Roll with Us: Rail Operations Controllers live for the thrill of the solution

Stephen Toumi, Rail Operations Controller, at work in the Operations Control Center.

BART is currently hiring for Rail Operations Controllers. Pay starts at $140,247.01 and goes up to $182,320.85. To learn more, visit bart.gov/jobs.

Each day on the job for Rail Operations Controllers is a high-stakes performance. Their stage? The Operations Control Center (OCC), a state-of-the-art nerve center where they oversee and manage the system’s critical infrastructure and trains as they zip around the Bay Area.

The role of a Rail Operations Controller is to control the flow of trains along the BART system and troubleshoot when, say, a train gets held at a station or maintenance occurs on the trackway. It’s when “s--- hits the fan,” said Miguel Prieto, Rail Operations Controller, that “things get fun.” Every day, BART’s controllers are tasked with solving puzzles and fixing problems. 

The OCC, as it’s known around BART, looks like something out of a science fiction movie. Inside, you’ll find a dark, cavernous room illuminated mostly by the glow of computer screens and a humongous projection of a mapping system that live-monitors the motion of trains. Controllers bustle around the room, speaking into headsets, shouting directions from across the room, and making announcements overheard by the entire BART system. The energy inside is palpable.

Rail Operations Controller Miguel Prieto on the job.

“You’re onstage when you’re in position,” said Prieto. “Like with any sport, there’s a lot of training and muscle memory at play. And it’s all for that moment when you’re on the field. You just got to perform.”

Controllers like Prieto are self-proclaimed “adrenaline seekers,” said John Owen, the Training Supervisor at the OCC.

“There’s no doubt it requires a certain type of person,” Owen said. “You must be ready to multitask and manage stressful situations. It’s a challenging job, but it’s very, very rewarding. And we’ll set you up for success with our training program.”

John Owen, OCC Training Supervisor, in front of the projected system map.

All controllers enroll in a yearlong training course and pass a test to begin working in the OCC (Course enrollees are paid for their time in training). Though demanding, it’s a satisfying path for someone with profound attention to detail who loves to troubleshoot with creativity.  

“When things aren’t going right, that’s when we must step in and, following the rules, mitigate the situation safely,” Owen said. “Safety is our number-one priority. Though our screen looks kind of like a computer game, we must remember each red line is potentially 1,000 people.”

Many controllers take immense pride in their work. They say the OCC is a tightknit family where employees deeply support one another.

Rail Operations Controller Heather Dinsdale smiles at her desk.

“It’s really the best place,” said Rail Operations Controller Heather Dinsdale, who started at BART as a Station Agent more than a decade ago. “In here, it’s people working together and supporting each other. I enjoy my time at work as much as I enjoy my time at home.”

For controllers, it’s especially satisfying knowing they’re making a direct, concrete impact on the Bay Area.

“I already love the Bay Area, but now it’s starting to feel like my Bay Area,” Prieto said. “That’s mainly because of this job.”

Rail Operations Controllers must have five years’ experience in verifiable rapid rail transit operations, large scale operations, or emergency management.

For more information, visit bart.gov/jobs and search for “Rail Operations Controller.”