Whats The Requirement To Be a Bus Driver or Train Conductor / Operator

[DueceBeats]

Hey Folks, I been thinking about Joining the MTA now, And I need to know whats the Requirement To Either be a Bus Operator or Be a Train Conductor / Operator. I need like step by step what is needed to get to these levels. I know Testing will be required, but beside that What have you guys had to submit and prove in order to continue to a next step journey....

[Blitz]

There is a career section on these forums that this question should have been posted in...

 

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/forum/19-transit-career-discussions/

[youngblaze]

In order to get the bus operating job, you need to get a Commerical Drivers' License (CDL) after you get your drivers' license. If you get these two things, go to the MTA employment website and find a bus operator exam (which usually takes years for each exam to be available). If any bus operating exams are available, call the MTA, tell them the bus operating exam you're applying for. They will call you for testing someday and then they will send you for training.

 

Pass the training, I guarantee you will get the bus operating job, like other bus operators!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In order to get the subway operator / conductor's job, you can call the MTA to apply for an exam which of course takes years for one to appear on each exam. If any subway / conductor exams are available, call the MTA and tell them what exam are you applying for. They will call you back or tell you right away telling you when are you going to the train operating/conducting school. Pass the school, pass the training, and then you got your job!

 

Please tell me if you are unclear about this post...

 

 

Misinformation is BAD

 

--

 

Bus Operator:

 

You must file for an exam through the employment section of www.mta.info. There are three operating agencies within MTA, these include: MTA Bus, TA and OA (MaBSTOA). You just missed the filing period for MTA Bus and TA so that means an OA lottery period will probably open up early next year.

 

The differences between the 3 divisions.

 

TA

-Civil Service Title

-You take an actual exam where your final score determines your list number

-Tier VI NYCERS Pension (Pension is based off of your top 3 years [i.e. the 3 years you made the most money])

-Can pick into a depot located in: The Bronx (except Eastchester), Manhattan, Brooklyn (except Spring Creek), Queens (except LaGuardia, College Point, Baisley Park, Far Rockaway and JFK) and Staten Island

 

Estimated filing period for next TA exam: 2016

 

OA (MaBSTOA)

-Non-Civil Service Title

-No examination, your list number is determined at random so cross your fingers

-Not quite sure which pension plan they have but I know that their pension is calculated using the last 5 years of service prior to retirement

-Can pick into a depot located in: The Bronx (except Eastchester), Manhattan, Brooklyn (except Spring Creek)

 

Estimated filing period for next OA "exam": 2013-2014

 

MTA Bus

 

-Non-Civil Service Title

-No examination, your list number is determined at random so cross your fingers

-Can only work out of MTA Bus Depots such as: LaGuardia, College Point, Eastchester, Yonkers, Spring Creek, Far Rockaway, JFK and Baisley Park)

 

Estimated filing period for next MTA Bus "exam": 2015-2016

 

 

Once you have filed for an exam it's just a waiting game....live your life don't go checking your mailbox everyday (it took them 3 years to hire me)

 

Word of advice: get your CDL Class B with Air Brakes and Passenger endorsements before hand it'll shave off a lot of the stress during the qualification training period.

[Y2Julio]

In order to get the bus operating job, you need to get a Commerical Drivers' License (CDL) after you get your drivers' license. If you get these two things, go to the MTA employment website and find a bus operator exam (which usually takes years for each exam to be available). If any bus operating exams are available, call the MTA, tell them the bus operating exam you're applying for. They will call you for testing someday and then they will send you for training.

 

Pass the training, I guarantee you will get the bus operating job, like other bus operators!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In order to get the subway operator / conductor's job, you can call the MTA to apply for an exam which of course takes years for one to appear on each exam. If any subway / conductor exams are available, call the MTA and tell them what exam are you applying for. They will call you back or tell you right away telling you when are you going to the train operating/conducting school. Pass the school, pass the training, and then you got your job!

