AMVETS Jobs

At Sunrise Transportation, we strive for a top-to-bottom, every day, every person, zero tolerance culture obsessed with safety. We've hired a dedicated staff and deployed best-in-class infrastructure, systems and processes to make that possible. We're driving constant improvement and accountability by measuring everything we do and taking corrective action immediately.

General Manager- School Bus Transportation – Sunrise Transportation (ECS & Relia)

Location: ECS

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Supervise: Branch Managers, Dispatch, Maintenance, and Office Staff

About the Position

Provides operational oversight, day-to-day management, customer interface, and required reporting and compliance mandates (both internal and external) for a specific area within a region. Represents company management with school officials concerning issues of passenger management, route scheduling, billing, charter activities, driver issues, safety, fleet maintenance and general logistics matters. Directly supervises exempt and non-exempt staff and manages financial performance. Position has full supervisory responsibility for recruitment, hiring, retention, performance development, performance management, teammate relations, salary adjustments, and termination of direct reports. Responsible for on-line learning courses and completion of courses individually and for the locations within their area. Will coach and develop employees in their area to support company initiatives and location/area/region goals. Identifies issues related to resources needs (driver shortage) for the area/location’s needs and customer requirements. Responsible for stimulating local commercial and/or charter growth. Manages the development, preparation and analysis of area/location budget and financial controls. Accountable for the development and implementation of processes which support lean practices and standardization across area/locations.

Position Overview

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced General Manager to oversee the operations of two branches within our special needs school bus transportation division. The General Manager will be responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable transportation services for students with special needs while maintaining compliance with all state and federal regulations. This role requires a hands-on leader with strong operational expertise, customer service skills, and a deep understanding of school bus operations, special education transportation, financial management, and team leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for overall cost structure and pricing for locations within area.

• Lead both branch locations within the CT area in managing the day-to-day activities to support operations, safety, maintenance, dispatch, fleet and facility management, payroll, routing/scheduling, AR/AP and other interrelated functions. Foster and maintain positive relationships within and outside of their area, including senior management and customer contacts.

• Leads and oversees all aspects of customer contract compliance and management with a concentrated focus on retaining the customer in conjunction with the local management team. Includes adherence to all staff, driver, and vehicles requirements, as well as KPI, billing and budget management. Also, covers delivery of all contract-specific requirements. Ensures delivery of training and other needs as per company, location, state and customer requirements.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee the daily operations of two branches, ensuring adherence to safety protocols, regulatory requirements, and company policies.

• Ensure routes are optimized for efficiency while meeting IEP (Individualized Education Program) requirements and student accommodations.

• Monitor fleet maintenance and compliance, working closely with maintenance teams to minimize vehicle downtime.

• Develop and implement operational improvements to enhance service delivery and efficiency.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all drivers and staff comply with DOT, FMCSA, and state-specific school transportation regulations.

• Conduct regular safety meetings, training, and audits to maintain a culture of safety.

• Collaborate with school districts and parents to address special accommodations, behavior management, and incident resolution.

Team Management & Development

• Lead and mentor Branch Managers, Dispatchers, Drivers, Monitors, and Office Staff.

• Oversee the recruitment, training, and retention of drivers and support staff.

• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that supports employee engagement and professional growth.

• Lead by example. Builds and maintains a strong positive culture within both teams through effective recruiting, on-boarding, training, coaching, team building and succession planning. Prepare and participate in the preparation of staff development plans for each functional employee who is a member of both branches in CT. Assess the skills and skill levels necessary to achieve Location objectives. Ensures all on-line learning courses required have been completed by location staff including their own individual completion.

Customer & Stakeholder Relations

• Serve as the primary liaison between school districts, parents, and community partners.

• Address concerns, inquiries, and special requests in a timely and professional manner.

• Develop strong relationships with school administrators, local education agencies, and advocacy groups for special needs students.

•Communicate with customers by telephone, electronically or in regular face-to-face meetings. Responds promptly to customer inquiries, identifies and escalates priority issues, obtains and evaluates all relevant information to resolve inquiries and complaints. Follow-ups with customers as required. Develop action plans to ensure customer retention. Provides and promotes effective communication with customers and escalates issues if needed to COO or Human Services as needed.

Financial & Business Performance

• Manage budgets, control costs, and maximize branch profitability.

• Monitor key performance metrics, including on-time performance, driver availability, and vehicle maintenance.

• Identify growth opportunities, such as new contracts or service expansions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Six (6) + years of leadership experience in passenger and/or school bus transportation, or comparable service industry (logistics) showing a consistent successful employment progression with multi-site responsibilities or five (5) years of solid management experience within logistics, or a related industry.

• Experience in special needs transportation is highly preferred.

• Strong knowledge of FMCSA, DOT, and state-specific school transportation regulations.

• Ability to analyze data, optimize operations, and drive continuous improvement.

• Exceptional leadership skills with experience managing multiple locations.

• Strong customer service and relationship-building abilities.

• Proficiency in routing software, fleet management systems, and Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Experience with other software such as timekeeping and payroll systems is preferred.

• Demonstrate leadership, decision-making and team building skills

• Strong commitment to safety

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Strong organizational, analytical and time management skills

• Ability to interpret data and perform root cause analysis and assist others

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with others in a team setting

• Strong business background in financial, strategic, and organizational analysis

• Excellent financial and budgetary skills with ability to interpret and analyze P&L, budgets and forecasts

• Demonstrated ability to train, coach and provide leadership

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with IEPs, behavioral intervention plans, and ADA accommodations.

• CDL with School Bus (S) and Passenger (P) endorsements (or ability to obtain).

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Transportation, or a related field (preferred).

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to make a direct impact on the lives of students with special needs.

• Work with a mission-driven organization focused on safety and service excellence.

• Competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for career growth.

Diversity & Inclusion

Sunrise Transportation seeks to foster an inclusive, equitable, and respectful work environment while providing better service to its diverse student population. These initiatives will help the company align with broader social responsibility goals and positively impact the local community. By embedding these goals into its mission, Sunrise Transportation can strengthen its commitment to diversity, ensuring a positive impact on its employees, students, and communities.