ENHANCING THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTER PERSONNEL AT SAN DIEGO TROLLEY, INC.

The safe and efficient operation of a given rail transit system is, to a great extent, determined by the proficiency of personnel assigned to the operations control center (OCC). If a transit agency is fortunate enough to hire experienced personnel, as was the case in San Diego when the trolley began operations, many of the problems associated with inadequate job performance can be avoided. Even with experienced personnel, though, changes in assignments may be necessary as a direct result of performance deficiencies. When the management of San Diego Trolley evaluated its own situation, with more recently hired employees being considered for promotion to train controller, it was soon found that promotion was based, in large part, on demonstrated ability in lower classifications (e.g., train operator). The desire to avoid misjudging candidates, coupled with the results of extensive research on job demands of the controller position, caused San Diego Trolley to evaluate its promotion and hiring practices, and to develop appropriate enhancements to the existing process. Because certain parallels could be drawn between train controllers (or dispatchers) and air traffic controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration selection process was used to develop revised hiring and promotion practices. Various tests designed for general personnel selection were evaluated. The end result is an extensive battery of psychological and general aptitude tests that allows the management team to evaluate a candidate thoroughly against specified job-related elements and personality traits that have been found to be present in successful train controllers. These enhancements have proven to be extremely effective, and have resulted in the selection of higher-quality candidates for certain safety-critical positions.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr221/221-036.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309047137
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Board Special Report No. 221, Light Rail Transit: New System Successes at Affordable Prices - Papers presented at the National Conference on Light Rail Transit, May 8-11, 1988, San Jose, California, Conducted by the Transportation Research Board. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Tereschuck, Peter
• Conference:
  • National Conference on Light Rail Transit
  • Location: San Jose California, United States
  • Date: 1988-5-8 to 1988-5-11
• Publication Date: 1989

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 523-533
• Monograph Title: LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT: NEW SYSTEM SUCCESSES AT AFFORDABLE PRICES
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 221
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aptitude tests; Conferences; Hiring policies; Light rail transit; Personnel; Promotion; Psychological tests
• Identifier Terms: San Diego Trolley
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00483687
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0-309-04713-7
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: May 31 1990 12:00AM