Q33toLaGuardia Posted September 11, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 11, 2009 Ok so I took the Conductors Exam and I was assigned list number 867. I would like to work for transit but I'm a little worried about going to school while working for MTA (I'm going to LaGuardia CC). I would like to work the in the evening/night and go to school in the day. Would MTA be accommodating to work around your school schedule or not. Also is there anyone on here that works for MTA and are going to college as well? I would love to hear how you all balance both school and work. Thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primomjr78 Posted September 11, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 11, 2009 The MTA will not be flexible at all. When they tell you to work you work thats it. Everything else takes a backseat sorry. BTW Congrats on your list # very good. what was your score 97.3? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIRR 154 Posted September 11, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 11, 2009 Congrats on a good list number. But my question is to you is did you take the test to have a career in Transit or just to get your foot in the door for a management position. I'm just curious because I never heard of someone working for Transit and going to college at the same time?Maybe this is something new.. Oh yeah and the Q33 has been my main bus for just about all my life. I use like it better when they had the old Triboro bus drivers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Julio Posted September 11, 2009 Share #4 Posted September 11, 2009 Once you're with the MTA they will own you until you have enough seniority to pick a sort of "stable" schedule long enough to do other things. Until then you will be working all kinds of hours at different locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q33toLaGuardia Posted September 11, 2009 Author Share #5 Posted September 11, 2009 Congrats on a good list number. But my question is to you is did you take the test to have a career in Transit or just to get your foot in the door for a management position. I'm just curious because I never heard of someone working for Transit and going to college at the same time?Maybe this is something new.. Oh yeah and the Q33 has been my main bus for just about all my life. I use like it better when they had the old Triboro bus drivers.. Actually I took the test to get a better paying job. See, right now I'm working for Homeland Security with the TSA at LGA (thats why I love the Q33 ) to pay for college and soon move out of my father's house. I saw MTA hiring for Conductor and decided to apply and take the test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trainmaster5 Posted September 11, 2009 Share #6 Posted September 11, 2009 It has been done before. It was harder before but with online courses and weekend classes it should be easier now. The bugaboo is that transit will not accomodate you in any way as far as scheduling work and school as far as I know. This may have changed lately so perhaps some other employees can clarify this point for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S/A Vee Posted September 12, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 12, 2009 When I was hired by transit I was finishing up college at the same time. Fortunely I am in stations department in which your schedule is pretty normal. But RTO is goin to be difficult with the whole extra extra thing. I ended up finishing college a couple semesters later. Maybe if you get hired you complete one class a semester. So at least your on your way. If not take a year off from school and once your schedule becomes more stable you can fit it in. By the MTA will not make accomadations for you...your college professor would be more flexible. Try to finish college though..many management jobs in transit require college degree. I am hoping to get to supervision so they can pay some of my grad school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted September 12, 2009 Share #8 Posted September 12, 2009 Up until recently I was going to Queens College, but I've decided to take time off to work extra overtime and pay some bills that had stacked up. The difference between the two of us is that I have the seniority to pick jobs that worked in conjunction with my school schedule. Like you heard before, the TA will not give a hoot about your school schedule; but, as a union representative who specializes in helping junior people pick schedules, I'll give you the following advice: During training you will very likely be working AM's, but can get thrown to the PM tour every now and then, especially for road operations. After training you can request a shift. I generally suggest that college students choose either morning classes if working the PM shift, or late afternoon/evening classes if working the midnight (overnight) shift. This is to allow some leeway in the event you hit the "extra board", sit for a few hours, pick up a whole job, and wind up working 12+ hours in the day, which can and does happen. I often suggest that the new employee choose PM's in the B Division if possible. B Division because they are less likely to switch your shift around like they do in the A Division, and PM's because it is the least wanted shift. However, being very realistic, if you're called by the TA, I would have to take a W (withdrawal) from that particular semester, because the period between training and being assigned a shift after training is simply too volatile. You won't be able to predict if they will be changing the shift for training for a specific week, plus you'll have Conductor's material to study in order to pass the tests required to obtain the title. All this in addition to your current job at TSA, which you will definitely want to keep until your training is completed. