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MaBSTOA #4105 Hiring Process


BusOperator3319

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@MarkGuy the city is not that hard to drive when I started I ain't want go the or bx I wanted bk but the depots in bk were few so we were forced into the city now December we can pick out but I wont I wont bec I know all the lines probably next yr general pick I'll pick out to bk. U were a former cab driver let me tell u now those cab driver & uber driver are the worst of the worst drivers in the city they pick up people in the bus lane & take up both lane when they do that & when they make a right turn from the bus lane they do it from the left side bus lane they dont move over so we can move around that's where patience come in & rem transit is the only company that's pay u to b late I am just under a yr but have learned alot u have to think what other driver going b doing so u avoid their stupid driving practices. Dont worry yr self when u get in drive how transit wants u to drive u will b fine

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9 hours ago, MarkGuy said:

Also, given that the job requires sitting for a long time, how do B/O's deal with the knee and posture/back issues that come with the position? I want to have an idea of what  I could do to avoid or lessen that.

 

8 hours ago, LeoSimmy said:

@MarkGuy the city is not that hard to drive when I started I ain't want go the or bx I wanted bk but the depots in bk were few so we were forced into the city now December we can pick out but I wont I wont bec I know all the lines probably next yr general pick I'll pick out to bk. U were a former cab driver let me tell u now those cab driver & uber driver are the worst of the worst drivers in the city they pick up people in the bus lane & take up both lane when they do that & when they make a right turn from the bus lane they do it from the left side bus lane they dont move over so we can move around that's where patience come in & rem transit is the only company that's pay u to b late I am just under a yr but have learned alot u have to think what other driver going b doing so u avoid their stupid driving practices. Dont worry yr self when u get in drive how transit wants u to drive u will b fine

100% facts. The more time you spend in the city, the more you'll get to learn and get used to the nonsense and be prepared. You'll also figure out how to be aggressive. Not reckless aggressive but aggressive enough to at least get out the bus stop. I deal with all this every time I do the express to the city. 

9 hours ago, MarkGuy said:

Also, given that the job requires sitting for a long time, how do B/O's deal with the knee and posture/back issues that come with the position? I want to have an idea of what  I could do to avoid or lessen that.

- Sit comfortably so you don't have to extend your arms out all the way while turning the wheel. (push pulling or otherwise)

- Adjust your seating position to the bus. I don't have a one size fit all position because some steering wheels on some buses don't tilt all the way down, the brake pedal might be stiff, the mirrors might not adjust to where you want it, etc. Have a range of position so that you're comfortable because every bus is different. 

- Find out the best footwear for your feet that gives you the best operation of your bus. I drove the same bus, one time with boots and another with a "certain black on black low top shoe", *cough cough* and the shoe was much better on my feet and I was much smoother on the brakes. 

- Get out and stretch at the end of every trip!!!! Walk, stretch, do some pull ups, something!

Lastly, just eat and drink healthy. Stay away from the stuff that makes your hands and feet tingle. 

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Am not sure how they check the points can some 1 help this person but if anything & u got call to go down to Livingston st just go & they will tell you l. What I know if u have any outstanding tickets pay them & take the receipt when u go Livingston st

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I was found guilty of a ticket last week for 5 points. The mta only allows 4 points but I heard the mta will not count the points after 36 months of the ticket being issued. I got the ticket January 2016. So I'm wondering if i could go back this January coming up. 

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 Been BO is the greatest job no other job pay u to b late, u have alot OT, u get free bus train rides, its a easy job there is more but on the other side the people u pick up & traffic u have to deal with & they push u to the brink which u must have discipline but sometimes u have to cut loose on some of them but I dont pay them no mind the fare is 2.75 pay or not it dont bother me for me as BO its these cab & uber that really rub me the wrong way but in the end common sense prevails which they dont have most of them born on April 1st u know but hey it's a good job good way to move up the ladder to a dispatcher then a Supt 

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On 8/14/2018 at 9:23 AM, SevenEleven said:

 

100% facts. The more time you spend in the city, the more you'll get to learn and get used to the nonsense and be prepared. You'll also figure out how to be aggressive. Not reckless aggressive but aggressive enough to at least get out the bus stop. I deal with all this every time I do the express to the city. 

- Sit comfortably so you don't have to extend your arms out all the way while turning the wheel. (push pulling or otherwise)

- Adjust your seating position to the bus. I don't have a one size fit all position because some steering wheels on some buses don't tilt all the way down, the brake pedal might be stiff, the mirrors might not adjust to where you want it, etc. Have a range of position so that you're comfortable because every bus is different. 

- Find out the best footwear for your feet that gives you the best operation of your bus. I drove the same bus, one time with boots and another with a "certain black on black low top shoe", *cough cough* and the shoe was much better on my feet and I was much smoother on the brakes. 

