The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will oversee the daily operations of ODS Transportation, translating the President & Founder’s vision into actionable priorities and measurable results. This role requires a hands-on operator with direct school transportation experience who can lead teams, manage complex operations, and ensure service quality while making sound financial decisions.
Responsibilities
Lead daily business operations across transportation, dispatch, fleet maintenance, safety, recruiting, training, customer service, and administrative functions.
Establish clear responsibilities, decision-making authority, performance expectations, and accountability for department leaders.
Develop annual operating plans, departmental budgets, staffing plans, and business priorities.
Translate company goals into weekly, monthly, and quarterly execution plans.
Lead management meetings that resolve issues, assign ownership, establish deadlines, and track completion.
Make timely operational decisions within established authority and escalate significant risks with recommended solutions.
Identify recurring problems and implement lasting corrective actions.
Provide the President & Founder with concise reporting on business performance, financial results, staffing, client concerns, and operational risks.
Oversee daily school routes, special needs transportation, field trips, athletic trips, and other contracted services.
Ensure routes are staffed, vehicles are ready, and dispatch teams have accurate schedules and contingency plans.
Monitor on-time performance, missed trips, late arrivals, route coverage, and service reliability.
Improve routing efficiency, vehicle utilization, driver schedules, and deadhead mileage.
Maintain dependable backup coverage for absences, breakdowns, weather disruptions, and unexpected service changes.
Establish clear procedures for student accountability, rider handoffs, school communication, and incident escalation.
Coordinate with districts and families regarding individualized transportation requirements, including IEP-related accommodations when applicable.
Ensure drivers and aides understand student-specific instructions, securement procedures, behavior support expectations, and emergency protocols.
Prepare operations for school-year launches, new contracts, seasonal demand, and changes in district schedules.
Lead a safety culture in which expectations are clear, training is consistent, and concerns receive prompt attention.
Oversee applicable school transportation requirements, driver qualifications, background checks, credential tracking, training records, and vehicle documentation.
Ensure compliance with applicable Ohio requirements, district contracts, and federal transportation regulations where relevant.
Millions of jobs, with real people getting hired every day
200,000+
New jobs added daily
7,000,000+
Verified job listings
1,000,000+
Tailored applications submitted
Maintain inspection, preventive maintenance, defect reporting, and out-of-service procedures.
Ensure pricing decisions reflect service requirements and the full cost of delivery.
Identify unprofitable work and recommend operational changes, pricing adjustments, or contract decisions.
Establish controls that connect completed transportation services to accurate, timely invoicing.
Verify payroll and timekeeping processes accurately reflect authorized work.
Reduce avoidable spending while maintaining safety and dependable service.
Build, develop, and retain a capable management team.
Oversee hiring and onboarding for drivers, aides, dispatchers, supervisors, maintenance personnel, and administrative staff.
Establish staffing forecasts and recruiting plans that support current contracts and anticipated growth.
Set clear standards for attendance, professionalism, communication, and job performance.
Coach managers to address performance concerns promptly and consistently.
Lead performance reviews, development plans, succession planning, and appropriate disciplinary processes.
Improve employee retention through effective supervision, practical training, and clear expectations.
Build a culture where commitments are met and problems are raised early.
Serve as a senior operational contact for school districts and other key clients.
Ensure contractual service commitments are understood, staffed, monitored, and fulfilled.
Establish consistent procedures for complaints, service recovery, and follow-up.
Participate in client performance reviews, renewal discussions, and operational planning.
Support proposals and bids by validating fleet capacity, staffing requirements, implementation plans, and costs.
Lead new-contract implementation from award through stable service delivery.
Protect client relationships through accurate communication and dependable execution.
Document and enforce standard operating procedures across departments.
Improve the use of routing, dispatch, fleet, timekeeping, accounting, and reporting systems.
Establish reliable dashboards and consistent sources of operational data.
Build repeatable processes for opening new locations and launching new contracts.
Assess fleet purchases, technology investments, vendor agreements, and facility needs.
Ensure growth commitments are supported by available resources and realistic implementation plans.
Requirements
Direct leadership experience in school transportation is mandatory.
At least seven years of progressively responsible transportation operations experience, including at least three years leading school transportation operations, departments, or a business unit.
Demonstrated experience managing daily school routes, drivers, dispatch, fleet readiness, and district relationships.
Experience with both school bus operations and transportation for students with special needs.
Proven ability to lead managers and coordinate multiple departments.
Strong financial understanding, including budgets, profit-and-loss statements, labor management, and contract profitability.
Working knowledge of applicable school transportation safety and compliance requirements.
Experience managing service disruptions, accidents, staffing shortages, and client escalations.
Demonstrated success implementing processes, improving performance, and holding teams accountable.
Strong communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.
Ability to work primarily on-site in the Cleveland area and travel as business needs require.
Availability to support early morning operations and respond to urgent issues outside normal office hours.
Nice to have:
Experience as a COO, General Manager, Regional Manager, Director of Transportation, or comparable senior leader.
Experience leading a private school transportation contractor.
Experience managing multiple locations, district contracts, or a growing fleet.
Familiarity with Ohio pupil transportation operations and requirements.
Experience launching new school transportation contracts.
Experience with transportation technology, QuickBooks, and management reporting systems.
Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, transportation, or a related field; equivalent relevant leadership experience will be considered.
CDL with appropriate endorsements is a plus.
Benefits
Health insurance
Important Details
Application deadline: Not specified
Application Process
Submit your résumé and a brief cover letter with the subject line: COO Application – ODS Transportation
Describe your direct school transportation leadership experience, the size of the fleets, teams, and operations you have managed, your experience overseeing budgets and financial performance, specific improvements you have delivered in safety, service, staffing, or profitability, and your experience running daily operations with independent decision-making responsibility.
About the Company
ODS Transportation provides safe, reliable transportation for school districts, students, families, and institutional partners. Their services include daily school routes, transportation for students with special needs, field trips, athletic transportation, and contracted shuttle services.