The Detroit Bus Company Tour Guide Detroit, MI · Part time

Apply for Tour Guide

Welcome to The Detroit Bus Company, where transportation meets purpose! Founded with the mission to enhance the mobility landscape of Detroit, our company isn’t just about buses; it's about building connections and revitalizing our great city. What We Do: At its core, The Detroit Bus Company is a transportation service provider. We operate a fleet of buses, offering tours, rentals, and transit solutions to residents and visitors. But what sets us apart is our commitment to more than just moving people from point A to point B. Every ride on one of our buses is an opportunity to learn, experience, and be a part of the Detroit story. Our Social Mission: We believe in giving back. A significant part of our revenue goes towards supporting local community projects and initiatives. By choosing to work with us, you're not just earning a paycheck, but contributing to a bigger cause. Our "Ride for Ride" program is a testament to our commitment, where every ride purchased sponsors a ride for a Detroit resident in need. We're determined to drive change, one ride at a time. The Financial Opportunity: The Detroit Bus Company is at the forefront of the transportation industry in the city, and as we grow, so do the opportunities for our team members. We offer competitive compensation packages, benefits, and opportunities for growth and development. As we expand and diversify our services, the potential for career advancement and financial growth is significant. We believe in investing in our team, because when our people thrive, so does our business. Join us, and be a part of a company that's driving change, celebrating Detroit, and making a real difference.

The Detroit Bus Company is looking for tour guides to lead our most popular experiences, including (but not limited to) the Drunks of Antiquity historic bar tour, the Merry & Bright Holiday Lights tour and the Welcome to Detroit tour.

About the Job

You’ll be responsible for providing tremendous service and support to our customers, drivers and partners. You’ll help us operate reservations according to our scheduling software, communicate with customers during their reservation to make sure we appropriately understand their expectations, communicate with our salesperson to make sure those expectations are agreed upon.

A deep understanding of the city of Detroit and leading a large group of guests (20-40 passenger) is a prerequisite, however you should be well-versed in troubleshooting problems that may arise. The ability to think beyond the next 24 hours is essential. We do everything on computers so you should be fluent in using the internet, email and software.

About You

The Detroit Bus Company is a social benefit company focused on caring for people, planet, and then profit in that order. For every ride sold we donate a ride to a Detroit student in need. This mission should resonate with you.

We’re looking for some great guides who love helping people, so you should enjoy making complicated situations simple and painless. This means being a great problem-solver with the ability to process and resolve issues quickly. You should be a stellar communicator, even when you have to communicate less-than-stellar news. You should have highly tuned senses of compassion and empathy and a drive to constantly help others.

You love everything Detroit -- the city itself, its history, its gems, and its fun facts. Our tours are solely based within city limits, so we'll need someone who can feel comfortable guiding guests through some of the top spots.

You love people and being at the front of the room, and you're excited to contribute to making The Detroit Bus Company the best service for connecting Detroit.

A big part of the role itself is supporting each other, so you should understand the value in prioritizing relationships with your colleagues.

We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. Each new hire is an opportunity for us to bring in a different perspective, and we are always eager to further diversify our company. The Detroit Bus Company is committed to building an inclusive, supportive place for you to do the best and most rewarding work of your career.

About Our Pay and Benefits

We believe in a thriving wage so you can focus on your responsibilities rather than worrying about your finances. We aim to pay near the top of our field for our city. For a tour guide, the position pays $25 per hour plus tips.

We’re a small company so we all wear many hats, but we strive to offer a workplace that prioritizes excellent work-life balance. We’ve designed our systems so that when your workday ends you’re able to leave work at work and go about your personal life fully. This means there are rarely any after-work calls or emails.

How to Apply

Introduce yourself to us as a colleague. Show us your future here! We value great communicators, so be yourself, be creative, and take your time with the application. There’s no prize for being the first to submit! Stock cover letters won’t do. Tell us why you want this job. Tell us about:

• why you want to work guiding DBC tours.
• why you want to work at The Detroit Bus Company and not somewhere else.
• a great customer service/support experience you had recently, and what made it great.
• a time you taught yourself a new skill to complete a job or project.
• a guide to making your favorite meal.

We are hiring guides on a rolling basis. We’ll let you know that we’ve received your application. After that we will follow up with more information. We want to give everyone a fair chance to apply and be evaluated.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Job Type: Part-time.

Salary: $25 per hour plus tips.

Expected hours: 20-25 hours per week.

Day range:

• Wednesday to Sunday
• Weekend availability

Experience:

• Front-facing customer service: 1 year (Required)
• Experience in leadership and/or hosting large groups

Work Location: In person on the near west side of Detroit.