- Get out and stretch at the end of every trip!!!! Walk, stretch, do some pull ups, something!

Lastly, just eat and drink healthy. Stay away from the stuff that makes your hands and feet tingle. 

Thank you! Do they give you adequate time after each run to stretch? I read one account from a B/O who said he had thrombosis b/c he repeatedly had to do back to back runs without getting off. He worked a line in Queens.

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It depends on what line yr doing some line they dont give enough time to come out the seat soon as u get to the end you turn around you would usually get abt 10min at the end but u can loose that 10min to traffic etc but you can press RTT or if the dispatcher is there they have to let u go take a leak.

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On 8/14/2018 at 12:44 AM, LeoSimmy said:

@MarkGuy the city is not that hard to drive when I started I ain't want go the or bx I wanted bk but the depots in bk were few so we were forced into the city now December we can pick out but I wont I wont bec I know all the lines probably next yr general pick I'll pick out to bk. U were a former cab driver let me tell u now those cab driver & uber driver are the worst of the worst drivers in the city they pick up people in the bus lane & take up both lane when they do that & when they make a right turn from the bus lane they do it from the left side bus lane they dont move over so we can move around that's where patience come in & rem transit is the only company that's pay u to b late I am just under a yr but have learned alot u have to think what other driver going b doing so u avoid their stupid driving practices. Dont worry yr self when u get in drive how transit wants u to drive u will b fine

Will do my best to!

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47 minutes ago, MarkGuy said:

Thank you! Do they give you adequate time after each run to stretch? I read one account from a B/O who said he had thrombosis b/c he repeatedly had to do back to back runs without getting off. He worked a line in Queens.

You are guaranteed 3 minutes at the end of every trip, even if you're supposed to be on your return trip. They cannot give you trouble for stopping to find and use the restroom. If there is no place to use the restroom, you can ring console and they will let you find a [TA] facility for the restroom. 

Idk what your physique is but sometimes you feel good to run a trip back to back, which is cool. But definitely don't make it a habit, take these trips at your pace. 

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5 minutes ago, SevenEleven said:

You are guaranteed 3 minutes at the end of every trip, even if you're supposed to be on your return trip. They cannot give you trouble for stopping to find and use the restroom. If there is no place to use the restroom, you can ring console and they will let you find a [TA] facility for the restroom. 

Idk what your physique is but sometimes you feel good to run a trip back to back, which is cool. But definitely don't make it a habit, take these trips at your pace. 

I work out on the regular. It sounds like DOB is a better deal than RTO. I'm on the T/O list from last year. But the horror stories about scheduling I hear there  are making me think twice.

I know I'll have to be an xtra extra as a B/O, too. But overall, it seems a more suitable fit.

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On 8/16/2018 at 11:57 AM, MarkGuy said:

I work out on the regular. It sounds like DOB is a better deal than RTO. I'm on the T/O list from last year. But the horror stories about scheduling I hear there  are making me think twice.

 I know I'll have to be an xtra extra as a B/O, too. But overall, it seems a more suitable fit.

Working out is definitely a plus. A lot of the depots have gyms in them, so you can knock out a session. Staying active both physically and mentally will keep you healthy longer.

The good thing about being extra (there's no extra extra list) is you'll be starting and finishing at your depot every day. Depending on how far you live, 8 hours isn't really enough to turn around for the next day. I absolutely despise working a PM shift and then they give me 8 hours off, just to go to Zerega. Now, that's a trip.

On 8/14/2018 at 11:55 PM, Felcel said:

Can a B/O who has been on the job please be completely honest and tell me if it's a great job to have. Like what are the cons and pros? 

One of the operators who trained me put the job this way: It'll get you rich, poor, laid, married, divorced, in trouble, out of trouble, you name it. I'm currently on one of those things, not going to say which. LOL.

Honestly though, this job is not for the faint of heart. Training is going to be like boot camp and then you will be thrown out there after line training. It's going to be overwhelming and if you can't handle the pressure, it will break you. There's going to be a lot of sacrifices made but if you can ge through it, it's rewarding. You will make a lot of money, there's a lot of OT available, and a lot of opportunities for advancement. Your coworkers become your second family. Out on the road, you are a front line employee, so you will deal with a lot of personalities, both good and bad, and you will deal with people who quite frankly don't give a damn whether you live or die after your shift. I've been on for two years and I definitely enjoy the job for what it is.

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58 minutes ago, SevenEleven said:

Working out is definitely a plus. A lot of the depots have gyms in them, so you can knock out a session. Staying active both physically and mentally will keep you healthy longer.

