Jchambers2120

By the time you take your exams you shouldn’t have a problem as long as your keeping up with the material. At first things will seem complicated because there’s so much material to go over in such little time, but your instructors will be drilling it into your heads everyday. You’ll be fine just pay attention, study, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

There’s no set timeframe. I’ve met people who were able to pick jobs while they were still on probation, for me I’ve been out for 11 months now and I’m still xx. I *might* be able to pick later this year depending on how many people retire/promote/quit, etc... @NewbieCR @Schecter look on the bright side, atleast you’ll get to see me!

It sucks not getting the division you wanted, but you’ll be able to switch divisions eventually when you’re able to pick a job.

In certain scenarios such as stopping short of the marker, or if something unsual happens on the road in a station yes we can give them insturctions like pull up to the proper marker or give them two buzzes to proceed, and yes t/o's can give us 'instructions' also like when to keep the doors open in a station. The only scenarios that I can think of off the top of my head where you yourself are taking the train oos is if you get assaulted and even then you would have to inform the RCC and be governed by their instructions. To the second question I'm not that close with my family to begin with so I'm not sure how to answer that lol. I did miss events that took place out of NY, but that's about it. I'm AM's so provided I'm not too tired I'm sure I'd be able to make it to a family event. 8 months? Sheesh. I'll have a year and some change by the time i pick and if i miss this upcoming fall pick it'll be close to two years of being XX. And you're right about XX not being the worst thing ever. I live in Brooklyn and on Thanksgiving they have me a trip & a half job that started in the BX and ended in BK, gave me Xmas off(paid), New Years I sat on board all day brought the T/D food and put up calendars inside the terminal lol, and they switched my RDO's to S/M for Memorial day. Plus I've had weekend off or part of the weekend for 11 months now. Seems like the B div crew office is kuch friendlier than here in the A, sometimes i think ours is run by satan himself. I hope im not drifting too far off topic just trying go give everyone an idea.

For me personally it’s a somewhat easy adjustment since I don’t have kids and I’m young so my body can adapt to the crazy schedule. I’ve always wanted to operate a train since I was a kid so that helps keep me motivated to keep pushing. Plus I’m not really much of a social person anyway so the weekends part doesn’t bother me. This job can be rough for someone who has a wife/kids though. And that C/R being in charge of the train thing is BS IMO. Yes, I know there are bulletins about that (which I’m not going to post in here) but in reality RCC is in charge of these trains. When anything goes wrong one of the first things you’re doing is calling them anyway. Me & my partner are a team out there I’m not the boss of anything. Yes, as a C/R you have certain responsibilities and must obey such, I just think at face value in charge seems to be a stretch.

Congrats & welcome. For boots I would suggest the caterpillars. I had the timbs at first and they’re really heavy and uncomfortable, the cats feel like sneakers. You can find some cheap pants at target that match what they tell you to wear on that packet. You might want to get a duffle bag too since you’ll be getting so much stuff that you must carry everyday.

I agree that if the job is for you or not it will show and that it depends on the person, but I can’t agree that the only benefit you have is the ability to go back to your previous title. Someone who started as a conductor will be familiarized with the system and how things work compared to (sorry I have to use it) someone coming fresh off the street. Like I said before there is a lot you have to learn and T/o is a very serious title. Reading GO’s/supplements, points of no returns, lingo used down here/how to use the radio, getting used to being XX and adjusting to the hectic schedules, experience on the road, etc... just some of the things that someone starting as a C/R will have under their belt as opposed to someone brand new to transit and having to learn all of that on top of how to operate a train. Just because someone started as a C/R doesn’t mean they will be a better T/o than someone fresh off the street that I can agree on, but someone who started from the middle will have an easier transition to going up front than someone brand new to transit. @Schecter 2d- employees whose duties are concerned with the actual operations of the rapid transit system must be conversant with the rules governing the duties of other employees similarly engaged.

