How many conductors does the MTA employ?

[Xentor]

A just out of curiosity post.

Lately I've been noticing that on the subway trains at least on my line, there seems to be a single conductor after every other train car. It's not like I pay much attention to them but at least twice I've counted and it seemed to be the case. Maybe it's because the time of day or maybe it's only happened when I counted or possibly only on my line but subway trains seem to have 5 conductors and an operator of course.

If I am correct, on any given shift there are around 110 conductors in the subway system on the tracks. Normal shifts are 8 hours long, so 3 shifts a day makes for 330 different conductors on a 24 hour period.

I'm aware there's a whole bunch of other factors mainly the fact that I am possibly wrong about 5 conductors for every train, overtime, conductors not showing up, conductors doing other jobs etc..

Anyhow, is it safe to assume that the MTA has around 330 conductors on their payroll give or take ?

[jmazz77]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and saw WAY more than 330 conductors.. And on what line do you see 5 conductors in a single train? 1 t/o, 1 c/r per train.

[NX Express]

A just out of curiosity post.

Lately I've been noticing that on the subway trains at least on my line, there seems to be a single conductor after every other train car. It's not like I pay much attention to them but at least twice I've counted and it seemed to be the case. Maybe it's because the time of day or maybe it's only happened when I counted or possibly only on my line but subway trains seem to have 5 conductors and an operator of course.

If I am correct, on any given shift there are around 110 conductors in the subway system on the tracks. Normal shifts are 8 hours long, so 3 shifts a day makes for 330 different conductors on a 24 hour period.

I'm aware there's a whole bunch of other factors mainly the fact that I am possibly wrong about 5 conductors for every train, overtime, conductors not showing up, conductors doing other jobs etc..

Anyhow, is it safe to assume that the MTA has around 330 conductors on their payroll give or take ?

The alone probably have more than 110 CRs at once.

[Zman]

As of June 2010, there were 2,844 conductors and 3,269 train operators (TA only).

[Donald]

Why are there more T/Os than conductors? Shouldn't those numbers be more in line? Are there 425 T/Os out there operating trains without conductors?

[PopsicleXGirl]

some T/O's work solely in the yard, as switch men, OPTO, etc...

[Zman]

Conductors aren't needed for work trains either.

[Xentor]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and saw WAY more than 330 conductors.. And on what line do you see 5 conductors in a single train? 1 t/o, 1 c/r per train.

 

It's always on the A line that I notice a lot of missing conductors, must be during off peak hours. I always try to get on a car that I notice a conductor in. I even always try to sit 2-3 cars after the first or 2-3 cars before the last car in case there's ever an accident. Probably has it's drawbacks too, but hey!

 

As of June 2010, there were 2,844 conductors and 3,269 train operators (TA only)

 

Holy cow was I off where did you find this information?

 

Now that I think of it a bit more, I made a very stupid mistake in my claim. I totally forgot to factor in the most important thing hahaha. I didnt factor in how many TRAINS each line runs in an 8 hour period. I only used 1 train per line lol and even that is wrong if there are more than 5 conductors per train. Thx for the info everyone, there's quite a few jobs involved in just the subway trains alone.

[elantra06]

Why are there more T/Os than conductors? Shouldn't those numbers be more in line? Are there 425 T/Os out there operating trains without conductors?

 

Because some of those train operators are not in revenue service. That's why their are more. You also have yard and work trains that need operating as well.

[Zman]

I only used 1 train per line lol and even that is wrong if there are more than 5 conductors per train.

 

There is never, ever more than one conductor per subway train. Ever. You're getting the subway confused with the LIRR and Metro North, which uses multiple conductors for fare collection purposes.

[Donald]

The LIRR and MNR only have 1 conductor. The people who collect the fares are assistant conductors, which is a different job title.

 

The subway never uses more than 1 conductor. Sometimes you might see 2 people in the conductor's cab if a new conductor is being trained. Maybe that is what you saw.

[BroadwayBuffer]

It's always on the A line that I notice a lot of missing conductors, must be during off peak hours. I always try to get on a car that I notice a conductor in. I even always try to sit 2-3 cars after the first or 2-3 cars before the last car in case there's ever an accident. Probably has it's drawbacks too, but hey!