The good thing about being extra (there's no extra extra list) is you'll be starting and finishing at your depot every day. Depending on how far you live, 8 hours isn't really enough to turn around for the next day. I absolutely despise working a PM shift and then they give me 8 hours off, just to go to Zerega. Now, that's a trip.

One of the operators who trained me put the job this way: It'll get you rich, poor, laid, married, divorced, in trouble, out of trouble, you name it. I'm currently on one of those things, not going to say which. LOL.

Honestly though, this job is not for the faint of heart. Training is going to be like boot camp and then you will be thrown out there after line training. It's going to be overwhelming and if you can't handle the pressure, it will break you. There's going to be a lot of sacrifices made but if you can ge through it, it's rewarding. You will make a lot of money, there's a lot of OT available, and a lot of opportunities for advancement. Your coworkers become your second family. Out on the road, you are a front line employee, so you will deal with a lot of personalities, both good and bad, and you will deal with people who quite frankly don't give a damn whether you live or die after your shift. I've been on for two years and I definitely enjoy the job for what it is.

Hold on--when you're off the extra list, they can send you to different depots each day? I'm a tad confused. T/O's on the extra list start and end at different terminals frequently, as I understand. I thought you just had to report to the same bus depot each day.

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1 hour ago, MarkGuy said:

Hold on--when you're off the extra list, they can send you to different depots each day? I'm a tad confused. T/O's on the extra list start and end at different terminals frequently, as I understand. I thought you just had to report to the same bus depot each day.

Nah, whatever depot you pick into, you start and finish there everyday. 

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20 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

Nah, whatever depot you pick into, you start and finish there everyday. 

 

20 hours ago, SevenEleven said:

Nah, whatever depot you pick into, you start and finish there everyday. 

Okay. Also, I heard that the low seniority depots are in Upper Manhattan from two dispatchers yesterday. And the higher seniority ones are in the Bronx and Brooklyn? Also, which in your take is more dangerous: diesel fumes from a bus, or being in the tunnels as a T/O each day?

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  • 2 weeks later...

So this is some straight bullshit! I was told by someone at the MTA employment line last week that there was an upcoming class for next month. But I called Ms. Chestnut (who was on vacation) and she said she hadn't heard of a class for then, and to call back within the next few months! I'm pissed.

(She did say, though, that she didn't know at the time, and she might hear something else this afternoon).

I'm still pissed, though. Will try calling again tomorrow to see what's up. But atm, should I just wait for T/O to call me instead? This is frustrating!

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16 minutes ago, MarkGuy said:

So this is some straight bullshit! I was told by someone at the MTA employment line last week that there was an upcoming class for next month. But I called Ms. Chestnut (who was on vacation) and she said she hadn't heard of a class for then, and to call back within the next few months! I'm pissed.

(She did say, though, that she didn't know at the time, and she might hear something else this afternoon).

I'm still pissed, though. Will try calling again tomorrow to see what's up. But atm, should I just wait for T/O to call me instead? This is frustrating!

You have to be patience my friend.... Everything is a process and a cycle..... 

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Just now, DueceDrives said:

You have to be patience my friend.... Everything is a process and a cycle..... 

Yeah, but this seems to be a common thread when calling the MTA. Hardly anybody there seems to know what's going on. I was lead to believe (and worked towards) something that was supposedly coming next month, and now might take another six months or so, when I just want to leave my current position now,

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1 minute ago, MarkGuy said:

Yeah, but this seems to be a common thread when calling the MTA. Hardly anybody there seems to know what's going on. I was lead to believe (and worked towards) something that was supposedly coming next month, and now might take another six months or so, when I just want to leave my current position now,

Patience is key....... And please keep in mind dont leave your job after you pass the 7-10 day training...

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Just now, DueceDrives said:

Patience is key....... And please keep in mind dont leave your job after you pass the 7-10 day training...

I don't even know If I have enough vacation time saved up to the point where I won't quit after being sworn in. But I've been thinking about that.

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29 minutes ago, MarkGuy said:

I don't even know If I have enough vacation time saved up to the point where I won't quit after being sworn in. But I've been thinking about that.

You have to cover yourself.... the position is not promising until you pass the first step and after clearing the 1 year probation. Majority of us did not quit our normal job until we qualified on Days 7-10 intial training.  In my class out of 60 students, only 23 of us made it and everyone else ended going back to their normal job. So hang in there and your time will come very soon.

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6 hours ago, DueceDrives said:

You have to cover yourself.... the position is not promising until you pass the first step and after clearing the 1 year probation. Majority of us did not quit our normal job until we qualified on Days 7-10 intial training.  In my class out of 60 students, only 23 of us made it and everyone else ended going back to their normal job. So hang in there and your time will come very soon.

In this case, not sure I can cover myself.already took a full week vacay last month and I don't have much more, as I'm still relatively new there. Might have to chance it.

 

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