Residence Requirements:

CANDIDATES MUST HAVE BEEN LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY FOR AT LEAST ONE MONTH IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE WRITTEN TEST AND MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT. There are two present vacancies at the Erie County Department of Senior Services. 

Examples of Duties:

A Dispatcher is responsibile for receiving transportation requests from Senior Citizens and applying such requests to Driver's schedules from various Agencies and Townships throughout Erie County, including the City of Buffalo; 

Operates communications equipment in dispatching and directing the units of a multi-vehicle transportation system;

Schedules Driver's breaks and lunch periods in order to provide the most efficient and timely service with the personnel and equipment available;

Receives telephone calls from Senior Citizens, Department Agencies, Clinics, Doctor's Office etc., and relays messages to mobile units or appropriate personnel;

Maintains required records of transportation and client information, such as names, addresses, driver and vehicle assignments, mileage, number of trips, etc.;

May be required to drive a Department vehicle in occasional times of personnel shortages or during emergency situations.

Qualifications:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Candidates must meet one of the following requirements on or before the date of the written test:

A) Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma and one (1) year of multi vehicle dispatching experience in the operation of a two way radio or a telephone communication center; or:

B) Completion of elementary school and four (4) years of experience as indicated in (A); or:

C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A), and (B).

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Possession of a valid New York State Driver's License.

Notes:

1. Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting the experience requirements.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates may find information in the publication 'General Guide to Written Tests' helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at:https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

Subjects of Examination:

Scopes / Subjects of examination: A test designed to evaluate knowledge, skills and /or abilities in the following areas.

Following directions (maps)

These questions test your ability to follow physical/geographic directions using street maps or building maps. You will have to read and understand a set of directions and then use them on a simple map.

Bus driver recordkeeping and scheduling

A test that requires candidates to work with simple records using general record-book or card-type formats. Questions are based on given records, which usually must be completed by the candidate before the questions can be answered. In order to answer all questions in this subtest correctly, the candidate generally must:

a. Follow written directions to understand the purpose and use of the record, and to understand the question;

b. Make correct entries in appropriate sections of the record;

c. Identify which entries are required to answer the question.

A knowledge of bookkeeping, account keeping, or other technical information or terminology is not necessary to answer these questions. A knowledge of simple arithmetic functions may be required.  

Operation of two-way radios including procedures and terms

These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in the operation of a two-way radio, and may include such areas as the proper procedures to use when operating a two-way radio, and the standard terminology used when transmitting and receiving messages over a two-way radio system.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES:  Unless otherwise noted, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand held, solar or battery powered calculators.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, "Spell Checkers", "Personal Digital Assistants", "Address Books", "Language Translators", "Dictionaries", or any similar devices are prohibited.  You may not bring books or other reference materials.

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**IMPORTANT APPLICATION FEE - READ CAREFULLY**

A $20.00 filing fee is required for this exam. The required fee must accompany your application. Send or bring check or money order made payable to Erie County Personnel Department and write the examination number(s) on your check or money order. Do not send or bring cash, as the County cannot be responsible for cash payment. As no refund will be made, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the requirements for admission and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.