LexAveExp5 Posted August 7, 2013 Share #1 Posted August 7, 2013 ever since i became a T/O, i've been bombarded by the same piece of advice from a lot of T/A employees. get into supervision as soon as possible. at first i pushed the advice into the back of my head. but as time went on i found that its so easy to get fired as a T/O, not to mention possibly getting a murder rap if you fail to check out your train if someone is under there. so i've been wondering about the pros and cons of being a TSS or a dispatcher. what are their base salaries? are the health and pension benefits different from T/Os? do they get a free transportation pass like us? are they entitled to lunch by federal law? I see these dispatchers eating at their desk. are both jobs still protected by civil service law? if there are massive layoffs, could you go back to being a T/O or are you gone? i know dispatchers have to have a face-to-face relief before they can go home, is the same true for a TSS? when was the last test for both of these positions? is it just as easy for a TSS or dispatcher to get fired as a T/O? do TSS's still have to take a yearly medical because they still operate trains sometimes? do they still get to participate in the MTA Perks program? (yes i've already taken advantage of that). is it easier to get a day off than being a T/O or is it the same "call the IVR 20 days in advance" procedure? since they're not protected by a union, are they still entitled to an arbitration hearing if they do get in trouble for some reason? do they have a similar "pick" process as us for location, shift, and RDOs? i'm sure i'll think of more questions lol. it's just been on my mind a lot lately Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTOMan Posted August 7, 2013 Share #2 Posted August 7, 2013 First ya gotta take a Take a Test you need some years under yer belt if you are going that way(You do need some years in a title though i think its two before you can even apply). Its a two year probationary period I think after One year you cannot go back to your previous title.. You don't make top pay for three years. Yes its a pay cut. They have a *selection* (You give choices per seniority). It can work for some though. You *Dont* have a choice where you go once you Finish training though. In other Words You never touched a work train as a Train Operator Yet you become a TSS and they send you to Div C which is Work Trains. You go where you are sent. You become a Dispt you are extra and be sent anywhere Yard or road. They broad-banded that title before it was Yd Dispt and Road Dispt not any more. You in the A Div you gotta learn ATS learn to line up trains for road and Yd Moves. They are having issues with their own Union they have been without a contract for a long time too. It can be good though! Some people enjoy it,some of them was my classmates. Since you will be extra you can learn a few things just by asking! When they have the time to answer. Word of advice get some years under your belt first.. Then entertain this Idea again. Just my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTOPRO Posted August 7, 2013 Share #3 Posted August 7, 2013 Well as I've learned there is no amount of years needed in title in order to apply. You could apply right now if you only had 1 day as a T/O and they just posted the filing for either TSS or TD today. The only issue you're going to bump into is the fact that scoring a perfect score on the test will not push you to the top of the list when it's created. The scores for both TSS and TD have a seniority curve of 15 points thrown in based on the number of years you have in your current title of T/O or ATD. Meaning a perfect score for a new T/O like you will be 85 and a perfect score for a 17 year ATD would be 100. Now this was the last TD test. Maybe TSS won't be like that but my bet is that it will considering there will likely be a large number of T/Os taking that test when it comes out in the coming year or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexAveExp5 Posted August 7, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted August 7, 2013 where is it posted? i just checked TENS and DCAS and it's not there they just posted the filing for either TSS or TD today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTOMan Posted August 7, 2013 Share #5 Posted August 7, 2013 Well as I've learned there is no amount of years needed in title in order to apply. You could apply right now if you only had 1 day as a T/O and they just posted the filing for either TSS or TD today. The only issue you're going to bump into is the fact that scoring a perfect score on the test will not push you to the top of the list when it's created. The scores for both TSS and TD have a seniority curve of 15 points thrown in based on the number of years you have in your current title of T/O or ATD. Meaning a perfect score for a new T/O like you will be 85 and a perfect score for a 17 year ATD would be 100. Now this was the last TD test. Maybe TSS won't be like that but my bet is that it will considering there will likely be a large number of T/Os taking that test when it comes out in the coming year or two. Looks like they changed a thing or Two then. You sure about them posting the filing for RTO Dispatcher on TENS? You sure its not Surface? I seen Surface. Im a member of a few RTO groups on Facebook i haven't heard anything about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTOPRO Posted August 7, 2013 Share #6 Posted August 7, 2013 Looks like they changed a thing or Two then. You sure about them posting the filing for RTO Dispatcher on TENS? You sure its not Surface? I seen Surface. Im a member of a few RTO groups on Facebook i haven't heard anything about this. No I was speaking from a hypothetical standpoint if a T/O were to be hired today and the filing for TD and TSS were to be filed tomorrow the new T/O would be able to file and take the test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTOMan Posted August 7, 2013 Share #7 Posted August 7, 2013 No I was speaking from a hypothetical standpoint if a T/O were to be hired today and the filing for TD and TSS were to be filed tomorrow the new T/O would be able to file and take the test. Got you well i have Seen a TO with 12 years in title become a Dispt.. He stinks at it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan05979 Posted August 8, 2013 Share #8 Posted August 8, 2013 As far as I know you need 2 years in title as a T/O I never heard of 1 day as a T/O that's ridiculous how can you get hired off the street have 3 months as a new t/o and take a test for TSS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTOPRO Posted August 9, 2013 Share #9 Posted August 9, 2013 The whole point in why you can take the test from day 1 is because you can't get hired for the promotional for several years anyway. The seniority point scale basically insures that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poughkipsee Posted August 10, 2013 Share #10 Posted August 10, 2013 You have to have 2 years as a T/O to be eligible to take the TSS test, but not for dispatcher. I've asked this recently of TSS's, dispatchers, and superintendents. You can't be that new a T/O to go into train service supervision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowblock Posted August 11, 2013 Share #11 Posted August 11, 2013 Well as I've learned there is no amount of years needed in title in order to apply. You could apply right now if you only had 1 day as a T/O and they just posted the filing for either TSS or TD today. The only issue you're going to bump into is the fact that scoring a perfect score on the test will not push you to the top of the list when it's created. The scores for both TSS and TD have a seniority curve of 15 points thrown in based on the number of years you have in your current title of T/O or ATD. Meaning a perfect score for a new T/O like you will be 85 and a perfect score for a 17 year ATD would be 100. Not quite. The math for promotional exams is 85% of your score is the written exam, 15% is your seniority. However, your seniority gets calculated as base score of 70 plus 0.5 points for every 3 months you've been an MTA employee. So if your score was calculated after working 1 month and you got 100 on your written exam, it would be 100*0.85 = 85 for written, plus 70*0.15 = 10.5 = 95.5, which is a very good score for a promotional exam! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinetics Posted August 11, 2013 Share #12 Posted August 11, 2013 Two years...that's the official word from school car when the next TSS exam will be given. Which gives those of us with at least 2 years in title (road service, not road and yard combined) at the time of the exam a chance to move on up. Anyway, by the time they call you for the job, you'll have more than enough experience. This was the last TSS exam given: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/downloads/pdf/noes/200808546000.pdf The last ATD test was last year but that was handled by MTA not DCAS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinetics Posted August 15, 2013 Share #13 Posted August 15, 2013 To kick a dead horse... There are some TSS's that were ATD/T/D's first. Besides the obvious (quicker bumps in salary, more effective Motor Instructors, yadda yadda...), anyone wanna give insight on why the move from one supervisory title to the other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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