EDWARD F. CANTY, JR.
Country Club Hills,USA
Summary
Experienced Transportation Manager with a focus on operational oversight and team development. Skilled in coordinating emergency responses and optimizing resource allocation to enhance service reliability. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and implement strategic initiatives that foster a high-performance culture in public transit operations.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
TRANSPORTATION MANAGER (RETIRED)
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
Chicago, IL
09.2012 - 02.2021
- Served as a senior operations leader overseeing bus transportation personnel, fleet resources, scheduling, and daily service delivery across one of the nation's largest public transit systems.
- Held full accountability for operational performance, compliance, personnel management, and emergency response coordination.
- Directed and coordinated the activities of bus operations personnel at assigned routes and terminal locations, ensuring consistent, safe, and reliable transit service in compliance with CTA Standard Operating Procedures and DOT federal regulations.
- Managed employee scheduling, shift assignments, and resource allocation for a team of transit personnel, resolving scheduling conflicts, minimizing overtime costs, and keeping the best staffing levels across multiple shifts and routes.
- Built and kept transportation program data, metrics dashboards, and performance reports, providing leadership with actionable data to support route optimization, schedule adjustments, and resource deployment decisions.
- Ensured strict compliance with DOT safety regulations, ADA requirements, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) mandates, and applicable collective bargaining labor agreements governing transit operations.
- Developed and managed a dispatch reporting and documentation process for all service interruptions and emergencies, including data collection, root-cause analysis, and after-action reporting to improve operational performance.
- Coordinated with the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Fire Department during emergency incidents involving passengers, operators, and equipment, ensuring immediate notification, rapid response, and seamless inter-agency communication.
- Led onboarding, training, and performance development for new and existing staff, fostering a high-performance culture that improved employee retention and morale.
- Served as a point of escalation for field supervisors and operators during complex service interruptions, offering real-time guidance and directing resources to restore service quickly.
- Implemented data-driven route and schedule optimization strategies that improved on-time performance metrics across assigned service areas.
- Led employee retention initiatives that measurably increased staff morale and reduced turnover in a competitive labor market.
- Maintained zero serious preventable incidents under direct management span throughout tenure.
BUS CONTROLLER
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
Chicago, IL
01.2006 - 09.2012
- Managed real-time monitoring and dispatch of bus operations across assigned service zones, coordinating responses to service interruptions, equipment failures, and emergencies to keep continuous transit service.
- Monitored active bus routes in real time via CTA dispatch systems, finding service gaps, bunching, and delays, and deploying field resources to restore headway adherence.
- Dispatched supervisors, replacement equipment, and support staff to respond to in-service vehicle breakdowns, accidents, and passenger incidents.
- Coordinated directly with Chicago Police and Chicago Fire Departments to support operators and field staff during safety-critical emergencies.
- Communicated clearly and rapidly with operators, field supervisors, and maintenance personnel via radio, phone, and computer-aided dispatch systems to minimize service impact.
- Streamlined emergency dispatch communication protocols, reducing average response time to service interruptions across assigned zones.
- Recognized for superior coordination during multiple high-profile service emergencies requiring simultaneous multi-agency response.
BUS SERVICE SUPERVISOR
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
Chicago, IL
07.2001 - 01.2006
- Supervised field bus operations along assigned routes, monitoring operator performance, enforcing CTA policies, and providing on-site support for service disruptions, passenger issues, and safety incidents.
BUS OPERATOR
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
Chicago, IL
12.1993 - 06.2001
- Safely ran 40-foot transit buses along assigned CTA routes, transporting hundreds of daily passengers in compliance with all CTA and state safety regulations.
- Conducted pre/post-trip inspections, collected fares, aided ADA passengers, and supported exact operator logs.
ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST / FIRE SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Illinois Army National Guard
Chicago, IL
01.1992 - 08.1999
- Served as an Administrative Specialist and Fire Support Specialist, recognized by the Army National Guard as part of an elite operational team.
- Managed administrative records, personnel documentation, and unit correspondence in compliance with Army AR 25-400-2.
FIELD ARTILLERY CREW MEMBER
United States Army — Active Duty
, NC
11.1988 - 01.1992
- Combat veteran who served with distinction as a Field Artillery Crew Member at Fort Bragg, NC.
- Executed critical fire support missions and operated crew-served artillery equipment under high-stress, austere combat conditions to ensure mission success.
- Conducted fire missions that directly supported ground combat operations during Operation Desert Storm, enhancing operational effectiveness in the Southwest Asia Theater.
- Operated and kept M-198 Howitzer and assigned crew-served artillery systems; conducted daily Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS) on assigned equipment.
- Participated in combat operations in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the Southwest Asia theater.
- Ensured strict compliance with Army weapons safety protocols, OPSEC requirements, and Rules of Engagement to uphold mission integrity and safety.
- Qualified as an M-16 Expert marksman through rigorous training and assessments.
