beanz

21 minutes ago, RTOMan said:

You are so right in your comment about some folk probably never worked liked this before hence the rotten whiny attitudes.. I worked for (in no order)UPS USPS delivered furniture, pumped gas, delivered groceries, delivered newspapers.. Was even a messenger all of the above jobs was harder than what I’m doing now… Oh I forgot I was a plumbers Apprentice for five years before I graduated to a full journeyman for two years before TA called I gave that up to come down here..So when I here the whining or see it on Facebook like this job is the worse on the planet  I just shake my head and keep on trucking.. If those whining so much can do better they wouldn’t be here and that’s a fact…

Bro listen I'm about to get a little deep for the people coming in.

I lost both of my grandfathers to COVID within 4 months of one another. It gave me such perspective. My OGs came to this country to give us better opportunities and a better life. One of them was a tobacco farmer in DR who worked sun up to sundown 6 days a week to provide for his 9 children in a small rural town, then he came to this country at retirement age to continue working so he can try n bring all of his kids here from over there. Worked in a supermarket kitchen for another 10 years past his retirement age. The other was in the military in DR and then came here to work in factories and grocery stores his whole life well beyond 65 years old because he never had such a thing as a pension. Neither one of them ever saw more than 10 bucks an hour and they busted their asses down to the bone to provide for their kids.

Here i am, making 40 an hour to move a train back n forth. Hardest I'll work is doing a put in. If they can both see me now making such a nice living for my daughters while barely exerting myself, and i have the nerve to complain about it, they would shake their heads in embarrassment. The only thing i hate about this job is right now i have to work PMs which sucks because i love to be at home at night with my family, but that's gonna change very shortly.

All about perspective like i said.

5 hours ago, Keikyu Motorman said:

In contrast, I've been here three years, and I've yet to do an RDO. The opportunity costs were lower at my old job as it was 15 minutes away from home, I basically goofed off at the desk, and I could work a quick 4 to 5 hours and go home. An RDO is basically a long commute + doing actual work even if it's on the line that you've picked and know super well.

For me i live close to both Bedford park and 207, so i pick something in the AMs (i regularly work PMs) on my second RDO and just do it while the family is at work n school. No long commute and I'll pick a line i love like the B and the day flies by. 

4 minutes ago, Nyhoneydip said:

That's the only thing ima miss lol I'm at work right now chilling 😩 i just know it won't be like that with mta but idc the money is worth it 

Once u get comfortable operating a train, that time is a breeze. Becomes monotonous and boring because it's so easy. So even though u operating, in a way u are just chillin. The hardest part of this job is the commute to work and the commute home when u don't have any set schedule or location, but once u have the seniority to have some consistency, shit is not hard work in my opinion. I been working days off for some extra Christmas money and leave time and i never did that for any job before. Just come in, bang out your 2 or 3 trips and sign out n go home. Easy breezy. All about perspective. Some people are just a little spoiled and never worked any actual hard jobs before so this seems like a lot but I've done it all from delivering papers to driving 2 hours to Connecticut to deliver frozen foods to standing on my feet 8 hours doing security. This is one of the easiest jobs I've had.

59 minutes ago, Keikyu Motorman said:

I wouldn't switch what I have now for anything on the temporary vacancy list. That's a sucker bet.

For the rest of you that are XX, there maybe some hidden gems out there.

Unless one has some inside info 😉

51 minutes ago, trackerjack said:

....you will pass for sure, and will get this really really amazing job

That's the spirit 😂

14 minutes ago, Jay-Oh said:

The way the board looks nowadays; I’d say fresh XX people should be able to pick in maybe 2 years? Might not be something they want, but it’ll be something.

My B div classmates all picked jobs after just 1 year as xx. Most of them are at least OK with their pick. They had a lot more choices than they expected.

37 minutes ago, trackerjack said:

the tickets might do you a favor in the long run.....u'll live longer if u don't work for Transit

Lol damn bro/sis if it's that bad u really should consider quitting ASAP. Otherwise you are just giving new hires negativity before they even start. I actually had a conversation with another brand new TO who is xx and they told me the crew office has actually been great to them and their whole class. Nobody has any complaints. So maybe they got it out for u.

5 minutes ago, Haj said:

Expect to be there ALL DAY. I went in at 815am and didn't leave till 945PM. Good Luck!

That's just terrible. They are so inefficient sometimes.

Yea u don't get immediately fired, but u will have to explain yourself and if u explain yourself wrong u will be fired. So best not to have to go through nervously explaining yourself to a superintendent and just get it right in the first place so they don't have to question u.

6 minutes ago, Keikyu Motorman said:

IIRC, we were in schoolcar when that first bulletin went out. It was hinted to most of us that it wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. 

It's one thing when you're experienced on a line, and you know how the trains and signals react, but when you're new, be careful around homeballs and approach signals on time...