 

Holy cow was I off where did you find this information?

 

The always has conductors, since it never runs OPTO with exception of the Lefferts Shuttle. You can easily find the conductor on most trains being near the center of the platform, or the rear of where the G stops.

 

Anyone on the job can just look at the lowest number on the seniority roster to see how many are in title. It may seem like a lot, but I would think these numbers were probably greater years ago.

 

The subway never uses more than 1 conductor. Sometimes you might see 2 people in the conductor's cab if a new conductor is being trained. Maybe that is what you saw.

 

That, or a foamer in uniform.

[Xentor]

So basically on a typical day there are actually many more conductors at work than just the ones manning each of the ten cars a typical subway train has?

 

And these extra conductors might be temporarily assigned to jobs such as cleaning, yard work etc..?

These extra jobs you guys do, how does it come about? Is it some form of punishment lol? is it because not enough extra hands are around to do them? Or is it simply standard operating procedure and part of the job description? Speaking of which I've got to take a look at that job description again as I haven't read it in quite a while now.

 

I knew I was off, but I didn't think at all there were that many conductors and T/Os operating on a daily basis. I just hope this isn't one sector the MTA is gonna want to hit up with layoffs within the next couple of years. I keep hearing about this Cuomo "do more with less" motto for the MTA and it almost sounds like a prelude of what horrors might come next for the workers and obviously the citizens of NYC.

[Y2Julio]

So basically on a typical day there are actually many more conductors at work than just the ones manning each of the ten cars a typical subway train has?

 

Still don't get it do you? In typical revenue service there are only two train crews, a single train operator and a single conductor. There isn't a conductor assigned to every single car in a train. Only ONE and he/she is in the middle of the train consist.

[MattTrain]

Still don't get it do you? In typical revenue service there are only two train crew members , a single train operator and a single conductor. There isn't a conductor assigned to every single car in a train. Only ONE and he/she is in the middle of the train consist.

 

Corrections in red.

[PopsicleXGirl]

So basically on a typical day there are actually many more conductors at work than just the ones manning each of the ten cars a typical subway train has?

 

And these extra conductors might be temporarily assigned to jobs such as cleaning, yard work etc..?

These extra jobs you guys do, how does it come about? Is it some form of punishment lol? is it because not enough extra hands are around to do them? Or is it simply standard operating procedure and part of the job description? Speaking of which I've got to take a look at that job description again as I haven't read it in quite a while now.

 

I knew I was off, but I didn't think at all there were that many conductors and T/Os operating on a daily basis. I just hope this isn't one sector the MTA is gonna want to hit up with layoffs within the next couple of years. I keep hearing about this Cuomo "do more with less" motto for the MTA and it almost sounds like a prelude of what horrors might come next for the workers and obviously the citizens of NYC.

 

on a typical day, there are more train operators than conductors. 1 train operator and 1 conductor "man" the entire train... unless the train runs OPTO - then it is 1 train operator only with NO conductor (typically with shuttle trains aside from TSQ/GC where the train is double ended.) the extra train operators who are not operating trains in customer service have assigned jobs in the yard, switching, work trains, garbage trains, etc... they pick those jobs. they are not "punishment."

 

the only train operators and conductors that have temporary jobs is if they are extra-extra or picked extra, which means they either don't have enough seniority to pick a job, or they picked to be extra. those personnel are assigned various temporary jobs that become available on a daily basis (the "extra hands" you speak of) to relieve employees who call out sick, requested the day off, scheduled training/medicals, suspensions, called for randoms, etc... or jobs that become available, such as GO (road) jobs or platform duty, when service changes take place. train operators and conductors are not assigned cleaning jobs, that's what cleaners are for.

 

hope that clears up the confusion.

[Xentor]

aha! That most certainly clears up the confusion and then some thx you PopsicleXGirl & MattTrain. I'm still a bit surprised however at the amount of conductors doing out of train work. I used to think those "other" jobs had titles of their own, but it makes sence now as some of those jobs are only temporary and wouldn't warrant a full time crew to do them.

[cdi919]

plus you have 415 construction flaggers which are also conductors.