Yks747

I see everyone is happy and being helped by other members with getting hired for the Conductor position. Without going into too much detail, I have not received a canvass yet, and my list # is way below what Transit is up to (I'm in the low 1300's), bc I've been skipped over numerous times; I am a Transit employee and due to circumstances which I had nothing to do with, certain people in power have barred me from being transferred, though my direct superiors say its bs - in so many words. I have attempted to reach Patricia Lodge and Emma Rivera numerous times via email/fax/USPS and vm, from the contact info a couple of pages back, and none of my correspondence has been returned. I have waited years for this transfer and am not being allowed to switch positions, though I have a good employment record, with min sick days used, and a nearly spotless record in my several years of Transit service; with one issue, again which I had nothing to do with, rather it involved another MTA employee. Does anyone have any advice on who to contact in order to raise a bell and see why I have been skipped, since Lodge and Rivera have ignored my requests; or to canvass my name before I miss out on this hiring; (btw, I have been skipped at least 3 times as of now, to my knowledge) Thank you. For those of you waiting and hoping to join Transit, this is the tip of the iceberg for how management will treat you; if you dont believe me, as co workers. the only good thing about Transit is the pay and benefits. Good luck to you

Hello: I have a question, and any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I am ranked 13** on this list for Conductor (#6601), and I had deferred it initially, due to being a current MTA employee in another title and unable to transfer at that time. I then took the offer for the August class, but due to family reasons, I had to defer that hiring as well. Numerous people have since been hired, and Transit is still hiring. I dont think Ill be able to recertify my name until at the earliest, mid April 2020. I'm very concerned Transit will either: 1) close out this list and have another exam; or 2)have hired all they need, and no longer hire new conductors. If I must wait until mid April, would I still have a chance of being hired onto this list, or should I do all that I can to try to get recertified ASAP??

Thank you both very much. Yea I’ve been studying. Not easy for me though. Brain gets fried real fast trying to cram all of the definitions in a short amount of tome. I can just hope for the best

Hey Nyyankee...I’m sure you’ve been studying for this exam. Do you think there is truth to the rumors that this exam will require you to write the definitions in exact verbatim? Idk too many people who can have this amount of technical definitions memorized in less than a month. It took me over three months of flight training and studying, every day, to prepare for an exam of this magnitude

Yea I confirmed it. I Just wish I knew in general what will be on the exam to prepare and the process afterthe exam. What is the locomotive engineer key responsibilities form it says to bring to the exam? I didn’t get that

Hey. I’m with you. I’m scheduled for the exam as well. I wish I could find more CURRENT information on what will be on the exam so that I can study. Obviously it’s the best position and division within the MTA, and A LOT of competition for it, so I was hoping to be as prepared as possible in order to get a very high score on the exam. Haven’t found any current posts about this exam anywhere

