Council approves tighter certification and CDL timeline for senior bus mechanic

The City Council approved revisions to the senior bus mechanic job description that add a minimum education requirement, clarify certification options and testing expectations, and set new time limits for obtaining commercial driver credentials. The changes, presented to the council during the meeting at City Hall, add "high school diploma or GED equivalent" to the listed minimum qualifications; allow candidates to hold ASE Master Technician certification in either the heavy/medium truck (T-series) or transit bus (H-series) blocks; require a standard background check and enrollment in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) random drug-and-alcohol testing for CDL personnel; and change when a candidate must hold a CDL from "upon application" to allowing a newly hired mechanic to obtain a CDL permit…