Davenport City commission approves minimum qualifications for new transit dispatcher and operations coordinator positions

Davenport City Civil Service Commission members voted to establish minimum qualifications for two new transit positions as the city moves previously contracted transit services in-house.

The commission approved minimum qualifications for a transit dispatcher role and a transit operations coordinator, which will accompany a conversion from private contractors to city employees, Public Works Director Nicole Gleeson said. “Historically the city had contracted with a third party, First Transit and then Transdev, to provide these services. And their contract is expiring in July. And through a cost analysis, it was determined that we could likely perform the services in house for a little less money,” Gleeson said.

The vote followed a staff presentation explaining operational needs and training requirements. Nut graf: The change is administrative but affects staffing levels, shift coverage and federally required compliance: dispatchers will handle routing, driver communications and customer calls across split facilities and shifts, while the operations coordinator will manage transit data reporting required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to support grant funding.

Gleeson said the city expects to hire multiple dispatchers and one coordinator. Dispatch duties include communicating detours or on‑route issues to drivers, scheduling drivers, interacting with customers about lost items or route questions, and supporting purchase order processing. The city anticipates hiring four or five dispatchers to cover a roughly 14‑hour service day plus Saturday service, with one dispatcher assigned at the Public Works location beginning as early as 4:30 a.m. and another at the downtown ground transportation center during that facility’s hours.

The minimum qualifications approved for the transit dispatcher position require a high school diploma or GED (or equivalent), two years of office or customer service experience (or equivalent), a valid driver’s license, a background check, and preemployment drug screening. Because the position supports services funded by FTA grants, dispatchers are subject to the FTA random drug and alcohol testing program, the staff packet says.

The transit operations coordinator position likewise requires a high school diploma or GED and two years of transit‑operations experience, a valid driver’s license, and a background check. The coordinator must obtain a Class B commercial driver’s license with air‑brake and passenger endorsements within three months of hire and maintain it during employment; staff said the city will provide the training necessary to meet that requirement. The operations coordinator will be primarily responsible for validating automated onboard counters, maintaining related datasets (including camera and other system data), and entering accurate passenger counts and operations data required by federal reporting.

Commissioners made the motion to approve the qualifications; the commission approved them by voice vote. The record shows a voice vote in favor and the chair announced the qualifications were set and approved.

Ending: Staff will proceed with recruitment under the newly adopted minimum qualifications as the city prepares for the contract expiration with First Transit/Transdev in July.