elantra06

I was told I won't have a life the first few years (when I get the job). I said "I'm fine with that... At least my bills will be paid up and on time. And I'll be able to save a lot of money so when I do get a somewhat decent schedule and vacation time - I'll be able to afford all the bells and whistles". Yep!!! I don't mind sacrificing my social life for a bit!!

 

That's why while your in school car enjoy having weekends and holidays off as much as possible. You can kiss that goodbye when you are assigned to the crew office the next day after completing school car.

All I can say is the pay as a T/O is great compared to my previous employment which I'll say again I'm thankful for. The first paycheck of the month covers ALL of my monthly expenses and I still have about $300 left over from that. The second one just literally sits in the bank. Being that I am single with no kids the money I can put aside and save every pay period will be ridicoulous. I feel like I hit the lottery.

I budgeted for a 40hr work week. So that helps.

so...someone with specific knowledge on this matter, please help me here: i need to understand:

what is this "extra" or "extra extra" business? i heard ppl saying they were fighting/praying to pick up jobs...what does that mean?

once you pass the class u get sent somewhere and then there's nothing for you to do? just sit around playing with your fingers? at least do you get paid for that? and if a whole day or days or week goes by and you were not given a job then what?? no paycheck? what's the point of hiring all these ppl if there are no jobs for them to do? I have also read somewhere that in the first 1-3 yrs you will be at work for a total of like 12-16 hours /day as they kindda "split" your day up...so you do a run then you have a 2-3 hours "break" ( which does not count as working hours and so you do not get paid for it) and then maybe you pick another run and then you have another " break" and so on until u make the total of 8 "working hours" - which means u actually work all day to get paid for 8 hours....i find this to be ludicrous ...IS IT TRUE???????

Also...is it true you start this job with no vacation days or sick days? an you have to work overtime and take that in time ( not $$$) to build some vacation days? IS THIS TRUE???? and if yes, how is this even legal??? nyc/nys labor laws do not apply to MTA???

Guys, I get it...a job is a job these days....I am just trying to get some accurate info...i heard/read too many different things....

 

Tks. so much ......

 

when do you think they will get to #1,500??

 

Seriously dude you need to relax.... . You are guaranteed a 40hr work week. As an extra extra you may just sit in the crew office for 8hrs without working a job and then go home. The easiest $30/hr you made that day. You may sit for 4hrs then get assigned a 7hr job. You will get paid for the 4hrs on standby and then for the entire run you just picked up. In the MTA you are paid for every hour that you worked... Until you gain enough senority to pick a steady job you will be assigned to any terminal the crew office needs you at during the week in your Division. You may also report to a Bronx terminal then get sent 2hrs later to start a job at a brooklyn location.

While you are in schoolcar that is what being an extra extra is like. You will be reporting to a different crew office or yard everyday in your division.

Yes, I got the call. I don't want to give specifics as to when I'm suppose to go or when I got the call. I'm filling out the booklet now. Sorry I don't want people to know who I am in real life. If someone at 180 livingston reads this, I don't want them to know who I am.

 

Don't worry once you hand in your 21 page book they will know who you are. In fact the will know everything about you going back 10yrs so your good...lol

On the 21 page booklet, it says if you need more than 8 pages of employment pages you can fill out extra pages. Where do I get these extra pages? Should I just photocopy one and add it on?

 

They will have extra pages at 180 Livingston on the wall you can get by the section where you did your Drug test.

If one switches from the A line to B line, is there some sort of retraining involved? I mean they can't just put you there. Otherwise there'll be no differences in the training classes.

 

Yes. You will need to learn the equipment in the B DIv and get qualified on it.

Really? I thought if you picked division A its number lines and you work in Manhattan. But im guessing since a good bit of Manhattan trains go through bronx and queens Id assuming the Yards are there. And also, how do they determine who picks divisions first? I know they have 40 at a time for classes and they split em up. After that i have no idea how they do the splitting up into divisons.

 

If they give you the opportunity to pick your Division you get to pick in senority order. They will hire 40. 20 will go to A Div and 20 will go to the B Div.

Then each 20 per Division will get broken down in groups of 10. Those 10 will be assigned to 2 TSS's.

EX: 20 A Division students will be split further into two classes of 10 students each.

What, you mean the best part wasn't getting to be on a real life R110B?????

 

Wasn't my first time. I road on it before when they were testing them out years ago. I also road on the ones they were testing out on the 2/5 lines as well.

For anyone that don't know the R110B were basically the prototypes for the R160's we see today.

fire school is the best part of school car.

 

Yep. I was there on Thursday. I had a blast. The best part was the evacuation from the tunnel training. Cool special effects lol

Today went well besides the nasty weather out. My class learned how to charge a R142A and took turns taking it up and down the track in the yard at 5mph. I also got to test out the pilot valve (deadman switch) .

Word to the Wise regarding these Signals you just posted, when you take the Signals Quiz the meaning of the signal MUST be what they teach you it is. Have anybody gotten their signals Book? If so Study that Effer left and right those are the signals you will be tested on.. Stay away from any Online stuff! All it will do is get you clipped if you fail that quiz and they arent playing!!!

