Car Appearance Maintainer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

SALARY

$83,816.55

POSITION SUMMARY
Front line supervisors ensuring cleanliness of CTA's fleet of rail cars by coordinating, supervising, and overseeing rail car servicers, vendors, and other staff assigned to the section. Maintains quality standards of cleanliness for our customers in the areas of terminal platforms, rail yards, terminal routes and campaign activities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

* Visually surveys rail cars in yard and line of road to determine if vehicle should be pulled for immediate service or meets appropriate standards to remain in scheduled cleaning cycle. Adjusts cleaning schedule as appropriate. Investigates and responds to complaints from internal and external customers.

* Coordinates platform, campaign, and single shop activities of car servicers, vendors, and other staff to meet quality and service standards. Conducts random audits of platform activities at terminal locations across several routes
to ensure adherence to schedule, production, and quality.

* Assists management with disciplinary interviews and investigations regarding attendance and work performance.

* Prepares reports on work shift service and quality in order to provide management with current state of the fleet information.

* Determines if work techniques and equipment utilization of car servicers, vendors, and other staff are appropriate to shift and location in order to maintain consistent standards.

* Reviews work reports of car servicers, vendors, and other staff to determine adherence to instructions. Reviews technical, training, and safety bulletins to keep staff informed of procedures.

* Interfaces with other departments and external vendors to resolve problems such as: material procurement, vehicle call-ins and personnel issues.

* Performs related duties as assigned.

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to this position are the following jobs:

Job Title

*

CHALLENGES

* Maintaining quality service within tight budget constraints compounded by high employee turnover and day-to-day absenteeism.

* Maintaining a clean fleet of assigned rail cars under harsh environmental conditions and high public usage.

* Maintaining good working relationships and communicating effectively with other departments and vendors in order to achieve Authority goals and objectives.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

* High school diploma required. Experience as a Car Servicer, other applicable vehicle or facility maintenance experience, or janitorial related experience preferred.

* Experience supervising large workforce, particularly in a union environment preferred.

* Must possess a valid driver's license

* Required to pass current Rail Safety Training certification.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

* Extensive walking, bending, stooping, kneeling, standing and climbing. Lifts, carries and maneuvers materials or equipment weighing up to 75 pounds.

* Must possess the physical strength and agility to negotiate track, ballast and footwalk conditions in a rail yard and on the right of way.

* Must have the stamina to work excessive hours during emergency situations with duration up to two weeks.

* Exposed to solvents and solutions used in cleaning, waxing, stripping and graffiti removal

* Requires remaining in a stationary position for extended periods of time and constantly operating a computer and other office productivity machinery.

* Service Area Requirement: Exempt (Non-Union) employees must live within the boundaries of the CTA Statutory Service Area either at the time of employment or within 6 months of beginning employment at CTA.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

* General knowledge of collective bargaining agreements and with union contract provisions governing Car servicers preferred.

* Strong customer service skills.

* Team player, reliable, dependable, able to multi-task and work under pressure and meet deadlines.

* Strong Microsoft Word and Excel, PowerPoint skills preferred.

* Strong verbal and written communication skills.

WORKING CONDITIONS

* Subject to adverse weather conditions related to outside work on CTA platforms, terminals and rail yards. Minimal office environment.

* Subject to being on-call 24/7 and must be available for emergency calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

* Works a majority of time in rail yards and terminal platforms.

* Works in close proximity to moving vehicles and energized third rail. Required to walk in yard areas where footing may be uncertain.

* Works various hours and shifts subject to change weekly.

* Vacation and other time off requests are limited in periods of special events and seasonal weather alerts.

EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, AND MATERIALS UTILIZED

* Expected to direct operation of automated tools and equipment including but not limited to car washers, pumps, floor scrubbers/strippers, electric steamers and buffers. Expected to operate office equipment, 8 channel radio and company/personal vehicle.

* Required to carry and respond to a pager and company issued cellphone at all times.

* Required to carry and respond to radio calls while on duty.

Additional Details Employees and/or union members will be given priority consideration in the hiring process, per the applicable labor contracts.
Final salary will be determined in part by the qualifications of the selected candidate and may be higher or lower than target.
Applicants, if hired,must comply with CTA's residency ordinance.
CTA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
No employee or applicant for employment will be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, age, unfavorable military discharge, disability or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws; except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists We are committed to providing an inclusive environment for our workforce and supporting the communities we serve. CTA will make reasonable accommodations for the known disabilities of otherwise qualified applicants for employment as well as its employees, unless undue hardship would result. If you require an accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact arc@transitchicago.com prior to the submission of your application or upon notification of your actual test date. CTA will work with you to determine if an accommodation can be provided.
During the hiring process, CTA's Human Resources department will contact candidates with next steps . Failure to respond to these correspondences in a timely fashion may result in your application being closed out for non-responsiveness.
Please click link below to review the benefits offered at the CTA.
https://www.transitchicago.com/hrbenefits/

Primary Location: USA-Illinois-Chicago

Job: Rail Maintenance

Job Posting: Jul 10, 2026, 5:00:00 AM

Position Type: Full-time Permanent (FTP)