Coming in as a C/R will help you as a T/O. As of recent there were some new T/O's who got semt back to schoolcar for reinstruction because of too many incidents happening with new T/O's. It's very serious title and there's so much you have to learn in such a short amount of time. You'll be familarized with the system in terms of Reporting locations, how to read GO's/supplements, lingo, etc... and be in a better position than someone from off the street. Both lists won't expire until 2022, why not give C/R a shot until you finish probation and then go up front. Oh yeah rule 2d is another reason.

Caught up your last post, congrats on your bid. I didn’t win ish off the bid, but it’s all good the crew office been showing me love since this pick started with these *cough cough* 1 trippers. You in the A div also? @acabral136 I’m not trying to beat a dead horse here, but yes what everyone is saying is true she’s not over exaggerating. I’ve met some T/O’s with 4-5 years on the job who have weekends off on the PM tour and one guy with S/M on the midnights, but to get AM’s with weekends it’ll take close to a decade. Seniority is everything down here.

Every line/job is different there is no average day when you’re XX. Also being XX isn’t the worst thing in the word I’m still XX and I’ve had ams/weekends since I’ve finished schoolcar and that’s going on over10 months now.

RDO = regular days off. A trip (some people call them trippers as slang) lets use the 5 line as an example. Going from DYRE to FLA is considered half a trip. Going back up to DYRE from FLA is considered 1 trip.

Great post some people are just full of it If that person really hated their job so much and believed "life is too short" they would've quit a long time ago. I don't get how someone can claim the majority of transit workers hate their jobs when they haven't even met half of the population that works here. EVERY JOB has BS that comes with it no matter where you go, the beauty with this job is you don't have to stay a C/R forever there's ample amount of promotional oppurtunities within transit and it increases if you have a post secondary education. I started at 21 and there's no way in hell I'm going to remain a C/R for the 33+ years I have to do down here shoot one TSS I've met told me I better since I'm going to "live down here" lol. Like you said there's people here that get paid 8 hours and they're only on the train for maybe 4 hours tops, with weekends and holidays off. Or those trip and a half jobs where you're only at work for 6 hours and they pay you dead head time. Yeah this job is sooooo terrible. Obviously stuff like that takes time to be able to pick, but keep in mind C/R is probaboy the fastest moving title in transit. There's a reason over 30k people took this test. BTW speaking of 1 trippers, guess what I have tomorrow right before my RDO's?

Some people have to learn the hard way, unfortunately the hard way might be too late. Then the tears fall... What imhim is saying is 100% truth. Shoot I agree with you and i'm a C/R. There's alot that I had to learn on my own that they didn't teach in schoolcar, but the bottom line is they're not going for that and at the end of the day we're just a number. Don't give them a reason to can you. I heard a *rumor* (i don't believe it at all) that they were planning on bringing a promo to T/O exam out this summer, plus the rumor that the test out now was going to be the last O/C. Though I don't believe it remember this agency is a reactive agency hence all the bulletins that come out. I hope they do though I remember when my TSS took us in the cab to show how to read the air guage and I got hooked on that beautiful sound SMEE equipment makes when you charge up a train, plus I'm tired of these damn passemgers haha.

If you have the choice to pick your division your choice should be based on what's more convient for you the money will come regardless where you go. I live in Brooklyn & got forced into the A division and trust me it's rough commuting. Very recently i fell to the board ended up picking up a whole job 3 hours later at another location and clearing later than I was supposed to because of some track circuit problem. When you're xx you're supposed to have 12 hours off between jobs and I cleared 3 minutes before i reached the 12 hour point plus I had a very early report the next day. Had ro rush home from the BX to BK didn't get enough sleep just to do it all over again. Sure the money was nice, but your health/rest is worth more than a couple of dollars. I'm 22 years old in the same position, no kids/major responsibilities. Just be careful how you spend your money and stack it. No need to kill yourself, plus you want to stay away from voluntary OT when you're on probation anyway. @kellgh If you don't want those jobs with S/S RDO's send them my way I'm trying to have a litt summer lmao. Just finished my bid sheet and the RDO's was the first thing I looked at.

You’re in the A division also? When I asked the crew office how could I transfer over they told me you have to be able to pick a job first to transfer divisions. Don't know if it’s possible via bid shits, but I’ll ask around tomorrow. @Angel I missed the pick. Still xx this pick.

