Transportation Attendants, Except Flight Attendants and Baggage Porters

Career Description: Provide services to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard ships, buses, trains, or within the station or terminal. Perform duties, such as greeting passengers, explaining the use of safety equipment, serving meals or beverages, or answering questions related to travel.

Industry: Personal Care and Service

Other Job Titles for Transportation Attendants, Except Flight Attendants and Baggage Porters:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Provide boarding assistance to elderly, sick, or injured people.
• Open and close doors for passengers.
• Respond to passengers' questions, requests, or complaints.
• Explain and demonstrate safety procedures and safety equipment use.
• Perform equipment safety checks prior to departure.
• Signal transportation operators to stop or to proceed.
• Count and verify tickets and seat reservations, and record numbers of passengers boarding and disembarking.
• Greet passengers boarding transportation equipment, and announce routes and stops.
• Collect fares from passengers and provide change in return.
• Issue and collect passenger boarding passes and transfers, tearing or punching tickets as necessary to prevent reuse.
• Provide customers with information on routes, gates, prices, timetables, and/or terminals and concourses.
• Determine and/or facilitate seating arrangements.
• Adjust window shades and seat cushions at the request of passengers.
• Transport baggage or coordinate transportation between assigned rooms, terminals, and/or platforms.
• Inspect kitchens and dining areas to ensure adherence to sanitation requirements.
• Clean rooms and bathroom facilities, change linens, and replenish supplies in washrooms.
• Distribute sports and game equipment, magazines, newspapers, pillows, blankets, and other items to passengers and guests.
• Serve food and beverages.
• Process contract cancellations for students who are unable to follow residence hall policies and procedures.
• Sort and distribute mail.
• Supervise the activities of housekeeping personnel.
• Order supplies for facilities.
• Supervise students' housekeeping work to ensure that it is done properly.
• Chaperone group-sponsored trips and social functions.
• Compile information such as residents' daily activities and the quantities of supplies used to prepare required reports.
• Accompany and supervise students during meals.
• Provide transportation or escort for expeditions such as shopping trips or visits to doctors or dentists.
• Inventory, pack, and remove items left behind by former residents.

Emerging Tasks

• Secure passengers for transportation by buckling seatbelts or fastening wheelchairs with tie-down straps.
• Train other guides and volunteers.
• Refill and stock work stations with supplies, such as shampoos and conditioners.
• Rinse out hair color or permanent solutions from customers' hair.
• Sweep hair from the salon floor.
• Obtain doctors' signatures on death certificate and complete other paperwork such as insurance claims forms.
• Perform general maintenance tasks for funeral homes such as maintaining equipment and caring for funeral grounds.
• Perform various administrative tasks such as typing documents and answering telephone calls.
• Prepare obituaries for newspapers.
• Supervise funeral processions and assist with cemetery parking.
• Transport the deceased (e.g., from the hospital to the funeral home).

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• accommodate requests of passengers
• answer customer or public inquiries
• assist handicapped persons
• assist individuals into or out of vehicles, boats, aircraft, or rides
• assist passengers to store luggage
• assist patrons or passengers to find seats
• carry baggage
• clean rooms or work areas
• demonstrate or explain assembly or use of equipment
• greet customers, guests, visitors, or passengers
• issue supplies, materials, or equipment
• maintain inventory of supplies
• maintain production or work records
• page or announce information to patrons, passengers or others
• provide customer service
• provide personal services to passengers
• receive customer orders
• resolve customer or public complaints
• serve food or beverages
• signal directions or warnings to coworkers
• understand government alcoholic beverage service regulations
• understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
• use health or sanitation standards
• use oral or written communication techniques
• verify ticket or pass
• sell itinerary tour packages
• understand second language
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use teaching techniques
• verify ticket or pass
• use cash registers
• use knowledge of food handling rules
• use oral or written communication techniques
• verify ticket or pass

Overall Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a teller might benefit from experience working directly with the public, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be a teller with little difficulty.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.

Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, pharmacy technicians, salespersons (retail), and tellers.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$9.76
• Average annual wage (2007) - $20,310.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 14.00%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 2,916
• Employment (2006): 20,830

• Baggage Porters and Bellhops
• Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
• Counter and Rental Clerks
• Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop
• Flight Attendants
• Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants
• Personal and Home Care Aides
• Tour Guides and Escorts
• Waiters and Waitresses