Ulster County Personnel Department
Civil Service Examination Announcement
FILING FEE $20.00
#61506 SENIOR BUS DISPATCHER
OPEN-COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION
LAST DATE FOR FILING APPLICATIONS: December 30, 2009
EXAMINATION DATE: February 6, 2010
SALARY: The 2010 starting salary is currently listed at $17.72 per hour.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet the following requirement(s) on or before the date of the examination:
Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and three (3) years of dispatch experience involving the operation of modern communication systems, two (2) years of which must have included clerical and computer database record keeping experience in a transportation office responsible for the operation of fleet vehicles and public transit.
Special
Requirement:
Possession of valid
APPLICATION REVIEW TOLERANCE POLICY
For the purposes of this policy, "tolerance" shall mean the leeway given regarding work experience when reviewing an application. Applicants lacking a small amount of work experience when applying for promotional or open-competitive examinations may qualify under the following conditions:
1) Candidates will be given a maximum tolerance of one (1) month.
2) Tolerance will be given only when the minimum qualification requires one or more years of work experience.
3) Tolerance Policy does not apply to education or licensure/certification requirements. (See particular examination announcement for "Anticipated Eligibility" information).
4) Tolerance Policy does not apply where required work experience is set forth by law or rules.
5) Tolerance Policy does not apply to enable applicants to meet residence requirements.
For more information regarding Tolerance Policy, please contact our office at (845) 340-3550.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The work involves responsibility for dispatching, maintaining databases and keeping accurate records in a transportation office. An incumbent in this position is responsible for performing routine dispatch and clerical work including creating and maintaining several computer program databases in accordance with established procedures. The incumbent may perform minor building and vehicle maintenance tasks as needed. The class of Senior Bus Dispatcher is different than the class of Bus Dispatcher by virtue of the fact that a Senior Bus Dispatcher is responsible for supervising and training bus drivers/dispatchers in the daily operation of dispatching and disseminating information to staff. Work is performed under the general supervision of a higher level employee with leeway allowed in the performance of work details. An incumbent is responsible for supervising bus driver and dispatch personnel. Does related work as required.
SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: Written test will cover knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:
1. Bus driver recordkeeping and scheduling
A test that requires candidates to work with simple records using general record-book or card-type formats. Questions are based on given records, which usually must be completed by the candidate before the questions can be answered. In order to answer all questions in this subtest correctly, the candidate generally must:
a. Follow written directions to understand the purpose and use of the record, and to understand the question; b. Make correct entries in appropriate sections of the record; c. Identify which entries are required to answer the question.
A knowledge of bookkeeping, account keeping, or other technical information or terminology is not necessary to answer these questions. A knowledge of simple arithmetic functions may be required.
2. Providing good customer service
These questions test for the ability to provide effective customer service. Questions will cover such topics as understanding and responding to customers with diverse needs, perspectives, personalities, and levels of familiarity with agency operations, as well as acting in a way that both serves the customer and reflects well on your agency.
3. Following directions (maps)
These questions test your ability to follow physical/geographic directions using street maps or building maps. You will have to read and understand a set of directions and then use them on a simple map.
4. Use and operation of microcomputers and related peripheral equipment
These questions are designed to test for technical knowledge and concepts relevant to the operation of a microcomputer and associated peripheral equipment for word processing, spreadsheet analysis, data base management, data communications and other applications. The questions asked are not specific to any vendor or any model of microcomputer.
5. Supervision
These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.
6. Operation of two-way radios including procedures and terms
These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in the operation of a two-way radio and may include such areas as the proper procedures to use when operating a two-way radio, and the standard terminology used when transmitting and receiving messages over a two-way radio system.
CALCULATORS: "Unless specifically prohibited, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand‑held, solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, ‘Spell‑Checkers’, ‘Personal Digital Assistants’, ‘Address Books’, ‘Language Translators’, ‘Dictionaries’ and any similar devices are prohibited."
