Associate Transit Customer Service Specialist

Description

JOB INFORMATION:  

Note: TA candidates must be permanent civil service in order to be considered or be on an established list or have passed a corresponding examination. 

POSITION SUMMARY  

The MTA’s Office of the Customer is seeking skilled customer communicators to support New York City Transit’s bus and subway network riders. In this role, you will help ensure millions of riders receive clear, timely, and accurate information throughout their journeys by translating real‑time information about subway and bus service—gathered from multiple operational channels—into clear, customer‑facing communications. These updates will be published across platforms including the MTA website, the MTA app, third‑party apps, and screens in subway stations and on buses.

You will also provide exceptional digital customer care through the MTA app’s chat feature by monitoring intake queues, determining the best response approach, and supporting customers until you’ve helped them reach their destination, resolved their issue, or addressed their concern.

As part of our expanded operations, this role works closely with the Subway and Bus Operations Centers, ensuring seamless coordination across both systems. Being embedded in our operational centers allows you to provide customers with the most up‑to‑date information about their service so they can make informed travel decisions in near real time.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

The selected candidate will monitor New York City’s subway and bus services in real-time to determine customer impact, translate internal service change messages into customer facing communications and quickly publish to multiple channels, monitor incoming chats, determine the best approach for individual customer queries, and respond accordingly, in plain language (non-jargon) and with a conversational tone. The selected candidate will also escalate urgent issues to operations staff and senior leadership as needed, manage customer queries from start to finish, which may require follow up days later, seek opportunities for improving proactive service communications, brand building, and storytelling for all NYCT services. The selected candidate must be able to and available to work in a 24/7 environment that includes weekdays, overnight shifts, weekends and/or holidays as required.

• Monitor New York City Transit’s subway and bus services in real time to assess customer impact and ensure riders receive clear, accurate, and timely information.
• Translate internal service-change and operations updates into concise, customer‑facing messages written in plain language.
• Quickly publish service updates across multiple customer communication channels, including the MTA website, the MTA app, third‑party apps, and in‑system screens.
• Provide responsive, end‑to‑end customer support through the MTA app’s chat feature, including monitoring incoming inquiries, determining the appropriate response approach, and following up with customers as needed—even when resolution requires additional time or coordination.
• Escalate urgent or emerging issues to operational teams and management when necessary to support rapid problem identification and resolution.
• Work closely with partners in the Subway and Bus Operations Centers to help ensure customers receive near real‑time information about their service.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen proactive communications, enhance clarity, and improve the overall customer experience across all NYCT modes.
• Work in a 24/7 operational environment, with required availability for weekdays, overnights, weekends, and holidays.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:  

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and two (2) years of satisfactory, full-time experience in a customer service or public information capacity; or 
• An associate degree from an accredited college and three (3) years of satisfactory, full-time experience in a customer service or public information capacity; or 
• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and four (4) years of satisfactory, full-time experience in a customer service or public information capacity; or 
• Education and/or experience equivalent to 1, 2, or 3 above. 

Special Note:   

To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level II, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements, one additional year of professional experience as described in "2" above. 

DESIRED SKILLS:  

• Quick and critical thinking. This role requires you to use good judgment managing multiple issues with varying degrees of complexity each day. 
• Experience in content development, community management, plus a strong interest in the transit system, or ideally, all three. 
• Demonstrated ability to gather, assess, and distill complex information and create customer-focused messaging. 
• Ability to multitask and balance competing priorities efficiently.  
• High attention to detail and organizational skills 
• Ability to operate quickly and efficiently in a high-pressure environment. 
• A strong understanding of the MTA subway and bus network, or the ability to quickly acquire this knowledge. 
• Ability to work independently with little oversight as well as perform well in a team environment. 
• Flexible worker who collaborates well with peers and fosters a positive workplace. 
• Exceptional listening, writing, and verbal communications skills 
• Service-minded and empathetic to customer experience 

SELECTION METHOD  

Based on evaluation of education, skills, experience, interview, and written assessment. 

All selected candidates will be subject to a full background investigation that includes employment and education. Discrepancies may lead to dismissal. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

Final salary is determined experience, skillset, and alignment with compensation practices. The posted range reflects expected compensation and may be updated as market or business needs evolve. 

To be eligible for consideration for a new role, current MTA employees must complete at least one year of service in their current role prior to applying. Additionally, eligibility to interview is contingent upon maintaining a satisfactory record of job performance, attendance, and disciplinary conduct. Pursuant to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the “Commission”). 

HOW TO APPLY  

Qualified applicants can submit an online application by clicking on the ‘APPLY NOW’ button from either the CAREERS page or from the JOB DESCRIPTION page. 

If you have previously applied online for other positions, enter your Username and Password.  If it is your first registration, click on the CLICK HERE TO REGISTER hyperlink and enter a Username and Password; then click on the REGISTER button.  

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY  

MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including with respect to veteran status and individuals with disabilities. 

The MTA encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.