Highway Response Operator 1* - 03052024-53901

Job Information

LOCATION OF (5) POSITIONS TO BE FILLED: DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, REGION 4 TMC & HELP TRUCKS, SHELBY COUNTY

This classification currently has an starting salary of $3,555,35 per month which includes an additional 14.1% added assignment differential hazardous nature of the job responsibilities and the irregular shift.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school and experience equivalent to three years of full-time experience in one or a combination of the following: (1) any emergency response work, which may include fire suppression, emergency management or communication dispatch; (2) medical services; (3) any protective services work in law enforcement, fire safety inspection, arson investigation, correctional institutions, or security, (4) customer service; (5) highway or bridge maintenance and/or construction; (6) driving motor vehicles for a business establishment or government agency; or (7) automotive or diesel maintenance and/or repair.
Substitution of Education for Experience: Additional college course work credit received from an accredited college or university may substitute for the required experience on a month to month basis to a maximum substitution of two years.
Necessary Special Qualifications: Applicants for this class must:

• Have a good moral character, as determined by investigation;
• Complete a criminal history disclosure form in a manner approved by the appointing authority;
• Agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointing authority;
• Supply a fingerprint sample in a manner prescribed by the TBI for fingerprint based criminal history records check;
• Submit to and pass a pre-employment screening test for use of illegal drugs;
• Possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license at the time of employment. The applicant's driver's license must not have been suspended or revoked based on speeding, moving violations, contributing to an accident, driving while license cancelled, or similar safety-related reasons at any time during the ten (10) years immediately preceding the time of appointment;
• Upon appointment, successfully completed a prescribed course of instruction.

Examination Method: Education and Experience, 100%, for Preferred Service positions.

Summary

Summary: Under immediate supervision, performs highway emergency response work of routine difficulty; and performs related work as required.

Distinguishing Features: This is the entry-level class in the Highway Response Operator sub-series. An employee in this class learns to perform service patrol work on metropolitan roadways to keep traffic congestion and delay time to a minimum. Duties include assisting motorist with minor vehicle problems, providing traffic control, and responding to traffic accidents and roadway emergencies. This class differs from Highway Response Operator 2 in that an incumbent of the latter performs at the working level.

• An applicant appointed to this flexibly staffed class will be reclassified to the next higher class in the series after successful completion of a mandatory one-year training period; inadequate or marginal performance during the training period will result in automatic demotion or termination.

Responsibilities

Assisting and Caring for Others:

• Learns to administer first aid to victims at incident scene according to first responder guidelines.
• Learns to respond appropriately during medical, roadside, work site and other emergencies as required.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems:

• Learns to make decisions involving assigned work tasks to include the quality and application of equipment, materials, and labor to ensure accomplishment of assigned goals within established performance guidelines.
• Learns to decide appropriate actions to be taken at incident scenes that may affect personal and/or public safety to notify appropriate authorities.
• Learns to determine the need for alternate routes to eliminate and/or minimize traffic congestion.
• Learns to decide at incident scene the appropriate emergency response agency needed, including but not limited to law enforcement, EMS, or fire department.
• Learns to determine incident traffic control devices needed to secure incident scenes according to state and federal standards.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment:

• Learns to push or pull disabled vehicles from travel lanes to restore normal traffic conditions.
• Learns to operate a HIGHWAY RESPONSE vehicle while responding to freeway incidents and emergency situations in accordance with state and federal laws and agency policy and procedures.
• Learns to operate a HIGHWAY RESPONSE vehicle in a variety of environmental conditions in accordance with safety procedures.
• Learns to operate a HIGHWAY RESPONSE vehicle in the most effective manner to minimize traffic congestion in accordance with state and federal laws and agency policy and procedures.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information:

• Learns to estimate general material, labor, time and equipment requirements to expedite clearing the incident scene.