*FEES*:
Send your check or money order for twenty dollars ($20.00) (made payable
to
EXCEPTION TO FEE REQUIREMENT: An exception to the processing fee will be made for persons receiving Supplemental Social Security payments or public assistance (Safety Net Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families), provided Foster Care or certified Workforce Investment Act of 1998 eligible through a state or local social service agency, and for those who are currently unemployed. Individuals wishing to claim this waiver of fee on the basis of Supplemental Social Security, Safety Net Assistance or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, must certify on their application, under number 20 Remarks, that they are receiving public assistance and must indicate the type of assistance they are receiving, the agency providing the assistance and their case numbers. Persons claiming this waiver through Foster Care or Workforce Investment Act of 1998 Certification must specify the program and name of their contact agency. Persons claiming this waiver, who are currently unemployed must certify on their application, under number 20 Remarks, that they are currently unemployed and must provide documentation that they are receiving unemployment benefits or other unemployment documentation deemed appropriate by the Ulster County Personnel Officer.Such claims are subject to later verification and, if not supported by appropriate documentation, are grounds for barring appointment.
Applications may be obtained at the
For those applications submitted in person on the last file date, please submit no later than 4:30 PM. All applications must be in our office no later than 5:00 PM on the last file date. Applications postmarked by the last file date will also be accepted.
This examination is being prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23‑2 of the Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Rules and Regulations dealing with the rating of examinations will apply to this test.
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION POLICY: In accordance with Ulster County Local Law Number 14 of 2007, a criminal background check (including fingerprinting) will be initiated by the Ulster County Personnel Department upon initial employment or re-hire to Ulster County positions, and conducted by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the New York State Office of Court Administration, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Verification Information System (IMAGE Program), or any law enforcement agency.
SPECIAL NOTE: All public agencies are required by law to provide full and equal opportunities for minorities, women and to people with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to compete without regard to race, creed or national origin. Applicants requesting special testing arrangements as a Saturday Sabbath Observer, alternate test date candidate (in accordance with Alternate Test Date Policy), or an active member of the military away from the area on the scheduled test date must clearly indicate this fact on the application. All such requests must be supported by appropriate documentation.
VETERANS: Non-disabled and disabled veterans who wish to claim additional credits must request a Veterans Credits application from our office. This form must be completed and submitted along with a war service (DD214) form prior to the establishment of the resulting eligible list. Veterans credits may only be added to a passing score and may only be used for appointment once. Candidates currently in the armed forces may apply for and be conditionally granted veteran’s credits. Any candidate who applies for such credits must provide proof of military status to receive the conditional credits. You may not claim additional Veterans Credits after the eligible list has been established. It is the candidate’s responsibility to request the Veterans Credits application forms and submit these forms and any required supporting paperwork before the eligible list is established.
ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR CHILDREN OF FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY: In conformance with section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled to receive an additional ten points in a competitive examination for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served. If you are qualified to participate in this examination and are a child of a firefighter or police officer killed in the line of duty in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter when you submit your application for examination. A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility. However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has been established.
APPLYING FOR CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS WHEN EXAMINATIONS ARE SCHEDULED ON SAME DATE: If you have applied for any other Civil Service examinations for employment with New York State or any other local government jurisdiction, you must make arrangements to take all the examinations at one test site.
If you have applied for both State and Local government examinations, you must make arrangements to take all your examinations at the State examination center by calling (518) 457‑7022 no later than two weeks before the test date.
If you have applied for other local
government examinations, call or write to each Civil Service Agency to make
arrangements. You must make your request
for these arrangements no later than two weeks before the date of the
examinations. You must notify all local
government civil service agencies with whom you have filed an application of
the test site at which you wish to take your examination(s). For this examination call (845) 340‑
3531 OR write to Ulster County Personnel Department,
*If candidates have not received notification of this examination within four (4) days of the examination, they should contact this office immediately.
#61506
ORIGINAL COPY: YELLOW
ISSUED: November 30, 2009