More help is needed at Cedar County Transit
HARTINGTON – Cedar County Transit is looking to hire more help.
Transit Manager Nikki Pinkelman was unable to attend the board of commissioners’ meeting on Sept. 26, but she did provide a written request for permission to hire a person to fill a full-time position.
In the request, Pinkelman noted she would like to hire a full-time person who would split their time between driving for the public transportation system and working in the office.
She added the pool for part-time employees is “slim to none” for Cedar County Transit, especially for someone with a flexible schedule to fit with “our crazy transit schedule changes.”
Cedar County Transit provides public transportation services for all of Cedar County and parts of eastern Knox County – Bloomfield, Crofton and Wausa area residents who live within 30 miles of the transit office located in Hartington.
The public transportation system purchased a computer and computer desk in January for a part-time person to use while helping out in the office.
However, that hire has not happened yet. Instead, Cedar County Transit has kept filling needs for drivers.
As for the full-time position Pinkelman would like to hire for, this person’s time driving and working in the office would be kept track of for proper reimbursement from the Nebraska Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration for salary expenses and insurance.
Pinkelman noted she has extra paperwork that takes up her time, giving the example of the public transportation system accepting Medicaid insurance from passengers who qualify for it and use it to cover medical-only trips.
However, she added the extra paperwork is worth it because of the revenue generated from these kinds of rides. That money is an extra source of income that helps make public transportation services less expensive for the county to pay for.
Pinkelman noted she would like to have time to pursue a grant that provides money to Cedar County Transit so all military veterans have free transportation to medical appointments.
She added the public transportation system is going to be short-staffed for almost the whole month of October due to two employees taking a long trip, so the need for extra help is immediate.
Pinkelman noted the final reason she would like to hire for a full-time position is because a fully trained backup person would be helpful for Cedar County Transit.
She said two people are needed most days to keep the office running smoothly, which leaves her and Transit Scheduler Ashley Gowery “both feeling very guilty requesting any time off.”
Pinkelman, who has been the manager of Cedar County Transit for about seven years, noted she and Gowery – who are both full-time county employees – “deserve the chance to use our earned vacation time.”
She added she is always on call even on her days off just in case any of the public transportation system’s vans have mechanical issues, there is an accident involving one of the vehicles or an employee is injured on the job.
Pinkelman said Cedar County Transit could use another person who is trained “to help with unexpected or emergency concerns.”
The public transportation system is required to follow NDOT procedures and paperwork for all incidents and accidents.
The commissioners took no official action on Pinkelman’s request, but gave her the go-ahead to move forward with finding someone to fill the full-time position.