This procedure outlines the primary duties, responsibilities, and expectations of every operator. More detailed information on how to complete specific duties and tasks may be found in other standard operating procedures.
If you have a problem or concern regarding work expectations, TriMet encourages you to talk with your supervisor or to use any of the following avenues to find a solution:
• Station Management: Station management, training supervisors, station agents, or road supervisors are available to listen, counsel or provide the appropriate referrals.
• Director of Employee Services: Offers a private, informal setting to meet with someone who will listen and offer options. The office also provides referrals to mediation, facilitation and specialized training.
• Union Representative: You may talk with a Union Representative to receive assistance solving a problem.
• Employee Assistance Program: TriMet’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides a free, confidential hotline offering professional assistance with a wide range of issues. Contact your station manager for information on EAP.
Violations of agency or department policies and procedures may result in a work improvement plan or disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. A serious violation may warrant immediate consequences, including termination.
2.0 Procedures:
Operators are the face of TriMet. Every day your attitude, how you respond to customers, timeliness, appearance, and your good judgment define the public’s image of the agency. TriMet operators make it possible to provide vital public transportation services to the Portland metropolitan area. As an operator, you are expected to:
1. Operate safety: Your first responsibility is safety. Place the safety of your customers and the safe operation of your vehicle ahead of all other considerations.
2. Follow all written TriMet policies and procedures: TriMet expects operators to read and follow all policies, SOPs, rules, notices, and bulletins that apply to them. This includes agency-wide policies and requirements contained in the Working and Wage Agreement (WWA) and all posted notices, memos, and other announcements regarding permanent or temporary policy and procedure changes. All Bus Operator SOPs can be found on TriNet.
3. Follow verbal instructions and directives from supervisors: TriMet expects operators to follow all verbal instructions given by supervisors, dispatchers, trainers and Managers, this includes written and verbal instructions sent via the bus dispatch system. If an operator believes an assignment or order is unclear or has reasonable cause to believe that carrying out the instruction or order would risk the health and safety of any person, the operator may request that carrying out the order be delayed until the situation has been reviewed by a manager or lead supervisor. The manager or lead supervisor will confirm or clarify the order.
4. Provide exemplary customer service: Every day you meet with people from diverse backgrounds, including vulnerable populations such as the elderly, disabled, youth and the mentally challenged. Some customers will require additional time, effort, assistance and patience. TriMet expects operators to be polite and courteous to all customers. Respond to questions in a polite, respectful way.
5. Act in a professional manner: As a professional transit operator, TriMet requires you to use your best judgment, your communication and customer relations skills along with your technical expertise, to provide your customers and the community at large with transit service that exemplifies the highest levels of professionalism.
6. Attend work on time: Report to work regularly, at the correct location, on time and in uniform. If you oversleep, you lose your guaranteed pay hours for that day. You must notify the station agent as soon as you realize an oversleep has occurred and be available for an alternate work assignment. Failure to accept an alternate work assignment will be considered a refusal to work.
7. Follow all conduct requirements: Below is a list of prohibited operator behavior. This is not intended to be a complete list of prohibited conduct.
• Use, sell, distribute, possess or be under the influence of alcohol, a controlled or illegal substance, a drug not medically authorized, or any other substance that impairs job performance, while on duty, in uniform, or on TriMet property.
• Take medication of any kind that will impair safety or job performance. If you must use a prescribed medication, you must notify your station manager, and complete an Employee Notification of Prescription form.
• Pose an immediate or potential danger to public safety.
• Be insubordinate or disrespectful to a supervisor or manager.
• Mishandle district cash revenues.
• Deliberately misuse, alter, destroy or remove any TriMet property or the property of another employee.
• Commit any crime while on duty, in uniform, or on TriMet property.
• Possess a weapon while on duty, in uniform, or on TriMet property. This prohibition applies even if you have a gun permit.
• Verbally or physically assault, mistreat, or harass through speech, gesture, or bodily contact, customers, TriMet employees, District contractors and vendors, and/or the general public while on duty, in uniform, or on TriMet property.
• Restrain by physical action or command, pursue, or stalk members of the public, TriMet employees, or TriMet customers while on duty, in uniform, or on TriMet property.
• Falsify illness or injury.
• Falsify, misrepresent, or omit pertinent information on a record, statement, or report pertaining to one’s activities, responsibilities, observations, or employment at TriMet.
• Refuse to participate in, withhold information, or make false or misleading statements while a party to an official investigation of an accident, incident, rule violation or complaint.
• Misuse, alter, or destroy electronically collected data or media including VCH Memory Cards.
• Fail to return a VCH Memory Card to the pouch at the end of your run.
• Discuss with unauthorized persons, including the principals involved, any matters that have been or are under investigation, or that interfere with or compromise an ongoing investigation. Matters of investigation are confidential and may not be discussed outside the investigative process.
Engage in sexual or bias harassment.
• Discriminate against anyone or deny normal privileges to individuals because of their membership in a legally protected class, such as race, sex, disability, religion, sexual preference, or personal characteristics.
• Be convicted of a criminal act while on duty, in TriMet uniform, or on District property.
• Interfere with another employee’s performance.
• Lead fellow employees in a wildcat strike or slowdown, attempt to cause such a job action, or participate in such an action.
• Gamble while on duty, on TriMet property, or in uniform.
• Take friends, family members, or animals on board your bus during your run for any non-transportation related purpose.
• Use any TriMet telephone to place long distance or toll calls or use any TriMet fax machine for any business not directly related to TriMet service without authorization from a supervisor.
• No person shall smoke tobacco or any other substance, or shall carry any lighted or smoldering substance, in any form aboard a District Vehicle, in any elevator or underground area of a District Station, or within any space where posted signage prohibits smoking.
• Participate in political campaigning, including wearing buttons, or soliciting for charitable causes or other events while on duty or in uniform. As representatives of a public agency, operators are to remain neutral. These are valuable personal activities, but must be done off duty and out of uniform.
• Solicit, canvass, circulate petitions or collect money while on duty, on TriMet property or in uniform without written permission from the General Manager, except Union activities as permitted under Oregon law.
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