Become a Muni Operator

Muni Operators Benefits
Application Window
Sign Up for Job Alerts
Requirements
Important Information About Licensing
Frequently Asked Questions

Jump-start your career in transportation -- become a Muni Operator. Whether you're driving Muni's fleet of buses, trains, historic streetcars or world-famous cable cars, as a Muni Operator you're playing an important role in San Francisco. Interested in a job with excellent benefits, great compensation and a sense of civic pride? 

Muni Operators Benefits:

• 9 Weeks of Paid Operator Training
• Great Salary, Health Insurance, Retirement, Educational Benefits
• Opportunities to Grow a Career
• Pride in Serving the Public

Application Window for 9163 Transit Operator

• Read the full job announcement to learn about this position and the full requirements needed.  
  
  • Notable updates to the minimum qualifications (effective for August 2022 candidates and beyond):
    
    • Applicants may now have one moving violation within the past 12 months
    • Applicants may now have three moving violations within the past 36 months
    • Applicants are allowed one suspension, revocation or probation of license for a cause involving the unsafe operation of a motor vehicle within the past three years
      
      • However, convictions for leaving the scene of an accident involving bodily injury or death, reckless driving or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs within the three year period is an automatic disqualification
• Make sure to complete and submit your application by the deadline posted on the job ad.
• After applying, keep checking your email. 
  
  • Projected soon after closing, the recruitment team will send a questionnaire for all applicants to complete. 
    
    • Make sure you look out for this email and complete the entire questionnaire by the deadline.
• The questionnaire will include information about a free CityDrive program available to 9163 applicants. 
  
  • Although only a basic non-commercial license is needed to apply, in order to be hired one must obtain a Commercial Learner's Permit with passenger endorsement and the ability to drive vehicles with airbrakes
  • This free program helps guide candidates through the process of obtaining this permit and associated medical evaluation
  • The earlier you obtain this permit, the earlier you can be considered for a training class
• The recruitment team will review questionnaires and those who have stated possession of the Minimum Qualifications will be placed on a list of candidates that can be considered for hire.

SFMTA will provide further outreach regarding steps for pre-employment at that time.

April 2024 (T00110) Applicants

• During November 2024, document review events will be happening exclusively for individuals who applied to this recruitment and made it onto the list
• An email will be sent mid-October regarding event dates and documents to bring
• If you applied in April 2024 and don't get an email by the end of the end of the third week of August, email 9163HiringEvent@sfmta.com for more info
  
  • While you wait, if you do not already have a Commercial Learner's Permit or Commercial Driver's License with passenger endorsement and no air-brake restrictions, it is advantageous for you to start the process of obtaining this.
  • See our section below on licensing requirements for more information on a free program to get you started on this.

August/September 2023 (T00088) and December 2023/January 2024 (T00100) Applicants

• If you applied to T00088. the list you are on will expire in November 2024 and is not projected to be extended.  Thus if you wish to be considered now, provide any outstanding documents ASAP to DriveMuni@sfmta.com.  Otherwise, you will need to re-apply to be considered for future Transit Operator opportunities.  Use the below information on signing up for job alerts, if needed, to make sure you are alerted of the next posting of this position.
• If you applied to T00100 and were provided a rank on the eligible list, please provide additional documents that have been requested to DriveMuni@sfmta.com.  If you are unsure of what documents are needed, inquire by including your full name and which list you were on.  This list will expire in March of 2025.

Sign Up for Job Alerts

Interested in the next posting or future postings?  

• Option One:
  • You can go to the Create a Job Alert page in our new applicant tracking system.
    • You’ll be prompted to complete a simple form for each job alert you’d like to receive. You can enter the keyword of "9163" to ensure you sign up for Transit Operator notifications.  This is the job number used on job postings for this position.
      • Note that only one keyword / job code can be entered in this field. You must complete an additional form for each additional keyword for which you’d like to receive an alert.
      • If you wish to sign up for more jobs, you can submit multiple forms.  Enter a keyword such as "cleaner", "engineer" or "manager" or if you’d like to receive an alert for a specific job code, you may enter the job code number in the “Keyword” field.
      • These job alerts will be sent to you until you cancel them.
    • Check your email immediately after subscribing.  You will need to confirm that you requested for the subscription.
• Option Two:
  • Click the "Sign up for updates" link near the top of this page.
  • You can sign up for email or text alerts using this option.

Requirements

Qualities We're Looking For in a Muni Operator:

• 21 and over
• High School Graduate or GED-holder
• One (1) year of public contact or customer service experience
• Minimum of a non-commercial (CA Class C equivalent) license active for a continuous period of three years*
• Good Driving Record*
• No convictions within the past seven (7) years of any offense related to the use, sale, possession, or transportation of narcotics, habit forming drugs, or dangerous drugs 
• No convictions of any sex offense as defined in Section 44010 of the Education Code
• Ability to Obtain School Pupil Activity Bus (SPAB) Certificate* 

*See the full requirements on the announcement when posted.

Important Information about Licensing

• In order to qualify to participate in the exam process, one needs to only possess the minimum qualifications that will be posted on the exam announcement.  At this stage, the licensure requirement is only a non-commercial (CA Class C equivalent) license.
• However, in order to be eligible for hire to one of our training classes a person will need a commercial learner’s permit with passenger endorsement and airbrake endorsements (or a commercial license with these endorsements)

More detailed information about the learner's permit is available by reviewing the Become a Muni Operator: Driver’s Record and Commercial Learner's Permit Guide.

• If you do not have such a learner’s permit at this time, not a problem at all.  Those who apply will be provided access to a FREE program sponsored in collaboration with the SFMTA and Office of Economic and Workforce Development to help guide candidates through the process of obtaining the necessary permit.  We highly recommend that candidates take advantage of this opportunity as soon as possible in the application process as the earlier this is completed, the earlier we can get you into one of our training classes.

More information about this free training program is available on the CityDrive Training Program site.

• For those who have a commercial learner’s permit already or a commercial license:
  
  • Make sure you have passenger and airbrake endorsements.  If you do not, you will need to obtain this before you can start in one of our classes.
  • Make sure your DOT medical is up to date.  If it will expire within the next few months we highly recommend you take steps to renew the medical.  The training requires a full-time commitment of 9 weeks and does not have flexibility for missed days.  Therefore, having your medical renewed ensures you don’t have to get pushed back a class due to your medical being scheduled to expire mid-way through the class.

The Hiring Process Includes:

• Civil Service Examination
• Fingerprint and Background Check
• Medical Exam to obtain a medical certificate
• Drug Screening
• Submit DMV Proof of Clean Driving Record
• Submit Commercial Learner's Permit or Commercial License with passenger and airbrake endorsement
• Complete a 9-week full-time training
• Pass a driving test to officially become an Operator!

Frequently Asked Questions

You can also go to the City's Job FAQ page which provides answers to many frequently asked questions on topics such as:

• Eligibility
• Veteran's Preference
• Disabled / Special Needs
• Drug Tests
• Conviction History
• and more...