About the Role
Lead the daily maintenance, fleet readiness, and maintenance facility functions for Cathay Express Transportation, Inc.’s Chenango County operation. This hands-on role is responsible for safe, compliant, reliable, and service-ready vehicles, maintenance staff direction, vendor coordination, preventive maintenance, repairs, inspections, parts control, shop safety, and maintenance records, protecting daily pullout and supporting service continuity.
Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day maintenance operation, including mechanics, bus washers, utility workers, vendors, and related administrative support.
- Plan daily work assignments to protect pullout, vehicle availability, scheduled service, inspections, and repair priorities.
- Ensure buses and support vehicles are safe, clean, inspected, fueled, and service-ready before assignment.
- Maintain clear communication with operations and dispatch on vehicle status, spares, road calls, defects, and service-impacting repairs.
- Maintain maintenance practices, records, and inspections in line with New York State DOT, client, and Company requirements.
- Support NYSDOT inspections, audits, corrective actions, preventive maintenance records, and vehicle compliance files.
- Ensure DVIR defects, out-of-service issues, safety concerns, and repeated vehicle problems are documented, prioritized, and resolved.
- Reinforce shop safety, safe work practices, environmental controls, and Company policies; no unsafe vehicle may be placed in service.
- Develop, monitor, and execute preventive maintenance schedules for all assigned vehicles and equipment.
- Approve repair priorities based on safety, service needs, parts availability, inspection deadlines, and scheduled operations.
- Track PM compliance, vehicle availability, road calls, repeat defects, open work orders, and repair turnaround times.
- Review completed repairs for quality, accuracy, documentation, and readiness before vehicles return to service.
- Hire, train, schedule, coach, and hold maintenance staff accountable for safety, productivity, quality, attendance, and documentation.
- Conduct practical training on inspections, DVIR follow-up, shop procedures, vehicle systems, safety rules, and maintenance documentation.
- Address performance issues promptly and coordinate with HR, Safety, and leadership on corrective action when needed.
- Maintain a professional, organized, and accountable shop culture focused on safety, service, and reliability.
- Coordinate and oversee work performed by outside vendors, repair shops, parts suppliers, towing providers, and specialty service providers.
- Manage parts, tools, supplies, inventory levels, purchase requests, warranties, and vendor follow-up.
- Confirm outside repairs are completed correctly, documented properly, and aligned with Company standards and service needs.
- Identify cost, quality, warranty, or vendor performance issues and escalate when appropriate.
- Support cleanliness, organization, safety, and readiness of the maintenance facility, yard, tools, lifts, equipment, and vehicle staging areas.
- Oversee bus washing, cleaning, fueling support, vehicle appearance, and service-readiness standards.
- Ensure shop equipment is used safely, maintained properly, and removed from service when defective or unsafe.
- Coordinate facility or equipment issues that may affect employee safety, vehicle readiness, or service delivery.
- Participate in maintenance budget planning, cost control, repair decisions, parts planning, and vendor review.
- Prepare routine updates on fleet readiness, PM compliance, road calls, open defects, out-of-service vehicles, staffing, and repair trends.
- Use maintenance data and field observations to identify recurring issues and improve reliability, safety, and cost performance.
- Recommend practical improvements to maintenance workflows, inspections, vehicle staging, documentation, and service support.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support the safe, reliable, compliant, and efficient operation of Norwich / Chenango County Transit Services.
- Support Company goals related to safety, compliance, service quality, vehicle readiness, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement.
Requirements
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required.
- Minimum of seven (5) years of experience in heavy-duty automotive, bus, transit, school bus, paratransit, diesel, or fleet maintenance required.
- Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory or lead experience managing mechanics, utility workers, vendors, shop staff, or maintenance operations required.
- Broad understanding of heavy-duty vehicle systems, including brakes, air systems, electrical, steering, suspension, engines, drivetrains, wheelchair lifts, and safety equipment.
- Hands-on experience with preventive maintenance, inspections, diagnostics, road-call response, work orders, parts control, and vehicle readiness.
- Experience with New York State DOT inspections, maintenance records, vehicle compliance files, or NYSDOT-regulated fleet operations strongly preferred.
- Valid CDL Class B or higher with passenger and air brake endorsements preferred.
- Strong Microsoft Office, email, reporting, and maintenance tracking skills.
- Ability to manage maintenance priorities in a live transportation environment where vehicle availability affects service delivery.
- Strong leadership, communication, organization, problem-solving, and follow-through skills.
- Familiarity with laws and regulations related to safe maintenance facility operations, vehicle inspections, hazardous materials, shop safety, and employee safety.
- Ability to read and use maintenance records, inspection reports, DVIRs, work orders, parts records, and fleet performance reports.
- Ability to coordinate effectively with operations, dispatch, drivers, vendors, client representatives, and Company leadership.
- Ability to work shifts, flexible schedules, weekends, and emergency coverage as operational needs require.
- Must be at least 21 years of age.
- Must be willing to submit to required background checks and comply with Company drug-testing requirements.
- Must comply with DOT drug testing and physical requirements when applicable.
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
- Must be able to work on-site in the Norwich / Chenango County service area and respond to maintenance or service-readiness needs as required.
- Ability to work in both office and maintenance facility environments, including time indoors and outdoors.
- The role may require standing, walking, bending, reaching, climbing, kneeling, lifting, using tools and shop equipment, inspecting vehicles, moving through the yard and maintenance areas, and working at a computer or phone for extended periods.
Skills
- Fleet maintenance software
- Work-order systems
- GPS or telematics platforms
- Vehicle inspection systems
- Microsoft Word
- Excel
- Outlook
- Shared digital tracking tools
- Samsara or similar vehicle monitoring, GPS, camera, or fleet safety platforms
Location
- Chenango County
- Norwich
Work Type
- On-site
- Full-time
Experience Level
- 5 years of experience in heavy-duty automotive, bus, transit, school bus, paratransit, diesel, or fleet maintenance
- 3 years of supervisory or lead experience managing mechanics, utility workers, vendors, shop staff, or maintenance operations
Education Level
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
About the Company
- Cathay Express Transportation, Inc. is a Queens-based transportation provider serving patients, nursing homes, clinics, private organizations, healthcare partners, public agencies, and community transportation customers throughout New York City and New York State.
- The company provides non-emergency medical transportation, ambulette, wheelchair, stretcher, school bus, public transit, and related mobility services with a strong focus on safe, timely, reliable, and customer-centered service.
- Cathay leaders are expected to manage through the Company's Five Operating Pillars: Safety, Service, People, Accountability, and Continuous Improvement.
- These principles guide daily decision-making, employee development, customer communication, operational performance, and continuous improvement across the contract.
Equal Opportunity
- Cathay Express Transportation, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
- The company strives to attract and retain a diverse workforce and considers qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.