Exactly..just to clarify my position, when u are new and have no consistent home line, be very careful around all signals. Knock 5 to 7 off timers and take your time. I'm just saying that they do, for the most part, actually clear on time. So if u knock 3 to 5 off each GT sign, u will be absolutely fine. Just make sure it's actually on time. I've seen ppl hit home signals that they thought were on time and they swore up and down it was on time because it usually is, but it wasn't in that moment because there was traffic ahead. 

But just be careful and stay focused folks and you'll be ok.

If u get disciplined going the posted speed it's only because they don't believe u and u couldn't prove it. I know people who have hit timers during probation and after probation and they write a g2 and never hear of it again. 

3 hours ago, trackerjack said:

yea i hear u man.  those pesky GTs!!  rare moments where i'll be CRAWLING and it won't clear.  smh. can't take that chance though.

If there's a GT anywhere that doesn't clear at the posted speed u should report them. On 8th Ave line they all change at the posted speed with the exception of a couple that i don't trust so I've never tested.

18 minutes ago, arestab said:

Has anyone gone from working corporate, took a pay cut, and joined the MTA, specifically this T/O position?

I'm kind of on that same boat & wondering if any one has had a similar experience. For some context, I work for a bank, make 96k (salaried), manager position, I work from home and go into the office 1 day a week with free parking, somewhat basic 401k with a company match, really no stress, a lot of flexibility and time to take off whenever.

Of course, I took this test 5.5 years ago (when I really would've needed) and was making a subpar wage. I recently got the call/email to come in to 180 Livingston next month.

Ive read countless articles, stories, thread here and everywhere I can find, and most situations lead to the same place, where joining the MTA might be the wrong call at this point. I am stuck on the idea of long term (having a pension) in the future, which is something I will never have, and the ability to retire early, 63, instead of 65 or hell, even 70. 

I am huge risk taker and huge believer that no matter what people say about their experience, you have to do it, or try it for yourself, and create your own experience. Ideally, when I imagine this MTA career path, I would love to do T/O for some time and possibly love to move into a management/training/corporate position. I dont know how easy or how hard that is.

With that being said, I just want to know if someone has been a similar boat. Any knowledge or life advice would be much appreciate. It is almost like comparing oranges to apples but would really like some insight and thoughts that someone might have.

Thank you for your time.

I hear u on wanting to experience it for your own, but that situation u are in sounds so much better. I wish i could trade u cause i do love this job and i hate office work but right now with 2 small kids, flexibility and time at home is everything to me. Even something as simple as summer vacations is no longer a choice with transit until u have the seniority. i love my job but I'd trade places with u in a heartbeat so take that for what it's worth.

I'm comfortable enough to take timers at their posted speed, but that's because i have been on the same 2 lines(A, C) for the better part of a year. I know the timers well and i know which ones not to test. I make up all the time i need to make up by taking gt35s at 35 instead of 28 as is recommended by the majority of the folks down here.

With station stops I'm more conservative given my history lol. I don't think coming in at 35 and braking at the CR board saves u that much time, at least not more than taking timers at the speed posted.

Even with all that, they just gonna hold u outside the terminal anyway. That's fine with me cause when they gap me i just use it as a pit stop to stretch and drink some water. 

2 hours ago, TOSironi said:

I heard the guy who's number 1 on the seniority list picks the Fox on the midnight. 

Yea and the number 4 TO is a lady that loves to pick the road...she got almost 40 years down here yet somehow looks like she's barely aged. Loves her job i think happiness is the trick to her looks lol.

2 hours ago, Keikyu Motorman said:

I swear, that's the secret difference between the A and B divisions. Dudes with time for some reason will pick the road in the B, while everybody runs off the road ASAP for yard work in the A, or they retire and GTFO if they can't stay and pick yard work. 

I took a look at the work program once and i felt like there were more penalty yard n switching jobs in the A than in the B. Just in Utica there are i believe 4 11 hour switching jobs. In the B when i was YX i didn't really make money like that but in the A i kept getting one of those 11 hour switching jobs and i was killing it some weeks lol.

45 minutes ago, RTOMan said:

Lexington is just as bad take it from one whos worked both...

N just wait til they being cbtc to lex...hopefully by then i should be an OG with a switching or yard job like u.

21 minutes ago, RTOMan said:

This is for those who might get jobs in the Queens Korridor..

CBTC dose not make the train move faster its a buff fantasy, it makes the train get as close as possible to the train in front...

If your train is in BYPASS yes check it don't worry about the Dispt Rushing you if the train comes in late its already Logged into ITRAC at the terminal (and no RCI tag is on it)  Please Put it in CBTC... The nonreporting trains eff up the railroad.

During Most Hours when the Echoes are going express from Kew Gardens Please Punch where you have to Punch, CTL Northbound or 75th ave Southbound for the Proper Line Up..

CTL is a definite punch location because in ATPM Mode if you do not the train will need a RM from RCC in order to get to the Homesignal to Punch which again ties up the railroad.