- Completed language certifications in German and Spanish through U.S. Army training programs (1989).
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Business Management
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL05-2026
Skills
- Transit operations management
- Fleet scheduling
- Incident coordination
- Transportation safety compliance
- Regulatory compliance
- SOP compliance
- Operational oversight
- Strategic planning
- Inter-agency coordination
- Data analysis
- Dispatch systems
- Electronic incident reporting
- Documentation management
- Microsoft Office
- Personnel development
Certifications Training Professional Development
- Illinois Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with Passenger Endorsement, Active
- FEMA Emergency Management Institute — IS-700.b: NIMS, An Introduction, 03/01/19
- CTA Bus Controller Certification, 01/01/06
- Workplace Harassment Prevention — Management-Level Training, 01/01/16
- Administrative Specialist Training — Illinois Army National Guard, 1992
- U.S. Army Language Certifications: German and Spanish, 1989
- Oliver Wyman Financial Services Climate Change Job Simulation — Forage Platform, 07/01/25, Analyzed financed emissions datasets, explored target metrics (Absolute Financed Emissions, PEI, FELI), and developed strategic net-zero scenario recommendations applicable to operational and sustainability planning.
Core Competencies And Skills
Transit Operations Management, Fleet Scheduling & Resource Allocation, Personnel Supervision & Development, Emergency Dispatch & Incident Coordination, Performance Metrics & Data Analysis, DOT / FTA / ADA Compliance, SOPs and Regulatory Compliance, Inter-Agency Coordination, Strategic Planning, Budget and Operational Oversight, Computer-Aided Dispatch Systems, Electronic Incident Reporting, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), Records and Documentation Management, PMCS (Military Vehicle Maintenance), English (Native/Fluent), German (Certified – U.S. Army, 1989), Spanish (Certified – U.S. Army, 1989)
Honors Awards Recognitions
U.S. Army Commendation Medal, U.S. Army Achievement Medal (2 Awards), Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Saudi Arabia Good Conduct Medal (Kuwait Liberation), National Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, M-16 Expert Marksmanship Badge, Honorable Discharge — United States Army (01/01/92), Honorable Discharge — Illinois Army National Guard (08/01/99), Certificate of Appreciation — NATO Control Center Team (05/01/12), National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars — Saint Xavier University (2023), African American Achievement Award — Saint Xavier University (2024)
Veteran Preference
YES — 10-Point (Combat Veteran, Service-Connected). Claim supported by DD-214 and applicable VA documentation on file.
U S Citizenship
YES
Selective Service
Registered — in compliance with Selective Service Act requirements.
Security Clearance
Previously held (Active Duty, U.S. Army) — Current status: Inactive / None — update as applicable.
Background Investigation
Willing to undergo and successfully complete any required background investigation or suitability determination.
Drug Testing
Willing to follow federal drug-free workplace testing requirements.
linkedin.com/in/edward-canty-3375867b
Availability
Immediately available | Full-Time | Open to relocation based on position requirements.
Military Experience
- FIELD ARTILLERY CREW MEMBER, 13B10, E-[Grade], United States Army — Active Duty, Fort Bragg, Fort Bragg, NC, 11/01/88, 01/01/92, 40+ (Deployment-Intensive), Honorable — 01/01/92, Combat veteran who served with distinction as a Field Artillery Crew Member at Fort Bragg, NC. Participated in combat operations in support of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the Southwest Asia theater. Performed critical fire support missions, operated crew-served artillery equipment, and executed duties under high-stress, austere combat conditions., Operated and kept M-198 Howitzer and assigned crew-served artillery systems; conducted daily Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS) on assigned equipment., Executed fire missions in support of ground combat operations during Operation Desert Storm, Southwest Asia Theater., Maintained strict compliance with Army weapons safety protocols, OPSEC requirements, and Rules of Engagement., Trained and qualified as M-16 Expert marksman., Completed language certifications in German and Spanish through U.S. Army training programs (1989).
- ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST / FIRE SUPPORT SPECIALIST, Illinois Army National Guard, Chicago, Chicago, IL, 01/01/92, 08/01/99, Honorable — 08/01/99, Served as an Administrative Specialist and Fire Support Specialist, recognized by the Army National Guard as part of an elite operational team., Managed administrative records, personnel documentation, and unit correspondence in compliance with Army AR 25-400-2.
Personal Information
- Available: Full-Time
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen
Timeline
TRANSPORTATION MANAGER (RETIRED)
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
09.2012 - 02.2021
BUS CONTROLLER
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
01.2006 - 09.2012
BUS SERVICE SUPERVISOR
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
07.2001 - 01.2006
BUS OPERATOR
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
12.1993 - 06.2001
ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST / FIRE SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Illinois Army National Guard
01.1992 - 08.1999
FIELD ARTILLERY CREW MEMBER
United States Army — Active Duty
11.1988 - 01.1992
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Business Management
Saint Xavier University