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HStern1906

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Hi,

Right now I have a pretty good supervisory job, but no real job security, so I'm thinking about submitting an application for the Bus Operator exam #8006. I'm a hard worker but I hate having bosses and coworkers breathing down my neck; is there a lot of that in the MTA? I live in Staten Island; is it difficult to get into a Staten Island depot and am I likely to be placed in the Bronx, Manhattan, or Queens? Do you get to drive the same bus all day? The benefits seem attractive, but does anyone actually like this job? Thank you in advance for any feedback.

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Hi,

Right now I have a pretty good supervisory job, but no real job security, so I'm thinking about submitting an application for the Bus Operator exam #8006. I'm a hard worker but I hate having bosses and coworkers breathing down my neck; is there a lot of that in the MTA? I live in Staten Island; is it difficult to get into a Staten Island depot and am I likely to be placed in the Bronx, Manhattan, or Queens? Do you get to drive the same bus all day? The benefits seem attractive, but does anyone actually like this job? Thank you in advance for any feedback.

 

Answer to Question #1 (bosses): Yes there is alot of that at MTA. You have road dispatchers, but you know where they are most of the time. They will send some out to hide, ocassionally. You have road superintendents. They are both our and the dispatchers bosses. They may be seen, but often hide. You can get Zerega training school superintendents to give you an undercover ride. Also 19-A dispatchers do the same (mostly with probies though). Your co-workers can make you want to strangle them, when they go out and don't want to work. They will drag the line, leaving you two choices. Stay behind them and be late, or go around them and do all their work. I've had it happened numerous times, but one time I got on 2 dispatchers for putting my leader (who was dragging the line) in place leaving me no break at two ends. They told me to immediately leave, leaving Bronx Park and then at Riverbank in Manhattan. Both times my leader was put in place. You will learn that some have cliques in the depots, and will look out for some but not others. We have unlimited personals, and if they didn't put me in place, I was going to destroy the line. Personals at each end, and they would be forced to put me in place.

 

Answer to question #2: This test is a TA test. TA is STI, Brooklyn, Queens, and only 126st Manhattan. Brooklyn TA and MaBSTOA did merge since we are both Local 100. MaBSTOA is the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority. With this test you would have a choice of any Borough, so if a STI depot is open you could go there.

 

Answer to Question#3: No you are not assigned the same bus everyday. You get what works and what is there when you get your bus. On the local routes depending on the run, you will sometimes pull a bus out, and pull the same bus in. That's usually on overnight work though. During the day, you may do this, you may pull out, be relieved, then relieve another driver and pull that bus in. Sometimes you can relieve (no pull out) and be relieved at the end of you shift. When you make reliefs you use the system to get you there. Some drivers who have to find their own way back to the depot at the end of their shift (no pull in), drive their cars and leave them at the relief points. This way they can drive back to the depot to turn in their trip sheets. Catch is you get in an accident with your personal car while on the clock, you just got a DAN (Disciplinary Action Notice). Also, there is always a dispatcher at the relief points.

 

Answer to question #4: Few like it, most tolerate it, some hate it. I fall in the hate category. Too much nonsense. Alot of people hate their jobs, but this is not a job that you can truly compare with many others. Driving a bus you deal with people, and traffic around you, with alot of people who shouldn't have a drivers license. You also have the inattentive pedestrians, and those who like to get to close to the curb, as you come to the curb.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi guys Im new here, Great site by the way! Im also taking the bus operator test and was wondering if a person passes the test how long afterwards do you get called. Also is there anything I should study specifically?

Thanks in advance(E)

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Hi guys Im new here, Great site by the way! Im also taking the bus operator test and was wondering if a person passes the test how long afterwards do you get called. Also is there anything I should study specifically?

Thanks in advance(E)

 

1. Are you taking the TA Civil service exam or just the survey (aka BOSS)? I never took the TA civil service exam as I am MaBSTOA, so just like MTA Bus, I only took the survey. If the survey, tell them what they want to hear, and you will get in. Tell the truth, and you will honestly be out of a job here. If you are taking the TA civil service exam them on this section there are links to the study guides. There is none for the BOSS part (which comes later for those taking the TA civil service exam).

 

2. How long till you get called: That depends on how many operators they need, and where your list # falls into place. Can be a few weeks can be 3 or more years.

