Apply for Employment

Thank you for your interest in working with ECU Transit!

We are currently recruiting new operators in preparation for the 2024-2025 School Year.

Operating a commercial motor vehicle is a serious commitment; over 2 million passengers each year depend on us to carry them safely to their destinations. Any action or attitude which compromises safety is unacceptable. To support our dedication to safety, we are interested in hiring only those operators who demonstrate safe, responsible behaviors both on and off the clock while exhibiting excellent decision making skills in a highly dynamic environment.

Ready to Apply?

ECU Transit Job Application

Eligibility

Before you apply to drive with us, we want you to be aware of several key factors considered during the application process:

  • Students First: hiring preference is given to applicants who are currently enrolled with East Carolina University.
  • One Year Commitment: hiring preference is given to applicants who are able to commit to one year with us. Your graduation date should be greater than one year out from your date of application.
  • Minimum Training Availability: hiring preference is given to applicants who are able to train at least 15 hours or more per week.
  • GPA: new applicants must have a minimum 2.3 cumulative GPA to apply; anything below 2.3 will not be considered.
  • Judicial Record: applicants whose judicial records with ECU indicate any alcohol-related violations or drug-related violations within the last 2 years will not be considered.
  • Driving Record: Applicants must have a minimum of 1-year licensed driving experience and hold a regular drivers license. Applicants with moving violations or at fault accidents on their record within the past year, who have had their driving privilege suspended or revoked, have 4 or more current points on their drivers license, or have a history of convictions for DUI/DWI will not be considered.
  • Drug and Alcohol Screening: applicants must receive a negative result on pre-employment drug and alcohol screening. Random drug and alcohol screenings will continue for the duration of employment.
  • Must be age 18 or older to operate commercial vehicles: applicants may apply before their 18th birthday as long as they have held their license a minimum of 1 year but must be 18 or older to obtain a commercial driving permit and license or drive in a commercial capacity.

Positions Available:

ECU Transit has multiple positions available year-round based off the needs of our operations. All operator positions prioritize the safety of passengers and exhibit excellent decision-making skills. Students may be offered employment in one, or both of the following roles:

  • Bus Operator: obtains a Class B CDL, operates our fleet of commercial buses on a time schedule and drives for special events. Operational times run throughout various hours of the day and night to meet the needs of ECU students, faculty, and staff. *Now Hiring!
  • On-Demand Operator: operates our on-demand point to point van service within and around campus including our Pirate Access Service that helps individuals with special transportation needs. Operational times run throughout various hours of the day and night to meet the needs of ECU students, faculty, and staff. Limited Demand Response positions available. *We are not currently hiring for this position.

* See our website for current service schedules and operational hours.*

Post-Interview Process

After the successful completion of your interview, if you are selected to continue with the hiring process you may receive a conditional offer of employment for one of the above offered positions. This offer of employment is dependent upon the following items:

  • All Positions:
    • Verification of Eligibility: See Eligibility Requirements; GPA, Driving History, and Judicial Record will be verified upon receiving a conditional offer of employment.
  • Bus Operator Additional Requirements:

    • Negative test result on a Drug and Alcohol Screening
    • Passing a Medical Exam: you must submit to a DOT medical exam to obtain a Medical Examiner’s Certificate. Student Health Services offers this exam free of charge to ECU Transit applicants and employees, but you may select your own qualified healthcare provider registered at Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration National Registry.
      • Costs associated with obtaining a Medical Exam are reimbursable up to $125, contingent on employment.
  • Acquiring a Class B CDL Learner Permit within 2-weeks of hire:
    • You will be required to obtain the right permit to operate our vehicles (Class B, with passenger endorsement, and no air brake restriction).
    • Costs associated with obtaining a CDL permit, and License are reimbursed after a probationary period of employment.
    • New applicants are allowed to start the training program without a permit but preference will be given to those whom have completed this step before their hire date.

Paid Training Program

New operators will learn in a variety of learning environments including classroom settings online and face to face, behind the wheel training, and driving under the supervision of an experienced operator before driving on their own. Our training program is designed to familiarize you with our fleet and operating area while preparing you to be a safe driver and an ambassador for ECU.

  • On Demand Operators: The training program takes approximately 40 hours to complete and focuses on developing safe driving habits critical to operating a van as a defensive driver in a commercial capacity.
  • Bus Operators: The training program takes approximately 120 hours to complete and focuses on developing safe driving habits critical to operating commercial vehicles. Bus Operators will complete an Entry Level Driver Training Program required by the FMCSA after hire to prepare them to test for a Class B CDL License. Upon successfully completing the NC CDL driving exam and obtaining your Class B license, you will move on to drive with passengers under the supervision of an experienced operator before being released to drive on your own.
    • Bus Training is comprised of 3 main parts:
      • Theory instruction: offered as a hybrid classroom model utilizing canvas and in-person instruction in a classroom.
      • Behind The Wheel Training: where you will start at a cones course and advance to driving on the road in preparation for your CDL driving test
      • Cadet-Driving: after obtaining your CDL license, you will drive passengers under the supervision of another experienced operator before being released to drive on your own.

 

Learn More About Our Training Program

Ongoing Requirements

After training, you will be allowed to sign up for shifts and drive on your own while on probation. Although operators are largely responsible for making their own schedules, there are still some considerations to keep in mind:

  • Minimum Weekly Hours: each semester the Operations Manager sets a minimum number of hours each operator must work (usually 15-20) in order to adequately cover all shifts. Students must meet the minimum requirements but are allowed to work up to 39 hours each week.
  • Opening and Closing Shifts: a minimum number of opening or closing shifts may be required. Many operators report for duty each day at 6:30am while closing shifts vary throughout the day as late as 12:30am on most nights.
  • Nights, Weekends and Holidays: some routes run late into the night or on weekends/holidays and you may be required to take shifts during these times in order to meet your minimum requirements.
  • Special Events: operators who are no longer on probation may be eligible to sign up to drive for special events or trips. For larger events where positions are not filled voluntarily, a lottery system may be used to randomly select eligible operators who have not already met their requirements.
  • Ongoing Safety Coaching and Training: Throughout the duration of employment operators must participate in ongoing training to refresh, improve, and maintain skills for safe operational standards.