Performing General Physical Activities:

• Lifts and carries job related equipment and materials including but not limited to roadway, accident, and vehicle debris in a variety of environmental and physically demanding conditions.
• Lifts and carries job related equipment and materials, including but not limited to a 3 1/2 ton hydraulic jack (weighing 75 pounds), truck tires, oil absorbent, and multiple traffic cones, in a variety of environmental and physically demanding conditions.
• Climbs and/or balances on vehicles, slopes, hills, roadway structures of varying heights to complete tasks in a variety of environmental conditions.
• Walks, hikes, and/or crawls through incident sites possibly including rough terrain and obstacles to complete tasks in a variety of environmental conditions.
• Stands and sits for extended periods of time to maintain work zone safety.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization:

• Learns to communicate with the public in a positive and helpful manner providing both assistance and public safety information.
• Learns to describe the severity of an accident scene, condition of motorists involved in an accident, the presence of hazardous materials, and roadway conditions to appropriate emergency personnel arriving on scene to facilitate emergency response.
• Learns to transmit messages to law enforcement, fire, emergency medical, towing services, and hazardous materials handling agencies using both vehicle and remote radio communications equipment to request appropriate assistance.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:

• Completes required annual training events and developmental activities to learn new procedures and increase job proficiency as directed.
• Maintains required level of certification in emergency vehicle operations, first responder, CPR, and maintain required driver's license.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events:

• Learns to identify abandoned vehicles for possible law enforcement follow up and/or vehicle removal.
• Learns to identify possible transportation and public safety issues by observing traffic flow and motorist actions.
• Learns to identify hazmat symbols on vehicles involved in accident or abandoned for immediate action and report to supervisor.
• Learns to identify emergency situations that prevent immediate removal of vehicles from travel lanes including injury accidents, fatalities, or crime scenes.
• Learns to identify equipment needed at incident scene to effectively clear traffic lanes and report to assigned supervisor.

Handling and Moving Objects:

• Learns to position and place tow chains to properly relocate vehicles from travel lanes.
• Learns to carry traffic control devices to and from different areas of the worksite to set up proper work zone in an efficient manner.
• Learns to operate basic hand tools including air tools, wrenches, screw drivers, hammers, pry bars and other similar tools.

Getting Information:

• Learns to obtain status information from supervisor and TMC Operator regarding status of current roadway incidents on assigned route.
• Learns to collect necessary information at incident scene including lane closures, motorist conditions, equipment needed, status of emergency response, and other necessary information to determine required action.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings:

• Learns to monitor materials, equipment, and resources to ensure sufficient quantities to fulfill job duties.
• Learns to monitor multiple communication devices to identify incidents requiring response.
• Learns to monitor work environment and road conditions by patrolling assigned route to identify safety hazards including hazardous materials, traffic control, maintenance issues, and emergency response to report to appropriate agency.
• Learns to monitor traffic congestion to identify delays, incidents, and unusual traffic patterns to report to assigned supervisor and peers.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment:

• Learns to perform routine maintenance on assigned vehicle including but not limited to topping off fluid levels and maintaining tire pressure.
• Learns to perform minor repairs on disabled vehicles including but not limited to jump starts, adding fluids, tire repair, and other similar duties.
• Learns to perform routine troubleshooting for vehicles to address basic issues as required.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work:

• Learns to incorporate last minute and unscheduled tasks into current workload to ensure timely and accurate completion of work.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources:

• Learns to secure assigned equipment, fuel supplies, and vehicles as per work unit policy to ensure it is not lost, damaged, and/or stolen.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:

• Learns to transmit messages to TDOT dispatcher using both vehicle and remote radio communications equipment to request appropriate assistance.
• Learns to describe the incident scene upon arrival, including location, vehicle type, license plate number, and initial assessment to TMC personnel for reporting purposes.
• Learns to describe the status of the incident scene, what actions were used for traffic control, and what service was provided at incident conclusion to TMC personnel.
• Reports the need for major vehicle repairs and malfunctions of safety equipment to supervisor.
• Reports any damaged, broken, or lost tools and equipment to supervisor.
• Provides prior notice to supervisor documenting unavailability for assigned schedule.
• Meets with supervisors and coworkers as required to receive updates and information related to work activities.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material:

