Lawton Area Transit System – Lawton, Oklahoma
Pay: $14.00–$17.00(
Job Type: Full-time
Work Location: In person
Schedule: Assigned shifts may be scheduled Monday through Saturday during LATS operating hours. Employees work an assigned shift within the operating window and are not scheduled for the entire service day.
Position Highlights
- Stable, full-time employment
- Local driving return home after every shift
- Approved overtime paid at 1.5x
- Paid federal holidays
- Employer-provided Shirts
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid time off
- 401(k)
- CDL and Passenger endorsement training opportunities for qualified applicants
- Meaningful work serving the Lawton community
Build a Stable Career While Keeping Lawton Moving
Lawton Area Transit System is hiring dependable, professional, and safety-focused CDL Bus Drivers / Transit Operators to provide safe, courteous, and reliable public transportation throughout Lawton.
This position is ideal for experienced commercial drivers, school bus drivers, motor-coach operators, delivery drivers, military vehicle operators, transportation professionals, or qualified applicants interested in building a long-term career in public transit.
As a LATS Transit Operator, you will do more than drive a bus. You will help passengers safely reach work, school, medical appointments, shopping centers, community services, and other important destinations.
What You’ll Do
- Safely operate fixed-route buses, paratransit vehicles, and other assigned fleet vehicles
- Follow designated routes, schedules, stops, and dispatch instructions
- Provide professional, respectful, and helpful customer service
- Assist passengers with boarding and exiting when appropriate
- Properly secure mobility devices and wheelchair restraints
- Make required stop, route, transfer, and safety announcements
- Collect fares and provide accurate passenger information
- Perform required pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections
- Identify and report mechanical, safety, cleanliness, or accessibility concerns
- Maintain communication with dispatch throughout the shift
- Respond appropriately to detours, delays, emergencies, and changing road conditions
- Complete required driver reports, inspection records, and incident documentation
- Follow all traffic laws, defensive-driving practices, ADA requirements, and LATS policies
- Maintain a clean, professional, and passenger-ready operating environment
Minimum Qualifications
- Valid Commercial driver’s license and an acceptable driving record
- Ability to safely operate a commercial passenger vehicle
- Strong commitment to passenger safety and defensive driving
- Dependable attendance, punctuality, and professional conduct
- Ability to remain calm and make sound decisions in traffic, emergencies, and challenging situations
- Ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with passengers, dispatchers, supervisors, and coworkers
- Ability to follow written routes, schedules, operating procedures, and dispatch instructions
- Ability to accurately complete inspections, reports, and required documentation
- Ability to work assigned shifts, including early mornings, evenings, and Saturdays
- Ability to meet all required employment screening, background-check, driving-record, physical, and drug-testing requirements
CDL Requirements
Qualified candidates should possess or be able to obtain:
- Class A or Class B Commercial Driver’s License
- Passenger endorsement
- Air-brake qualification, when required for assigned equipment
- Valid DOT medical certification, when applicable
Applicants who already possess a Class B CDL with Passenger endorsement are strongly encouraged to apply.
Qualified applicants who do not currently hold every required credential may be considered for available employer-supported training opportunities, depending on LATS policy and operational needs.
Preferred Qualifications
The following experience is highly valued but may not be required for every applicant:
- Commercial passenger-driving experience
- Fixed-route transit or paratransit experience
- School bus or motor-coach driving experience
- Class A or Class B CDL
- Passenger endorsement
- Air-brake experience
- Defensive-driving training
- ADA passenger-assistance experience
- Wheelchair securement experience
- Customer-service experience
- Military vehicle-operation experience
- Experience operating large commercial or heavy-duty vehicles
- Knowledge of Lawton streets, neighborhoods, and major destinations
Compensation and Overtime
- Pay ranges from $14.00 to $17.00 per hour, based on qualifications.
- Approved overtime is paid at 1.5 times the employee’s regular hourly rate
- Employees receive paid federal holidays
Benefits
Eligible employees may receive:
- 401(k)
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid federal holidays
- Employer-provided uniforms
- Approved overtime paid at time-and-a-half
- Training and professional-development opportunities
- Consistent full-time employment
- Local routes with employees returning home after their shifts
Physical and Work Requirements
Candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of a professional transit-operator position, including:
- Sitting and operating a transit vehicle for extended periods
- Entering and exiting buses and other fleet vehicles
- Bending, reaching, turning, and using vehicle controls safely
- Assisting with mobility devices and properly securing wheelchair restraints
- Performing pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections
- Working around traffic, passengers, noise, vehicle exhaust, and changing weather conditions
- Responding safely to emergencies, service disruptions, and unexpected roadway conditions
- Maintaining the physical qualifications required to operate commercial passenger vehicles
Reasonable accommodations may be available for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Employment Requirements
Selected candidates must be able to:
- Pass all required pre-employment screening
- Complete a background check
- Complete required drug and alcohol testing
- Meet applicable Department of Transportation requirements
- Provide acceptable employment-eligibility documentation upon hire
- Maintain an acceptable driving record
- Maintain all required licenses, endorsements, and medical qualifications
- Comply with random drug and alcohol testing requirements when applicable
- Follow LATS safety, attendance, customer-service, and operating policies
Why Join LATS?
LATS Transit Operators provide an essential service to the Lawton community. Every safe trip helps connect passengers with employment, education, healthcare, family, shopping, and critical community resources.
This position is an excellent fit for someone who values safety, dependable employment, professional driving, customer service, and meaningful work that makes a visible difference every day.
Apply Today
Experienced CDL drivers, school bus drivers, motor-coach operators, military vehicle operators, delivery drivers, transportation professionals, and safety-focused applicants interested in public transit are encouraged to apply.
Join Lawton Area Transit System and build a stable driving career while helping keep Lawton connected and moving.
Pay: $14.00 - $17.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
License/Certification:
- CDL (Preferred)
- Passenger Endorsement (Preferred)
- REAL ID STAR (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