Haven’t seen you post in a while, how have things been for you? I’m sure you’re relieved to be off probation now. I’m right behind you I hit 10 months in a couple of days. I can’t wait to get the hell out of the A division I really wished I didn’t get forced here.

Well the people who I talked to who had them were in the August group, but like Imhim said they can call a probie back anytime since we still belong to school car. I’m a C/R and got called back last year (didn’t have any incident) for reinstruction on announcements and some other stuff. Was a nice 3 days off the road lol. Tbh after hearing what some of them did they’re lucky to have a job.

I'm hearing that some T/O's are being called back into schoolcar due to too many incidents going on. People don't realize how serious that title is.

It’s just not worth it. I had some idiot yell at me because some dude was smoking at 125/lex and he started ranting about fare hikes and NYPD. Then recently some no life woman banged in a TSS for sleeping on the LIRR talking about he was taking up seats smh. Just not worth it to ride in uniform we’re always a target.

The job has its days. The toughest part is dealing with the customers. Traveling is also hard for me since I live in Brooklyn and got forced into the A division. I won't lie there were times where i felt like giving up and finding something else, but I've met some dope senior people and supervisors that keep me going. Lately things have started to get better with all these classes coming out I've been getting some dope money jobs. I've had AM's with weekends off for going on 9 months now, and every major Holiday I finished in Brooklyn, and they gave me Xmas off (paid). It's good job, but it can be challenging. I'm glad I started out as a C/R because of the knowledge that I've gained that I'll take when i move up front to T/O, but I honestly can't see myself doing this more than 5 years, let alone the 33+ I have to do due to my age. Like anything else you have to take the good with the bad.

The Quizzes/Midterm and Final are 80% I believe. The Practicals are pass/fail. It’s not hard at all. It’s going to seem overwhelming at first because of the amount of material you’ll be getting, but your TSS’s will be drilling it into your head everyday. The hardest part about the practicals are calming your nerves. The midterm/final exams were a piece of cake.

And I’m sure the passengers at the stations behind them wanted some service at all, but now they’re forced to wait even longer because they’re running ahead of schedule. You say the door holding is for a few seconds, but those seconds add up and create a domino effect. Let’s take a line like the for example. If trains are scheduled to run every 4 minutes, but a S/B train starts falling behind schedule because riders aren’t boarding in a timely manner, or you have those who use their bodies to block the doors for their friends still swiping their metrocards. Their follower catches up and has to run at a slower speed due to the signals so they start falling behind schedule as well. Now Grand Central Tower notices this and they’ll give the train that’s falling behind a skip, but depending on how much of a gap in service there is they may also have to hold back a N/B train at the bridge which also creates a delay heading north. So please spare me with that few seconds mantra. Not sure what a C/O is (correction officer?) I’m sure you mean C/R... We are given schedule cards and they have to be carried with you while on the train (part of our ppe) plus the RCC will get on the radio and nag us about where did we lose our time if we start falling behind or running ahead of schedule and use holding lights. I agree wholeheartedly with your post about something needs to done about schedules. There’s plenty of employees who feel the same as well.

Your posts are always informative TM! His complaint also stumped me that’s why I told him to take the test & find out. What’s the point of racing just to be held for time? Or now the higher ups notice the runtimes start going down and now they want to start squeezing in more trips & keep the pay the same... I’ve heard rumors about the four and five trippers on the 6 back in the days uh uh. I’ve heard RCC going off on people for running 5 minutes hot, I can’t imagine 9-10 minutes what were y’all doing? Lol.

If you really want to understand take the next test and make it through school car. I’m sure if the T/O in question was moving at an ‘acceptable’ speed for you and overran a station or hit a signal you’d be questioning why was he/she running so fast.

Your # 4 just made me get angry lol. I seriously hate when I'm on a tech train and customers come up to me and ask what train this is. #1 & 2 I pretty much accepted the fact that these trains are built with shorter people in mind. Sucks, but nothing we can do. Are the windows Atleast tall people friendly? Idk if you ever worked in the A division, but as a comparison the Bombardier R142's are HORRIBLE for anyone slightly taller than average. Literal pain in the neck trains.