• Learns to perform scheduled pre-use and/or post-use inspection of equipment and vehicles to ensure proper functionality and safety.
• Learns to inspect bridges, tunnels, guard rail, overpasses, and other roadway structures after incident to notify proper authorities.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others:

• Reports internal and external conflicts, complaints, and other issues to assigned supervisor or appropriate reporting authority as required.

Interacting With Computers:

• Learns to operate employee self-service database to maintain and view personal employment data.
• Learns to key messages in a variety of electronic message boards.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships:

• Learns to communicate politely and courteously with coworkers, supervisors, and other business partners to ensure a positive and productive work environment.

Documenting/Recording Information:

• Learns to record the mileage of assigned vehicle for state management and documentation of cost.

Competencies

Competencies:

• Dealing with Ambiguity
• Learning on the Fly
• Problem Solving
• Timely Decision Making
• Action Oriented
• Composure
• Customer Focus
• Integrity and Trust
• Self-Development

Knowledge:

• Basic knowledge of customer and personal service.
• Basic knowledge of diesel and gasoline engine vehicles.
• Basic knowledge of vehicle maintenance and minor repair.
• Basic knowledge of tools utilized in vehicle maintenance and repair.
• Basic knowledge of emergency management response procedures.
• Basic knowledge of telecommunications including two way radios, cell phones, and other communication devices.
• Basic knowledge of traffic flow and roadway layout for assigned area.

Skills:

• Active Learning Skills.
• Active Listening Skills.
• Critical Thinking Skills.
• Speaking Skills.
• Coordination Skills.
• Service Orientation Skills.
• Time management skills as they apply to self.
• Basic skill in the application of vehicle maintenance.
• Basic equipment selection skills.
• Basic skill in the operation and control of equipment utilized in highway incident management.
• Basic skill in the application of minor vehicle repairs.
• Basic troubleshooting skills.
• Basic judgment and decision making skills.
• Basic skill in the management of material resources as assigned daily.

Abilities:

• Deductive Reasoning
• Memorization
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Spatial Orientation
• Speed of Closure
• Written Comprehension
• Arm-Hand steadiness
• Finger Dexterity
• Control Precision
• Manual Dexterity
• Multilimb Coordination
• Rate Control
• Reaction Time
• Response Orientation
• Speed of Limb Movement
• Wrist-Finger Speed
• Dynamic Flexibility
• Dynamic Strength
• Explosive Strength
• Extent Flexibility
• Gross Body Coordination
• Gross Body Equilibrium
• Stamina
• Static Strength
• Trunk Strength
• Auditory Attention
• Depth Perception
• Far Vision
• Glare Sensitivity
• Hearing Sensitivity
• Near Vision
• Peripheral Vision
• Sound Localization
• Speech Clarity
• Speech Recognition
• Visual Color Discrimination

Tools & Equipment

• 12,000-15,000 GVWR Truck, 4wd, with push bumper with service body and arrow board/message board
• Portable trailer mounted arrow board
• Portable trailer mounted message board
• Sand Spreader to distribute at accident scene
• Air compressor
• Air impact tools
• Heavy duty floor jack
• Mechanic hand tools
• Traffic control devices
• Gas operated blower
• Electrical jump boxes
• Electrical jump cables
• Chain Saw
• Two-way radios
• First Response Emergency Medical Kit

TN Driver Standards

State of Tennessee positions that may involve driving responsibilities require candidates to meet the following minimum driver qualifications:

• A valid driver's license
• For the past five years, the candidate's driver record must not have record of the following violations: driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for moving violations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include your Driver's License Information under the Licenses and Certifications section of your application.

**Agencies may allow an exception based on other factors.