Nyctransitorhotels....I’ve seen your dilemma in past posts, but never said anything Bc I didn’t know what advice to give. But bmpo7 post made me realize....if you want my opinion, F transit and stay where you’re at!! That goes for anyone waiting for a transit job. I’m sure I’ll get some negative comments from people in here, but it’s my personal opinion, as an ACTIVE transit employee. I’ve been at transit for several years now and HATE it (that’s an UNDERstatement)..... ....I’m miserable there EVERY SINGLE day and hate my life due to my job.....everyone who knows me knows I hate it, including bosses. The job sucks! Ask my family....I take the stress home w me and hate waking up to have to do it all over again. Dealing w people’s bs piss poor attitudes ALL day/EVERY day, dirty looks, threats, getting yelled at and told how to do your job, being bitched at for EVERYthing (including being late, get used to that bs....it’s my fault traffic is a nightmare and people are slow and entitled w boarding—-it’s YOUR fault), no respect, appreciation or gratitude....you help someone out and you don’t get a thank you....you get recorded all the time if you so much as look at them wrong....then you get called in for a complaint and management is always on the public’s side....many of which are scum. EVERYTHING is YOUR fault, per management. You are treated like a pos all day long. Even w my years, I get LOUSY vacation, LOUSY days off, LOUSY and irregular hours.....it’s not fair for less senior workers, senior workers get everything: Good vaction time, hours, work, pay, days off, time off...it’s not distributed in a fairer way........ good luck getting a day off, at least in my location.....you either have to be in bed w Union, bosses, or both.....sick days, haha, they’re a joke..... you don’t get them all back when you leave, even if youre a goody-two-shoes and never take a day......yet if you use a sick day, you get bs for it from management and eventually out on sick control and watched by a pos superintendent w a power trip, trying to compensate.....If you’re on the list, and you will be as a new hire, it’s favoritism.....I’ve gotten mostly bs work bc I’m not a favorite (I keep my head down and dont socialize at work, I’m quiet and reserved and keep to myself and just do what I’m given) , yet someone w less seniority than me who’s a brown noser gets helped out and will get a better day over me.....I can’t just get a straight 8 hours from 7-3 or 8-4, like most normal Americans. I’ve worked many 10-13 hour days, every day.....finished many times at 12 at night to be back at exactly 8am. Bc all transit needs is 8 hours, they don’t give a s#@t about your commute, sleep or life. I have no time to do my errands. And my rdos are spent doing them, not relaxing and mentally preparing for another miserable week People will say, oh transit is great money, benefits , yada yada....not really. I was talking to a co worker recently who shares my views....yea you can work here and afford to drive a fancy car, but working 12-14 hours a day to have that car sit in the lot....does that make sense? Me and him like a normal 8 hour shift.....good luck getting that, at normal daytime hours, like normal working people.....the money isn’t worth it when your life is spent at a miserable job. It’s what’s referred to in this job as “blood money”.....I’d like a family one day and I do have a life outside of work, even though transit disagrees, therefore, I don’t want to spend 12+ hours a day at transit... the money is NOT worth it, at least to me, if you can’t somewhat enjoy your life....and trust me, being on the list, you will have NO life, zero, nada, zip.....me and my co worker agree....we work to live, NOT live to work, especially at this lousy job.... I’m sure some will give me negative replies, saying if I’m so miserable, find another job.....I wish it was so easy.....bc I would, in a heartbeat. However, I’ve made mistakes in life...my degree is useless, I went down lousy job paths for a decade, so I may be stuck w transit bc I have no other useful skill. I can’t afford to go back to school and start again, nor do I have the time, thanks to this bs job. One job I really liked is low pay. Don’t follow my mistakes, I most likely will be stuck Working this miserable job the rest of my life and being a miserable person.... So hotelsortransit and anyone else, I recommend stay where you’re at, if you’re happy....... yes, years ago I thought transit would be a “great” job too....now my blood pressure is through the roof, anxiety through the roof, stress and aggravation through the roof, back and knee pain, I’m jaded and grew to loath society and people......all from working in civil service. That’s why every day, I try to find a new career. I had no stress or aggravation or liability when driving a truck.... the money was ok, but similar hours as transit and not a prestigious job...and good luck trying To find a girl who wants a family w a truck driver....I try to go back to finish the career path I initially started out of hs....but, bc of transits bs hours, I dont have the time....thus, I’m stuck. This job has NO life/work balance . I can’t even enjoy my vacation bc all I do is think about going back and being miserable again. Anxiety is bad due to the job. So please hotelortransit, and anyone else waiting, take it from a current employee, if you’re happy where you’re at, STAY and forget transit. Most likely, You’ll eventually turn into me after working here a year....yea some people love the job, many don’t. Personally, IMO those who say they love it and are always in a good mood, need a psych evaluation. The liability and bs is too high.....someone else said it perfectly, the culture sucks. just the other day I had an a**hole cut me off last second and I had to brake.....if someone claimed an”injury” (and it’s happened before), guess who gets blamed and whose mvr will have a bs ‘personal injury’ on it??.....mine. Then you get to listen to management blame you, will sitting on their high horse behind a desk all day.....again, expect no union backup, unless you’re a favorite. I got called in once on a bs complaint and had to put the boss in place myself.....the union rep didn’t say one word . This job is NOT worth your mental health, or happiness in life, or physical health. Then there are those who say, well you’ll get a pension.....lol, dont make me laugh .....Rumor has it the life expectancy of a transit employee at retirement is 1-2 years max...I heard one guy retired and didn’t collect his first pension check before he died of a heart attack from the stress built up over thirty years.....is it worth working this job for 25-30 years to have a year of enjoyment in retirement? I don’t think so....why do you think I’m waiting for subways??....I’m willing to take a BIG pay cut just to try something w hopefully a little less bs, aggravation, stress and anxiety.....though from Talking to subway employees, I hear it’s no better underground. But I’m desperate to get out and will try it if I get called. So I need to do something else w my life and fast....I’m not dying or losing my mental health for this job.....yes we, including me, do get assaulted. You’re set w a good job, I say STAY. I envy you that you’re happy w your job. i hoped I helped wake some people up. Don’t think I’m a negative person, that’s just MY reality w transit as a job. If I could go back in life , i definitely would’ve done something else w my life. I’d never recommend transit as a career for my enemies, let alone anyone else. If if you want civil service, try fire or police. I tried both....but unfortunately bc I’m not in great physical shape, I couldn’t do either....and I hate myself every day for it. Bc life would’ve been better w one of those jobs...or sanitation...but bc I’m not a NYC resident, I don’t get five extra points which hurt my rank, so even though I scored high on the test, I’ll never get called.