This is important because some new folks are punching incorrectly..

You are a Fox on D1 track at 75th ave Punch EXPRESS nothing Else unless the tower tells otherwise.

You are a Echo at CTL  on D4 track punch EXPRESS during the Hours it goes Express To Jamaica Van Wyck unless the tower tells you otherwise..

You are a Fox on D4  at CTL you Punch LOCAL ALL TIMES unless the tower tells you other wise.

Oh and BTW... Your hand held radio or your train radio (if it works) are ok to use by themselves but  please not at the same time..

Your fellow coworker's ears thank you...

Remember there is never a stupid question....

Queens corridor is madness....couldn't find me there even if i bought one of those fancy houses outside of continental 🤣

4 hours ago, thegameksk said:

Starting to rethink this whole TO thing.  It's the second week of training and this week has been a disaster. We routinely got on trains late bc there other classes were in the trains or they were in service.  The TSS routinely tells us how we are short of time.  They tell us about all the mistakes the new classes are making such is not surprising consider how much they want us to know.  I've been studying daily and even then I can't keep up. Everything is rushed in terms of teaching.  They will tell us we have to learn something and then next day want us to know it backwards and forewards. 

It's the beginning man everybody feels overwhelmed at first. One of the TSS said something once that stayed with me...this is like a 100 piece puzzle. It isn't complicated and u will figure it out if u apply yourself, but right now u just opened the box and dumped all the pieces on the table in front of u and none of it makes a lick of sense. Give it time and a picture will take shape.

1 minute ago, mimic101 said:

Damn, this is hard to read.  My class is currently on Road Ops and I don't think any of us have any idea of what it's going to be like when we finish. 

Not everybody's experience is as bad as this person. Try it for yourself before letting someone else already make it miserable for you. I've had rough days here but I've always been grateful to have the job and never felt it was as horrendous as some people make it out to be. There are definitely shitty days but it isn't everyday.

11 hours ago, RTOMan said:

Those types of mistakes i really think they can understand file it under chit happens...

Some of The major ones running homesignals, splitting switches, excessive speed through work zones are the ones that are getting folks fired.

8 hours ago, Jericho said:

Eh, road posting is when someone finally starts learning how to operate and it's always been where people make mistakes. Maybe people can get a bit more comfortable operating when YX was longer, but it's still nothing like being on the road and road ops has always been a joke.

4 hours ago, thegameksk said:

Today some superintendents spoke to my class. They basically said we arent robots and they expect us to make mistakes bc we are new. Just be honest. They made a point to mention dropping of the handle and if it happens be honest and its okay if you drop the handle. 

The dropping of the handle is definitely not a big deal at all but i just think it speaks to a lack of familiarity with operating that u should have by the time u get to posting. Not that u should be super familiar but at least comfortable putting the handle to full service without looking down and that kind of thing because u have already moved the train enough times in the yard and during road ops. That's why I question the schedule because i know YX was cut down and that the classes got larger again so if there's less road op days on the calendar, each student isn't operating as much. 

But yea i have heard of some major incidents too and i just hope people can clean that up because there's no worse feeling than sitting there handing in your tools and pass. 

I wonder if people are getting enough operating time with the larger classes and shorter schoolcar schedules. A lot of students have been dropping the handle or pulling it too far and going BIE in service while posting. It's been happening so often a lot of people don't want to take students to avoid the aggravation. Speaks to a lack of familiarity with the master controller because by the time you are road posting you should at least be comfortable with it.

8 hours ago, Mightguy32 said:

Good morning everyone. I have a quick question and I believe it was stated before but I’m not sure. I went in for medical 9/12 to be placed in the Oct 3rd class. I passed everything but they stated because of my BMI and neck size being a half inch more than standard I needed to do a sleep study.  Needless to say I got everything done quickly as possible to get the test results. I contacted the email they gave me. what is the likely chance I would still be able to get into the oct class?? Or should I just have my mind set to be called back in for future classes.  Thank you for reading this. 

U could always just show up at 180 Livingston and tell them at the front. They can let u in to see the Mac and if all your stuff is in order they can swear u in the same day. When i first had to get a clearance i just showed up without an appointment and was seen.

18 minutes ago, thegameksk said:

At 180 they said the books weren't available and they emailed us the pdfs. We were told bring it day 1 so I'm assuming the school doesn't have them either.  At some point they have to give us a hard copy. I don't see the printed copies lasting too long being thrown around. The least they can do is reimburse us for the print outs. I don't see 300 pages bring cheap.  Ty!

I wouldn't print it unless they told u explicitly to do so and that they would reimburse u. That's ridiculous. 

1 minute ago, thegameksk said:

Just finished final processing. I start oct 3rd. Oh and they don't have physical copies of the rules and regulations. They want us to print all 300 pages! Lol

Gtfoh wow really? That's ridiculous