2 job fairs coming to Fairfield, Middletown focused on transportation issues

Job fairs in Fairfield and Middletown next month are aimed at helping our local businesses fill their vacant positions by solving the transportation problem for potential workers and employers.

Matt Dutkevicz, executive director for the Butler County Regional Transit Authority, said his agency will be at the job fairs “primarily in a capacity to help teach people how to ride the bus and read schedules to plan trips to potential jobs.”

The Butler County Transit Link Job Fair is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 16 at OhioMeansJobs-Butler County, 4631 Dixie Highway, Fairfield and again from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 30 at Cincinnati State, 1 N. Main St., Middletown.

BCRTA will offer free fixed route bus rides on both days.

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Companies with booths at the job fair will include BCRTA, Community First Solutions, Gabe’s, Tyson, Thyssenkrup Bilstein, Tri-County Care Center, Decoach Rehab Center, OhioMeansJobs-Butler County and Cincinnati State Middletown Campus.

A transit job fair BCRTA sponsored a few years ago focused solely on its R6 line. The job fairs this time will focus on jobs accessible by public transit throughout the county.

Raffles for a 3-, 6- and 12-month transit pass will be held at each event.

BCRTA is looking to hire about 20 operators due to attrition and service expansion, Dutkevicz said.

He said part of BCRTA’s mission is serving our community as an economic development tool.

“To that end, we are trying to highlight BCRTA’s potential solutions to the transportation problem … for Butler County employers by advertising available services and providing education and training for employers and employees to use our services to get to work,” Dutkevicz said.

BCRTA employees are able to advance from entry-level roles, he said.

“We always promote from within when we can,” Dutkevicz said. “True, as a small organization there are limited opportunities. However, there are many opportunities in our industry for those seeking advancement at other public transit agencies or passenger transport companies.

BCRTA also provides paid CDL training for employees with a history of good work performance and solid attendance, he said.

The most prevalent roadblock BCRTA encounters when it comes to hiring is funding, Dutkevicz said.

“We’re a public agency,” he said. “We struggle to be competitive with wages and benefits compared to other driving jobs. The whole labor market needs drivers right now.”

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