OCEAN CITY – Transportation officials say recruitment numbers are up ahead of the 2023 season.
In a February meeting, Transit Manager Rob Shearman presented the Ocean City Transportation Committee with an update on seasonal hiring. He noted that the department received 40 bus driver applications, 16 tram driver applications and 12 tram conductor applications.
“The burning question is how are we with respect to this time last year,” he said. “You’ll see in most categories we are well ahead of the number of applicants we had in mid-February of 2022.”
Shearman told committee members that nearly all supervisors and dispatchers were returning this summer, while about half of tram driver applicants were returning from the previous season. Two-thirds of bus driver applicants were also returning.
“We also have a good number of new folks, a handful of which either need the training for their CDLs or they already have a CDL and just need a passenger endorsement,” he explained. “But it’s been a strong showing so far with respect to bus driver applicants.”
Shearman noted, however, that the department lagged in hiring tram ticket sellers and bus technicians.
“Bus techs are grossly understaffed, both this time last year and this year,” he said. “Tram ticket sellers are a little bit down from last year, but it’s also probably one of our more entry level positions, so there’s not a huge concern on that.”
Mayor Rick Meehan questioned the effectiveness of the department’s incentives program.
“We have an incentive there for people to make recommendations, to bring somebody in,” he said. “Have we had any success with that at all?”
Shearman said the department had received applications as a result of staff referrals. He said that initiative, combined with other efforts, have been effective.
“The numbers here are all looking good, and I think that’s a combination of the incentives, the work we did for the premium wages coming into this season, and some really good hiring advertising done by our human resources …,” he said. “We also had really good foot traffic at the job fair.”
When asked the number of bus drivers the department was hoping to hire ahead of the summer season, Shearman said 60.
“We’re going to be closely monitoring attrition on all these positions, particularly trams, because we know, especially in these categories where there’s a high number of new employees who have not done the job before, we’re going to be watching those closely to see how many fall out of employment after they’ve done it a couple weeks maybe decide it’s not for them,” he added. “I know that was a problem last season.”
