Planning & Operations Analyst

Description
The Planning and Operations Analyst is responsible for collecting, maintaining, analyzing, and reporting on DCTA services, including key performance indicators, metrics, operational statistics, and compliance with statutory requirements. This role involves performing extensive analysis using spreadsheets and database programs, presenting alternatives, and making recommendations to improve operational processes and service efficiency and effectiveness.
Additionally, the Planning and Operations Analyst will engage in service and route planning, utilizing specialized route planning and scheduling software, along with ridership datasets, to explore potential future service enhancements. This role will collaborate closely with the Planning Analyst to analyze data and criteria, ensuring DCTA operates the most efficient and effective transportation solutions. Communication and coordination with Operations Department staff, up to and including the Chief Operating Officer, is essential for effective performance of this role.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The following duties are standard for this position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification.

• Collect, clean, and maintain transit data from various sources including passenger tracking, fare collection systems, passenger surveys, and external data providers. Support the analysis of datasets to identify trends, patterns, and insights that can inform transit planning and operations adjustments in real time.
• Monitor and evaluate data collection activities, processes, and procedures.
• Compile data from multiple sources and reconcile to ensure accuracy.
• Provide analytical and database support to the Operations and Planning Departments.
• Develop and maintain data for key performance indicators and business metrics
• Perform operational analysis by observing and analyzing schedules, service patterns, equipment utilization and run assignments.
• Assist with the evaluation of operational and financial data to assess route performance to improve service efficiency and effectiveness.
• Create and prepare detailed periodic analytical reports, compliance reports, and numerous ad-hoc reports for presentation to internal and external customers.
• Generate reports, presentations, graphics, forms, and other documents to communicate operational information.
• Respond to internal and external requests for operational data, including but not limited to service levels, on time performance, service reliability, passenger boardings, maximum loading, routing, and schedules.
• Complete operational research as required
• Engage in fixed route bus planning including service calendarization, route, patten and stop creation, trip building, blocking, run cutting, roster creation, operator bidding, and creation of supplemental reports for driver relief schedules, fleet assignment, and route turning instructions
• Analyze system demands to address capacity issues by modifying Operator schedules for each Labor Bid. Create runs to match schedules and vehicles for each Labor Bid.
• Coordinate route exports into third party GTFS feeds to ensure route operations are accurate on customer facing applications
• Complete trip audits to ensure accurate time/miles match operations system for all modes of bus operations service. Ensure contracted trips are verified and invoices are reviewed for accuracy and payment.
• Perform daily audit and verifications of all Demand Response runs and trips to confirm the activities of the vehicles (i.e. correct locations, accurate route, confirming mileage, etc.), Compile and present monthly audit reports to management.
• Evaluate daily supply and demand for demand response services and identify opportunities to improve service delivery and cost effectiveness
• Develop knowledge and efficiency utilizing software such as Swiftly, Spare Labs, Via VOC, Remix, Trillium, ext. , including trip-building, scheduling, dispatching, verifications, and reporting.
• Compile and maintain monthly reports for bus operations services for review by Director of Transportation and the Chief Operating Officer. Monthly reports include passenger and trip counts, passengers per hour and per mile, revenue & non-revenue miles and hours, as well as total service miles and hours. Perform audits of no-shows, cancellations, and denials as well as the on-time performance for each service.
• Compile monthly billing reports detailing weekly voucher invoices, monthly taxi trip data, passenger drill-down report, and Demand Response reports for review by Sr. Manager of Mobility Services. Compile and compute data into a monthly invoice for billing.
• Compile and report monthly and annual non-financial reports (i.e. Texas PTN-128 report, primary for annual NTD ridership reporting, etc.), detailing information such as total vehicle hours, revenue hours, total vehicle miles, revenue miles, passenger counts, etc.
• Audit and verify bus operations fixed route delays, missed trips, and exceptions for billing by comparing rider alerts with exceptions reports and confirming that all delays and missed trips are captured in monthly billing.

Requirements
QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Where applicable, an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of education/experience listed below.
Education & Experience: (where applicable, an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered)

• Associate's degree in planning, accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or other related field from an accredited college or university. Bachelor's preferred.
• Prefer a minimum of two (2) years of professional experience, preferably in public transportation, municipal government, or similar environment.

Special Requirements: Hold a current valid Texas Driver's License or have the ability to obtain one upon entry into the position.
Knowledge of:

• Research methods and statistical concepts
• Modern office methods, procedures, and use of computer equipment.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel (Power Query, data import and transformation, linked tables)
• Microsoft Access or SQL Server Management Studio preferred
• Microsoft Office suite including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Fixed route and scheduling applications preferred
• Principles and practices of transit operations, planning, and service development preferred

Ability to:

• Work independently to perform a variety of functions and manage multiple projects at one time while working in a dynamic environment with changing priorities to meet established deadlines
• Possess an influential and welcoming communication style
• Demonstrate a professional level of expertise and high level of discretion and judgement to support and inform decision making processes
• Establish cooperative working relationships and communicate effectively and sensitively with all levels of staff, both verbally and in writing
• Exhibit strong problem-solving skills and exceptional customer service orientation
• Ability to get along with others, individually and in a large group. Has the desire to care for the organization's well-being and for the co-workers he/she interacts with. Interested in partaking in group development and team building activities
• Be open to collaborate and work in a team-oriented and helping environment
• Possess a positive attitude, and ability to practice good judgement, while open to receiving/providing feedback
• Foster a culture that values critical thinking and problem solving; and encourages constructive feedback, engagement, inclusion, and diversity at all levels

The ideal candidate will:

• Possess a positive attitude, and practices good judgement, while open to receiving/providing feedback
• Hold the ability to get along with others, individually and in a large group. Has the desire to care for the organization's well-being and for the co-workers he/she interacts with. Interested in partaking in group development and team building activities
• Be open to collaborate and work in a team-oriented and helping environment
• Possess an influential and welcoming communication style
• Foster a culture that values critical thinking and problem solving; and encourages constructive feedback, engagement, inclusion, and diversity at all levels

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
Physical activities include, but are not limited to: on a continuous basis, sitting at a desk for long periods of time; researching information both in written form and on the computer; using a computer and monitor for long periods of time; intermittently twisting and reaching for office equipment; writing or using keyboard to communicate through written means; lifting light weight; reaching above the waist and reaching below the waist; repetitive motion and fingering when using computer keyboard; and talking and hearing when dealing with internal and external customers. The position requires occasional field work including riding buses and trains. The essential functions of this position require the daily use of a computer and telephone and are performed in an office environment.