 

Please tell me if you are unclear about this post...

 

Please dont post incorrect information.

You can't call the MTA and apply like that.

 

Since the B/O portion was covered nicely by the previous poster, I'll take care of the RTO side.

 

When the MTA is prepared to offer an exam for T/O and C/R it will be posted in their employment section of MTA.info. You may apply online or through mail, you cannot apply via phone. You'll then pay a examination fee and then receive a letter in the mail indicating your exam date and location.

 

Once you take the exam after a few months you'll receive your list number and after that it's a matter of waiting for the MTA to get in contact with you.

 

At the current time the only requirement for Conductor is that you hold a GED or High School diploma which is subject to change by the MTA for the next conductors exam.

 

For train operator the requirements are as follows; 1. A four year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization; and

2. Five years of full-time, paid satisfactory work experience.

College education may be substituted for experience on the following basis: One year of acceptable experience will be credited for each 30 credits completed at an accredited college, up to a maximum of four years. However, all candidates must have at least one year of full-time satisfactory, paid work experience. Part-time paid experience will be pro-rated.

 

Of course you must also be able to pass the medical examinations before you can get hired.

[Dan05979]

In order to get the bus operating job, you need to get a Commerical Drivers' License (CDL) after you get your drivers' license. If you get these two things, go to the MTA employment website and find a bus operator exam (which usually takes years for each exam to be available). If any bus operating exams are available, call the MTA, tell them the bus operating exam you're applying for. They will call you for testing someday and then they will send you for training.

 

Pass the training, I guarantee you will get the bus operating job, like other bus operators!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In order to get the subway operator / conductor's job, you can call the MTA to apply for an exam which of course takes years for one to appear on each exam. If any subway / conductor exams are available, call the MTA and tell them what exam are you applying for. They will call you back or tell you right away telling you when are you going to the train operating/conducting school. Pass the school, pass the training, and then you got your job!

 

Please tell me if you are unclear about this post...

 

 

Where did or who gave you this horrible information?

[Snowblock]

At the current time the only requirement for Conductor is that you hold a GED or High School diploma which is subject to change by the MTA for the next conductors exam.

 

For train operator the requirements are as follows; 1. A four year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization; and

2. Five years of full-time, paid satisfactory work experience.

College education may be substituted for experience on the following basis: One year of acceptable experience will be credited for each 30 credits completed at an accredited college, up to a maximum of four years. However, all candidates must have at least one year of full-time satisfactory, paid work experience. Part-time paid experience will be pro-rated.

 

 

Starting with the next O/C, 2 years of customer service experience will also be required for the C/R title. You can get around that 5 year requirement for T/O by going to C/R first and being in that title at least a year before promoting. And if the rumors are to believed, T/O is going to be going back to a promotional-only title, so if you didn't take the last T/O exam, you missed your chance.

[Y2Julio]

I've heard the Promo only for T/O but with the shortage is there even enough within to fill in the ranks?

[paulrivera]

Good thing I applied for C/R when I did then if that is true...

[Snowblock]

One they get through THIS list, there won't be much of a shortage anymore....

[youngblaze]

Starting with the next O/C, 2 years of customer service experience will also be required for the C/R title. You can get around that 5 year requirement for T/O by going to C/R first and being in that title at least a year before promoting. And if the rumors are to believed, T/O is going to be going back to a promotional-only title, so if you didn't take the last T/O exam, you missed your chance.

 

 

Good thing B/O's can take the T/O promo test

[Will-Bx-718]

Good thing B/O's can take the T/O promo test

 

 

Well actually any TA/OA title can take the promo exam as long as they get the Transit Certificate course completed. Bu yeah follow what these guys said in order to apply for a job with MTA. Just stay on MTA.info in the career section and apply for whatever you qualify for, and don't put all your eggs in just those three jobs either. There's plenty of other jobs that get done down here besides B/O, T/O and C/R. And it's good they may start requiring 2 years of customer service to qualify for C/R title, maybe it will cut down the lists which usually have over 12K people on them. It was one of the few jobs that didn't require any work experience of any sort in TA. Promo only for T/O I think is another win too, because it made no sense that me as A S/A couldn't promote to said title without the TCC, but someone off the street could take the O/C test and go right into the title and the only way I could do it w/o the TCC was to take the same exam and resign from my title and lose all seniority.