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S/A Vee Posted September 12, 2009 Share #9 Posted September 12, 2009 ^^ graduated from Queens college... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotormanMike Posted September 13, 2009 Share #10 Posted September 13, 2009 Hey , congradulations on the high list number. I just came off extra extra list with the pick that just started two weeks ago , so I'm fresh off it (and couldn't be happier) ... in regards to your question , it's not to discourage you or dishearten you , but simply , at least in RTO , they will NOT work around your schedule for any reason , college , family , or anything else. Someone else suggested online courses and that may be the way to go if you take the job. You're going to have too many board reports , and even if you get the shift you want the starting hours in each shift vary greatly from day to day and crew assignment has the right to change your shifts and days off from week to week (although it's rare , it can happen). I went to college for a year back in 93-94 and from what I remember , at least then if you missed 4 or 5 classes in a semester you could get failed in the course. You're going to miss classes either due to your schedule or from being tired. Once you can pick either RDO relief or a straight job college might be an option but most likely you're facing an either or situation with working for the MTA or going to school. So it's up to you to decide your priorities , but it's 100% certain the MTA will not assist a new conductor or motorman with a college schedule. Best of luck to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q33toLaGuardia Posted September 13, 2009 Author Share #11 Posted September 13, 2009 Thanks everyone for the congrats and all the comments and advice. I guess if I wanna work for transit, I'm either gonna have to put school on hold or take online courses. I guess when the time comes, I'll see what happens then. Thanks guys!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zman Posted September 13, 2009 Share #12 Posted September 13, 2009 Thanks everyone for the congrats and all the comments and advice. I guess if I wanna work for transit, I'm either gonna have to put school on hold or take online courses. I guess when the time comes, I'll see what happens then. Thanks guys!! You don't have to put courses on hold. Not at all. However, you will need to be a little creative. Either follow the advice that I gave you earlier, or try to schedule your classes on your days off. Since the least wanted days off are Tues/Wed or Wed/Thur, taking your classes on Wednesdays (if you can) could be a safe bet. If I were in your shoes and I had PM's with Tues/Wed off, I would take a morning class on Mon or Thur, and take classes at any time on Tues and/or Wed. You'd be surprised how receptive the Crew Office can be when you're looking for crap days off such as TW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapid Transit TO Posted September 15, 2009 Share #13 Posted September 15, 2009 I'm just curious because I never heard of someone working for Transit and going to college at the same time?Maybe this is something new.. No, not really anything new, we have lives outside of our jobs just as everyone else.. I know several hourlies that have completed higher education while working, one going as far as passing the Bar Exam.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will-Bx-718 Posted September 16, 2009 Share #14 Posted September 16, 2009 When I was hired by transit I was finishing up college at the same time. Fortunely I am in stations department in which your schedule is pretty normal. But RTO is goin to be difficult with the whole extra extra thing. I ended up finishing college a couple semesters later. Maybe if you get hired you complete one class a semester. So at least your on your way. If not take a year off from school and once your schedule becomes more stable you can fit it in. By the MTA will not make accomadations for you...your college professor would be more flexible. Try to finish college though..many management jobs in transit require college degree. I am hoping to get to supervision so they can pay some of my grad school. Hey S/A VEE I too am a Station Agent where do you work?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S/A Vee Posted September 16, 2009 Share #15 Posted September 16, 2009 ^^ night rdo's in queens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrainLadyG Posted November 5, 2009 Share #16 Posted November 5, 2009 TA does not care about your needs and desires. The main concern is the service and keeping it moving. The Crew Office will not work with you on your schedule. Their main concern is that there is a job that needs to filled and you are a warm body to fill it. Being extra extra you have to really try to plan out your life (which is darn near impossible). It is going to be hard taking classes on campus. It might work online. I wish you luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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