Safety Coach

Safety Coach About Reliant Transportation Group

Reliant Transportation Group is a respected school bus and motorcoach transportation provider that safely connects over 40,000 coach passengers and students each day to learning and lifelong memories. Founded in 1959, the company and its affiliates have grown to nearly 1,500 teammates, operating over 1,000 school buses and other vehicles from over 20 locations across the Midwest. The principles of safety, community, integrity and service guide all levels of the organization, enabling the company to be a dependable, responsible partner that communities trust to unlock the educational opportunities and experiences that enrich lives.

Our Purpose and Vision

• We exist to unlock education and experiences.
• We aspire to be the most trusted passenger transportation provider, safely opening doors to learning and lifelong memories

Our culture is guided by four core principles

• Safety – Safety leads the way; guiding every decision to protect our team and those who depend on us.
• Community – Our teammates support each other and the communities we serve.
• Integrity – We choose to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reason, every time.
• Service – Excellent service is our standard; together we bring our best to every customer, every teammate and every outcome.

Position Summary

The Safety Coach is responsible for helping build and sustain a strong safety culture by working directly with teammates and operational leaders to improve safe behaviors, reinforce the company’s safety expectations, and proactively identify and address safety risks.

The Safety Coach leverages Samsara telematics, dash camera technology, safety data, and field observations to identify operational and driving behavior risks, provide individualized coaching, and partner with drivers and service center leaders to improve safety performance. The role combines data and in-person observations to create meaningful, behavior-based coaching conversations.

This role is highly visible and field-based, with a strong emphasis on coaching rather than policing. The Safety Coach builds relationships with drivers and chaperones and service center teams, observes work practices, provides timely feedback, recognizes safe performance, and partners with the operations and safety leaders to bring forth improvement opportunities.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator who can establish trust with teammates while maintaining the ability to apply accountability to Reliant’s safety standards.

Salary $66,000.00 - $97,000.00

Essential Responsibilities

Safety Coaching & Engagement

• Conduct regular site observations, ride-alongs, and safety observations with drivers and operational teammates.
• Coach teammates on safe driving and workplace behaviors using positive reinforcement and constructive feedback.
• Build trusted relationships with drivers, chaperones supervisors, managers, and service center leadership.
• Recognize and reinforce positive safety behaviors and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Promote a culture in which teammates feel comfortable reporting hazards, near misses, and safety concerns.
• Serve as a visible safety resource and advocate for teammates and operational teams.

Safety Audits & Risk Identification

• Conduct routine safety observations, inspections, and audits in accordance with company standards.
• Identify unsafe conditions, behaviors, trends, and potential hazards.
• Document observations and assist with developing corrective actions.
• Follow up on identified risks to ensure corrective actions are completed.
• Partner with operational leaders to identify recurring safety issues and develop sustainable solutions.

Driver & Teammate Development

• Support delivery of safety training, toolbox talks, safety meetings, and other safety education.
• Assist with onboarding and safety orientation for new teammates.
• Provide individualized coaching following safety events, observations, or identified performance concerns.
• Support refresher training and targeted interventions based on safety trends.
• Reinforce company safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.

Incident & Safety Support

• Assist with the response, documentation, and follow-up of accidents, incidents, injuries, and near misses.
• Participate in incident reviews and help identify contributing factors and opportunities to prevent recurrence.
• Escalate significant safety concerns promptly to the appropriate Safety and operational leadership.
• Support corrective and preventive actions resulting from investigations and audits.

Data & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate records of safety observations, coaching activities, training, and corrective actions.
• Review safety data to identify trends and emerging risks.
• Provide regular feedback to Safety and operational leaders regarding safety performance and opportunities.
• Participate in safety initiatives, projects, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Support implementation of company-wide safety programs and initiatives consistently across service centers.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this role may be measured through

• Completion of required safety observations and coaching activities
• Quality and effectiveness of teammate coaching
• Reduction in preventable safety events and unsafe behaviors
• Timely completion of corrective actions
• Teammate participation in safety programs
• Safety training completion
• Improvement in identified service center safety trends
• Teammate and operational leader feedback
• Demonstrated improvement in safety culture and engagement

Qualifications

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in transportation, safety, operations, training, coaching, or a related field.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to build credibility and trust with teammates and leaders.
• Ability to provide constructive feedback and hold teammates accountable.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Valid driver's license with no disqualifying offense in accordance with MN State law, FMCSA regulations, and company policy.

Preferred

• Experience in school bus, motorcoach, passenger transportation, or another safety-critical environment.
• Commercial Driver's License (CDL).
• Prior safety, driver training, or operational leadership experience.
• Experience conducting safety observations, audits, or incident investigations.
• Knowledge of DOT/FMCSA regulations and applicable state transportation requirements.
• Experience using safety technology, telematics, camera systems, or safety reporting platforms.

Core Competencies

• Safety Leadership
• Coaching & Development
• Communication
• Relationship Building
• Accountability
• Problem Solving
• Situational Awareness
• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement
• Customer & Teammate Focus

Work Environment

This position requires regular travel throughout their assigned regional service centers and frequent interaction with drivers and operational teammates. The Safety Coach may work in offices, maintenance facilities, parking areas, and other operational environments and must be comfortable working around buses, vehicles, equipment, and varying weather conditions.

The position may require flexible hours, including occasional early mornings, evenings, or weekends, based on operational and safety needs.

#HDQ

Corporate

Average Pay Rate

75036 Benefits and Total Rewards

We believe in rewarding great people with meaningful benefits that support your health, growth, and long term success.

Part Time Team Members

• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid training
• Annual bonus opportunity
• Career development opportunities

This job description outlines the general nature and level of responsibilities associated with this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or working conditions. Employees may be required to perform additional job-related duties consistent with business needs. The Company reserves the right to revise, modify, interpret, or apply this job description at its discretion and in accordance with applicable law. This job description does not create a contract of employment with the Company. Employment is at will and may be terminated by either the employee or the Company at any time, subject to applicable law.

Minnesota Coaches LLC and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.