[paulrivera]

How about the requirements for SIRTOA C/R? I can't imagine them hiring people off the street without any experience either (but for different reasons, mainly FRA-related however.) However, I thought SIRTOA wasn't civil service, how come the listing is on the NYCT civil service schedule?

[RTOMan]

In order to get the bus operating job, you need to get a Commerical Drivers' License (CDL) after you get your drivers' license. If you get these two things, go to the MTA employment website and find a bus operator exam (which usually takes years for each exam to be available). If any bus operating exams are available, call the MTA, tell them the bus operating exam you're applying for. They will call you for testing someday and then they will send you for training.

 

Pass the training, I guarantee you will get the bus operating job, like other bus operators!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In order to get the subway operator / conductor's job, you can call the MTA to apply for an exam which of course takes years for one to appear on each exam. If any subway / conductor exams are available, call the MTA and tell them what exam are you applying for. They will call you back or tell you right away telling you when are you going to the train operating/conducting school. Pass the school, pass the training, and then you got your job!

 

Please tell me if you are unclear about this post...

 

 

Young man do us a favor?? Pay your fare and please have a seat leave the information to those who actually KNOW it thanks!

[Rapid Transit TO]

Well accordint to the haters or NY Post, you go about it this way..

 

You drop a dime to your 'Uncle' working down 2 Broadway, tell' im you needa cushy MTA job cuz you wanna make 6 digits while doing not much. You take classes in rudeness, unattentiveness, & slovenly behavior at the union hall, then show-up for work after a 36 hour bender and let them busses or trains roll, & You'll be livin' large like all us MTA employees..

 

(Turning sarchasm button off now...)

 

The proper procedures were posted. I tell anyone, even those not interested in the MTA, to file for a test. Its years before you get a call ususally, and nobdy has a a crystal ball, except for billy crystal of course..

[paulrivera]

To the OP, the conductor position at SIR is open. According to the NOE, you get a random list number and will scheduled for a multiple choice exam based on list number order. It's not civil service, and for those of you on the NYCT C/R list, you can't transfer over to NYCT if you accept a job with SIR.

 

No previous experience needed, which is very interesting... I guess they need the money from the filing fee ($54)...

 

Oh and you dont need to live in NYC either (let alone SI)...

[Ogkwan]

I have question I am on list for conductor. 8804 just received letter to take boss exam for ta bus operator why did they send me letter?

[Igjr2000]

Don't you need a high school diploma in order to take the exam?

[Igjr2000]

In order to get the bus operating job, you need to get a Commerical Drivers' License (CDL) after you get your drivers' license. If you get these two things, go to the MTA employment website and find a bus operator exam (which usually takes years for each exam to be available). If any bus operating exams are available, call the MTA, tell them the bus operating exam you're applying for. They will call you for testing someday and then they will send you for training.

 

Pass the training, I guarantee you will get the bus operating job, like other bus operators!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

In order to get the subway operator / conductor's job, you can call the MTA to apply for an exam which of course takes years for one to appear on each exam. If any subway / conductor exams are available, call the MTA and tell them what exam are you applying for. They will call you back or tell you right away telling you when are you going to the train operating/conducting school. Pass the school, pass the training, and then you got your job!

 

Please tell me if you are unclear about this post...

 

not clear

[+Young+]

not clear

 

Yeah, don't believe him, he's been banned from this website for good. If I was you, read posts #3 and #4 of this topic, it should be much clearer. After you read those posts, feel free to ask any specific questions.