So if they’re at 1320, there should be no excuse for hr to play more games w people in my bracket....I’m in the 1330’s. I’m tired of the non sense w these pe’s and wasting my time and other people’s time. I’m a current employee and the process is unacceptable. Plus it was stated a relatively new hire gets weekends off, holidays off and ams. Idk how they got so lucky. I’ve been in a division w the MTA for over four years, and I sure as hell cant get weekends or holidays off, or good vacation picks. And early work is slim. So if you can get that within nine months in the subway division, I’ll make the switch.

Vargas finally returned my call, after three messages and a certified letter mind you. According to her, they hired up to 1156. Yet people here say they were sworn in at low 1300s. So, idk who to believe.

I see people in the low 1300s have been sworn in. That deeply disheartens me, to say the least, bc I should’ve been one of them. I’ve waited years to get hired, like everyone. .....But I was screwed over, based on my last post to this forum. I followed the rules, dressed professionally, showed up in time (super early to get a low ticket number, which did NO help)....but bc I couldn’t stay to piss in a cup, after already waiting SEVEN hours, for the THIRD bs pre employment, I was removed from the list. That is unacceptable. And I’m sure some can relate. And those who say, ‘well if you want it bad enough, you make time’.....that really annoys me bc I’ve tried...... I am a CURRENT employee. For those who get hired with the MTA, see how easy it is to get a day off, or even a change of assignment, then get back to me. I’ve put in COAs twice already for this same nonsense....which is hard enough....that does not mean I can spend ALL day at 180....I have a responsibility to my current position to report on time. ....as people have posted, the nature of this job is to report ON TIME, no matter what.... Therefore, I had to leave, which does not insinuate I did ‘not want it bad enough’. There is NO excuse to shut down the MAC indefinitely. And for current employees, fandoms, accidents, etc, there are MACs all over the city, NOT just 180. So if 180 has candidates in, they should be considerate of their time and get them through a PE as fast as possible, ESPECIALLY if it’s a 2nd, 3rd, 4th. I was given no professional courtesy in getting through fast. The whole process for those of us back for 2, 3, 4 PEs should take no more than 10-15 minutes....to review the SAME application (btw, NO photocopies allowed...I learned that the hard way), and pee in a cup.....NOT 8 plus hours! What further aggravates me.....on my second PE, there was a female MTA employee in my group to review the PE paperwork.....the male HR specialist was all nice to her, saying he’d get her through the day quick, laughing and everything...and she was NOT working that day. I WAS working later.....was I given any courtesy like that? Nope....bc I’m a male (Isn’t that discrimination?). So should I not be aggravated? Does anyone relate?? I waited years, like everyone, and I should’ve been sworn in for this next hiring, based on my list number. And I missed out. And the third PE was a completely wasted date (time AND money for tolls, gas and parking)....simply bc I couldn’t stay any longer for a piss test, even though I did a THIRD, UNCHANGED PE application. Total nonsense!!!! And I was in line over an hour early, and waited SEVEN hours. They take people coming in for the first time over those back a 2nd, 3rd, 4th time. Does that make any sense? Those of you who get hired by the MTA, you’ll see....that’s how the whole authority is run....backwards. Anyone have any advice on who to call to reactivate my name and go back in for the next class?? Is it Vargas?. ****And PLEASE be considerate to all of us are who still waiting, and those who are possibly in similar circumstances as me, and not rub in that you’ve been ‘sworn in’. Thank you.