 

Yes they gave it to us the first day we reported to the learning center. It's in the induction manual and they also gave us a separate pamplet which has every signal in the system we will need to know. I'll continue to review them every night. So far I've got about 90% of them memorize. The TSS's have been reviewing all signals with us and drilling them into our heads every morning as well.

Today we reported to Coney Island Yard for the first day of the real stuff (for lack of a better term).

 

We went over basic signals, and built up from there, discussing home balls, dwarves, and other stuff.

 

We got Track Qualified; we walked the tracks and up onto the El from the Yard Lead.

 

Also took a tour of the Yard and went out on the Veranda on the Yard Tower. Nice view during the day.

 

Tomorrow we go to 130 Livingston and pretend operate a la Simulator.

 

I pretty much did the same thing today at the Van Courtland yard. Man you don't realize how massive these trains are until you are standing on the roadbed looking up at them...

Also after watching the 3rd rail jumper video on Wednesday some of the fear and nervousness I had went away. It isn't as bad and scary as it sounded when the TSS's were explaining it.

Glad School car is working out so far. Just have fun and learn. Also to get paid you must sign the payroll every day In and out. This case the TSS messed up but I'm sure they are taken care of it. Once again good luck to all our new C/R and T/O students. If anyone got questions I'll do my Best to answer them. Those that don't know me I'm a Road TSS in A Div.

 

Cool so when it comes time for me to Road Post in school car I may have an opportunity to meet you since I'm A Div.

hey new guys, i start on 12/17...A quick question about benefits, not sure if this the right place, but if someone can point me in the right direction to another thread i would appreciate that also.

 

Was the topic of domestic partners discussed in terms of health care coverage during the orientation...I know they cover domestic partners, but i need to get a domestic partner packet to add my girlfriend to my coverage. Any help with this would be appreciated...The topic is kinda stumping me right now on what to do in terms if affidavits and other IRS jargon. We trying to figure if its worth the trouble to do so. We currently dish out 400 bucks a month for her coverage

 

Don't worry. When you get to orientaion they will provide all the paper work for you. You just need to prove that you both have been living together for the past 6 months I believe and share the household expenses. The packet will tell you what you proof you need. it really isn't all that complicated.

So we got our first paycheck today and some of us, including myself, got shorted a day. How do we go about getting that days pay??

 

I did also. I think it was from last Tuesday when the TSS at 130 Livingston came so we could sign in but then left because the orientation had already started. I remember he said he already knew who was there and would document us. I guess if they don't have our signature on the payroll sheet we do not get paid for that day. They weren't kidding when they told us every morning we come to work you say "good morning, where's the payroll sheet to sign in".

I will give a copy of my stub and location/times to my TSS on Monday and ask him what form we fill out to correct this. You can do the same. Your TSS can also let you know what to do.

Sounds about right. It took about 4-5 weeks or so for them to call me back. But remember, Sandy slowed everything down so even then training process is a little slow at the moment

 

All schoolcar classes are about 2 weeks behind because of Sandy.

Low 150s on the list - medical has been cleared, I have been sworn in as if this afternoon - 12/17/12 - IT BEGINS! To quote Stewie Griffin: Victory is Mine!

 

Congrats man. You start on my B-Day. Just to let you know when you start you will meet some of the best TSS's. The few that I have meet already are outstanding. They know there stuff so you will be taught everything I mean everything you will need to know about your division.

Wheres the stream of replies in here? Everyone is disappearing on the forums. Anyone have new info or anything??

 

Lol that's because most of us that have been posting here are in schoolcar now like myself. The work is starting to pick up and for the next few months we will be spending time studying.

I also got my uniforms. Only the 2 jackets and 2 sweaters didn't fit. I'll ship those back Friday morning.

Enjoy school car because it will be the last time for a long time that you get to work "normal" business hours. And your lucky you got to choose which division to go to. I wish I had that option.

 

We have to go into class tommorrow since they are giving us black friday off.

@Elantra. Do you have confirmation on the retiree info? If so that would be greatly appreciated. The only classes I had heard about were the Oct, Nov, and Dec. Hoping it is true that they will be hiring more.

 

Our school car superintendent told us during orientation this past week. Nearly every TSS has mentioned that they are short in both divisions since I started on Monday.

The only thing that sucks is they are short schoolcar TSS's. Most are out on the road.

Does anyone know if there's definitely a december class? If yes, when will it start? What number are they up to calling people for medical processing (2nd appointment)?

 

Yes there is a December class. Also there are a lot of retirements happening so there will most likely be new classes every month until about April. They are short T/O's in both divisions.

Yep my work bag is a heavy Mofo!

 

I had flashbacks lugging mine back home today lol. It'll get heavier once we get our radios next week. Reminded me when I was with the grunts carrying around my Radio/Satcom equipment. Most of the wieght was from the books though.

I have to go back down to 1 Centre St the week after for another set of fingerprinting and show them my original DD 214. I got a notice in the mail. DCAS wants to verify my military service. I will have to show my TSS the notice tommorrow and request that day off. Hopefully I don't have too and can just make a quick trip and return back to class. They said I cannot miss that appointment. I thought they would have done this after the list was published back in 2010.....

I really don't want to miss a day of class but the city says I have to report there at 1100 that day..