Special Transportation Driver

Date Opened: Thursday, January 22, 2026 12:00 AM

Close Date: Friday, January 30, 2026 12:00 AM

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department

Operators & Drivers

Salary: $24.00 - $29.20 Commensurate with Experience

Welcome to the City of Charlotte

Charlotte is America’s Queen City, opening her arms to a diverse and inclusive community of residents, businesses and visitors alike. Here you will find a safe, family-oriented city where people work together to help everyone thrive. The mission of the City of Charlotte is to deliver quality public services and promote the safety, health, and quality of life for all residents.

Our guiding principles include:

• Attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce

• Valuing teamwork, openness, accountability, productivity, and employee development

• Providing all customers with courteous, responsive, accessible, and seamless quality services

• Taking initiative to identify, analyze, and solve problems

• Collaborating with stakeholders to make informed decisions

SUMMARY

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is seeking a Special Transportation Driver to work various shifts and hours during a seven day work week. All drivers must be able to work flexible hours and shifts to include nights, weekends, and holidays. This position includes driving a mini-bus and physically providing assistance to passengers who may use wheelchairs and have other conditions requiring assistance from the driver.

The Special Transportation Driver provides safe, courteous, and reliable door-to-door paratransit transportation to disabled, mobility impaired, and other eligible passengers in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

This vacancy is with benefits. Additional hours may be required as business needs change. Position will require the ability to work hours outside of scheduled hours on a consistent basis.

Please note: Service hours are 0400-0200 and shifts are assigned by seniority. Entry level employees are typically assigned to closing shifts. The Paratransit Driver must have the ability to work flexible hours, shifts, and overtime, including nights, weekends and holidays as needed.

This position is eligible for a shift differential. Employees regularly assigned to 2nd or 3rd shifts will be eligible to receive a 2.5% premium added to your base weekly pay.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide safe, courteous, timely, dependable service while transporting CATS customers
• Operate CATS Paratransit vehicles safely on scheduled trips
• Provide stellar customer service when interacting with customers
• Ability to be flexible & adaptable to changing environments
• On and offboarding of customers while securing seat belts and straps, while ensuring patron and mobility device is tied down safely
• Safely and efficiently operate specialized vehicle in transporting customers
• Perform pre and post trip inspection
• Use of two-way radio to communicate with dispatch, reservations, and other Paratransit staff
• Maintain accurate log of daily activities
• As part of your responsibility to support the CATS Safety Culture, report safety concerns and issues through the various methods established by CATS as outlined in ASP. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Professional driving experience  of mini-buses, vans, school, or transit bus
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Ability to follow oral & written instructions
• Ability to understand the needs of disabled clients
• Ability to read  and interpret maps & complex schedules while also having a general knowledge of Mecklenburg County streets and traffic patterns
• Ability to lift, push, and pull up to 50 lbs. or more (extreme weights may apply)

Preferred Qualification:

• Professional driving experience using mini buses, vans ,school buses, or transit vehicles
• Class A or B CDL with P endorsement
• Certified Nursing Assistant, Paratransit, and patient transport experience
• Bilingual (Spanish)

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School diploma or GED
• One year of relevant work experience
• Currently possess or be able to obtain a Department of Transportation (DOT) medical certification