Position Overview
Ride operators work for amusements parks where their main responsibility is the safe operation of a ride or series of rides.
They assist guests in operating rides in a safe manner and provide them with training on how to ride safely.
Also, they supervise and monitor rides during the time they are in operation and perform some repair and maintenance work on them as well.
Employers prefer to hire people who have a penchant for safety and a prior understanding of starting and shutting down rides.
They are usually trained by the company hiring them so that they understand both procedures and operational techniques of the amusement park that they are working for.
Some ride operators are also given the responsibility of cycling people through the amusement part and guiding them about their choice of rides.
It is also the job of ride operators to make sure that guests have the right tickets or stamps for a particular ride. They work as conductors in an amusement park by taking guests’ tickets – sometimes even selling them – and punching them.
Skills and Abilities
One of the prerequisites of hiring a ride operator is the ability to provide exceptional customer service. The manner in which a ride operator conducts himself often reflects on the park and its hospitality.
See also:
Ride Operator Duties and Responsibilities
• Greet guests when they arrive at the amusement park and ask them which ride they would like to embark on.
• Provide guests with information on ticket prices and the time frame of each ride that they are interested in.
• Sell tickets to guests and take payment in return.
• Cycle guests through the amusement park and lead them to their choice of ride.
• Provide guests with information on how to operate a ride and what to do in case of emergencies.
• Buckle in guests properly and securely.
• Assist guests in embarking and disembarking from the ride.
• Operate rides for a designated period of time.
• Provide guests with warnings on time limits.
• Educate guests about the policies and protocols that they need to follow during their stay at the amusement park.
• Regulate guests’ actions in case of adversity and coordinate efforts of the security personnel.
• Perform repair and maintenance activities on each designated ride.
• Inspect rides and surrounding areas several times a day to ensure safety.
• Clean and maintain rides and areas surround them on a daily basis.
• Inform management of any fault in rides that may be keeping them from working at an optimum level.
• Perform First Aid and CPR in case of emergencies such as ride accidents.