 

3. If you make it into the system (1st day of orientation, before you even drive a bus), you will go through qualification, which consist of 7-10 days of qualification (pass this), and then 2 weeks+ of depot training (learning the lines, and other equipment Zerega (TA and OA), or Baisley Park (MTA Bus) does not train you on).

 

Air brake, air compressor, and spring brake tests are given and you have to learn this during qualification. This is the ALSAPS test. Copy this page, study it, and remember it: http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12198&postcount=4

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1. Are you taking the TA Civil service exam or just the survey (aka BOSS)? I never took the TA civil service exam as I am MaBSTOA, so just like MTA Bus, I only took the survey. If the survey, tell them what they want to hear, and you will get in. Tell the truth, and you will honestly be out of a job here. If you are taking the TA civil service exam them on this section there are links to the study guides. There is none for the BOSS part (which comes later for those taking the TA civil service exam).

 

2. How long till you get called: That depends on how many operators they need, and where your list # falls into place. Can be a few weeks can be 3 or more years.

 

3. If you make it into the system (1st day of orientation, before you even drive a bus), you will go through qualification, which consist of 7-10 days of qualification (pass this), and then 2 weeks+ of depot training (learning the lines, and other equipment Zerega (TA and OA), or Baisley Park (MTA Bus) does not train you on).

 

Air brake, air compressor, and spring brake tests are given and you have to learn this during qualification. This is the ALSAPS test. Copy this page, study it, and remember it: http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12198&postcount=4

 

Thanks for the quick responce and info, Im taking the civil exam #8006 bus operator.

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Thanks for the quick responce and info, Im taking the civil exam #8006 bus operator.

 

O.K. then, after this exam you will take the BOSS (Bus Operator Selection Survey). The BOSS is the psychological part of the test, to see if you are sane enough to drive a bus in NYC for the TA.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Hello everybody!!!

 

I'm schedule to take the B.O.S.S on 2/12/08 with list number 611.00, I will like to know if the survey is multiple questions, and what kind of questions are asked. Any info will be gladly appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

It's multiple choice, and they ask questions to see how you will react to on the job situations that you will encounter. They do ask the same questions multiple times, in a different format. Tell them what they want to hear, and I'll leave it at that.......

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it may not be a long wait. many people will retire soon.also i think about only 20-25 people are accepted for every 100 called. people are disqualified formany things. toomany points,accidents,high blood pressure recnt suspensions/ revocatios,no cdl permit,drug tests.............you see where i'm going.or people like me who take the first step and don't end up taking the job..good luck.

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it may not be a long wait. many people will retire soon.also i think about only 20-25 people are accepted for every 100 called. people are disqualified formany things. toomany points,accidents,high blood pressure recnt suspensions/ revocatios,no cdl permit,drug tests.............you see where i'm going.or people like me who take the first step and don't end up taking the job..good luck.

 

They had 150+ when I went to Brooklyn. 52 were hired. When we graduated 37 was left. A few were fired, a few quit. I'll say maybe 30 of my classmates are left.

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Right now there are 600+ students in training (MTA Bus, TA, and OA). Usually one in 3 does get hired. So lets say (not 1800), but 1650 were called down, and you get only 600 out of them. Out of 600 maybe 400 might pass and graduate (it's rare to get everyone in a training bus to pass, and a buddy of mine who hired by MTA Bus, was the only one to pass out of 4 of them in the bus). 33% of the 400 will quit in 3 months. It ain't sitting on your a$$ and driving, so anyone with that mentality will get a reality check. You might have 270 left after all this. This is the way it works at MTA. They don't "interview" you, but they do evaluate the hell out of you, for the duration of your career. Some think they are doing all this mass hiring because of this supposed 20/50 that might go through. If it does there will be a mass exodus. For those of you who are looking to get in (especially in the DOB), it won't be as long a wait, as I had to wait 3.6 years.

 

If you pray with us for the 20/50 to come through, it will benefit you, and of course us with little time in current title.......It doesn't matter who you pray to, just do it......Of course some just won't leave, why I don't know. They could go drive a rig, and get paid to see the country, but they rather stay here of all places.

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As i said before,the best you can see is a 25/50............all the other unions will be screaming for the same. I think if they were going to do a 20/50,they would not have refunded the extra pension contributions.

 

 

Actually Albany said it wouldn't be to costly as they will lose alot of personnel at top pay, and would gain newbies at lower pay. They do have to pay those pensions, but we do pay into that now.

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