So who else wasted ANOTHER day this week for conductor pre employment ? It was my THIRD and I’m very aggravated, bc I didn’t get to do the drug screen....so my time, money for parking, gas and tolls was for NOTHING. I’m sure some people share my frustration, and then some will say “if you want the job bad enough, it’s part of the process”....no, it’s not. Bc how much more dedicated can I be? I am a CURRENT employee....which means it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get a day off in Transit and it is very hard to get a change of assignment (if you get hired into the MTA, you’ll see)....so you can’t say “if you want it bad enough”....bc I finished work, for the authority, at 1230 the night before....sleep at 2am , to be up for the THIRD pre employment at 5am, to get in line early to hopefully be done early (which, btw, showing up early is useless in order to finish early).....to sit for almost seven hours, to not get to pee, bc I had to leave to go to WORK at 3, to 130am.....so, a 22 hour day on three hours sleep, for NOTHING...and I shouldn’t be mad??? I did all I could, and the lab has to be closed for HOURS. Really?!?! On top of that I’m tired of filling out the SAME application over and over....so I photocopied it, which isnt good enough for them (mind you, the PRE employment application, NOT the official one—and NOTHING has changed since my last one).....so learn from my mistake, don’t give a photocopy of your application. So my time and money was for nothing bc I had to leave to do my responsibility and do the right thing, and be at WORK ON TIME...and now I’m off the list for this class. Totally unacceptable!!!! For those in similar circumstances, I’m very sorry, I know how you feel. When i went for a Police Officer position, to carry a gun and arrest people, the process was not as much bs as for this low paying condoctor job. Good luck to those who have to ability to spend numerous days, all day, waiting, doing the same thing. For those on their second, third, etc PRE employment, they should be in and out, and not take people who are there for the first time first. No excuses to waste all day....it takes five minutes to take a piss test . Obvs I can pass mine . Also....it clearly states on the letter to be in BUSINESS CASUAL, NO JEANS, or you will be sent home. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I find it offensive when I see countless people in jeans and tee shirts for a job interview.....why were they not sent home , as the letter states??? How is that fair to people like me, who change their long work schedules, show up early and dress professionally??? Trust me, if you show up to the steps for the hiring process of police officer dressed like that (minus the agility), they WILL send you home....I’ve seen it. The MTA should do what they say they will...that would weed out the wait, and be fair to those of us who read and follow directions

So they’re at list #1041. I get canvassed to come back for a PE for the THIRD time. It’s a little ridiculous now to keep filling out the SAME paperwork. Plus to keep my fellow candidates who are coming back for the 2nd-3rd times ALL day while taking other first timers before us is unacceptable. We should be in and out. I have a job and it is very difficult to get my times changed. I’m in the mid 1300s....even if there is a class at the end of Fed, there is NO way Transit is going to hire approx 300 people to reach me and others in the similar list range. Why is Transit wasting our time, and is it even worth it to waste ANOTHER day to not get hired again? I understand it’s the process...but come on....three tims already! They don’t need to canvass so many people when they know how many they’re going to hire. We do have jobs now and it’s not fair to take that kind of time from us AGAIN, to not hire us AGAIN.

