public transportation news and industry trends (see Resources below). The more you know about the field, the better you'll perform during job interviews. The magazine also has an updated list of transit jobs in each issue.

Resources

• APTA for updated job bank
• Transportation Security Administration for mass transit offices and contact information
• Khake.com for Transportation Career Guide
• CareerBuilder.com for public transportation listings
• Monster.com for public transportation job listings
• National Transit Institute's training program information
• MassTransitMag.com for industry information and job listings