Thanks petecas92. You’d be surprised about getting into armored trucks. It’s hard (at least it has been for me) and most companies do want a pistol permit already. But you’re right, the pay is terrible. That’s why I don’t think I’d leave my current position to go to armored trucks on the off chance I can be a MTA Collection Agent. I don’t think I can get a pistol permit in NYC though. I’ve been looking. First, I’m not a city resident; I live in Westchester. I think you have to be a NYC resident. second, I can’t apply for business carry/carry guard, etc, like the MTA exam announcement states, bc I have no proof I need it for employment. So so I don’t think I’d be able to get one from the NYPD. And in Westchester I hear it’s next to impossible. So I don’t think I’d ever be a MTA Collection Agent

Though not a PPA question, it’s similar. I’m interested in the MTA Collection Agent position. I currently work for the MTA, but I took the PPA exam, bc the CA exam stated three years as a MTA PPA or Station Agent. So I figured if I got hired as a PPA, do my three years and take the Collection Agebt exam...... .....The problem is, the MTA wants a pistol permit just to take the exam. I figured it’d make more sense to be hired as a CA first, then w the paperwork from the MTA, for you to then apply for a permit for employment. Idk how one would get a business/special carry pistol permit just to take the exam? Everyone knows it’s near impossible to get a pistol permit anywhere in NYS or the City. And I just couldn’t go to the Police Dept and say I’d like to apply for a special carry permit so that I can take an exam. It seems the only people who can qualify just to take this exam are retired Police/Correction officers, or armed security guards for a private company. But even then, to get an armed security position with a private company, they want you to already have a pistol permit and 47 hr course. How can one get the permit if no one is willing to hire them and give them the paperwork to apply for a pistol permit for work? unless I’m missing something, Any ideas on how to go about it. I lived in another state and had NO problem getting a pistol permit. It took about four months. I thought about trying to apply to an armored car job....but again, they want the permit and course to be considered for employment. It seems to me like it’s a double edged sword. And I don’t want to leave my current MTA position for a lower pay armored truck job on an off chance on could become a MTA Collevtion Agent. That could take years, if ever. any one have any ideas. I can’t find a tread for Collection Agent.

I am currently in the Dept. of Buses. I have wanted to go into Subways for a while. But I recently heard from two colleagues that it’s not a good job. One was a conductor for 4 months , the other a TO for eight months. Both started in buses, left for subways, and came back. Maybe it’s not a better job as I had thought??I figured less liability and dealing with people, than being a BO. Yes, I know conductors have to deal with people too. But I figured not as much as BOs. Plus I figured the TO never deals with people. My colleague said otherwise. Both said that subways is a completely different animal, worse working conditions, low morale and less pay. Their words, not mine. Anyone have personal knowledge or experience, or know people with knowledge/experience on which job is better? Subways or buses? Should I stay in buses, or try subways? Plus, I was originally told I can take a year off from Buses to try another division, and go back if I wanted. But recently I was told I can’t, bc I’m OA, not TA. No one seems to know for sure if I can take a year break or not to try subways; I get conflicting info. I don’t want to give up Buses if subways isn’t a better job. Plus there’s no guarantee I’ll pass training or probation. Then if I leave Buses and can’t go back, I’m screwed. Any wisdom appreciated.

Hello: I know its been answered, but has anyone recently gone through this Oral Proficiency Exam for Conductor exam #6601? Exactly what is it, and is it difficult to pass?? Any info is most appreciated.

Hello. i heard if you cannot make it on your assigned OPA day, you can get it changed. Any thoughts on this? I was rear ended the morning of mine and had to get towed. Thus I didn’t make it. I tried emailing the exam unit several times. No one bothers to respond