Exam 7612 B/O 7612 Hiring Process

[imtheogre]

There’s no interlock with the 1oclock position (front door only), you can however still engage the interlock by kneeling the bus, it will disengage after you un-kneel the bus and press in the break pedal. 
 

be in habit of kneeling first , then opening the doors. rear doors will open when you set door handle to proper position and then press in the break. 

[imtheogre]

16 hours ago, imtheogre said:

There’s no interlock with the 1oclock position (front door only), you can however still engage the interlock by kneeling the bus, it will disengage after you un-kneel the bus and press in the break pedal. 
 

be in habit of kneeling first , then opening the doors. rear doors will open when you set door handle to proper position and then press in the break. 

Also forgot to mention that afaik , instructors should want 12 o clock position of door handle (front + rear) , so pressing in brakes will engage interlock , and give green light at rear door while servicing the bus stop. don’t forget to kneel and press in that brake. 

[hh1a]

On 6/15/2021 at 5:14 PM, MTA MAC said:

Can any members provide any tips on pulling into the bus stop without touching the curb. Also with the interlock in the 1 o'clock position is the interlock is engaged by pressing the brake and deactivated once all the doors are closed by pressing the the brake also?

yes pressing the brake hard is the last step. it's dangerous as well, always look at your mirrors before activating the interlock, an incoming bike, scooter could crash the rear doors and the customers exiting, even if your covering your right they will manage to squeeze through. If you must leave your seat pni , pni, pni very important!

[RailBus63]

There's nothing wrong with asking for tips from experienced B/O's, but make sure that you are paying attention to your instructors and doing things the way they teach you.  Nobody wants to be 'that student' who the instructor thinks is ignoring them because they have their own ideas on how to drive a bus.  

[MTA MAC]

On 6/15/2021 at 6:15 PM, SevenEleven said:

On a bus with a split windshield, you want the lower left corner of your curbside windshield (the L) to hide the edge of the curb when pulling in. On the Novas, use the ridge of the dashboard that's to the right of the radio. That piece should hide the edge. You get that, follow up in your right side flat mirror to see how your rear tires are tracking. If it looks like the front of the bus (the L in the windshield) is going past the edge of the curb, pull to the left a little bit and readjust.

Interlock... Move the door handle. Press the brake pedal. You'll get the green light, and the rear door indicator on your tell tales. Make sure it comes on. On some buses, you have to push much farther down on the pedal than others. To release the interlock, move the door handle back to the closed position. Once the rear doors are closed (and the kneeler is up), then press the brake pedal to release the interlock and get moving.

Having the ramp power enabled on some buses will keep the interlock on. Be mindful of that if you're using the ramp. 

Thanks, although I was confused about the curbside window at first once in the seat it became clear. Your tip really came in handy. I qualified yesterday, and I must say it's such a relief.

[MTA MAC]

On 6/16/2021 at 11:38 AM, imtheogre said:

Also forgot to mention that afaik , instructors should want 12 o clock position of door handle (front + rear) , so pressing in brakes will engage interlock , and give green light at rear door while servicing the bus stop. don’t forget to kneel and press in that brake. 

Your tip is also much appreciated, it helped on my qualifying day which was yesterday. Thanks again..

[lornaevo]

9 minutes ago, MTA MAC said:

Thanks, although I was confused about the curbside window at first once in the seat it became clear. Your tip really came in handy. I qualified yesterday, and I must say it's such a relief.

Congratulations on qualifying. I guess it’s off to Jamaica for Equipment training. Good luck with your career. And remember always safety first. 

[+Young+]

34 minutes ago, MTA MAC said:

I qualified yesterday, and I must say it's such a relief.

Congrats! My apologies for being late, however for those who still have to go through the 10-Day Training Session, have you considered looking at the handouts?

Good luck!!

[MTA MAC]

1 minute ago, +Young+ said:

Congrats! My apologies for being late, however for those who still have to go through the 10-Day Training Session, have you considered looking at the handouts?

Good luck!!

I definitely have to thank you +Young+ for all of the information and help I received throughout the past few years of being on the forum. Believe me it is greatly appreciated, thanks.. Yes I will use the handouts combined with my pre-road test training.

[SevenEleven]

6 hours ago, MTA MAC said:

Thanks, although I was confused about the curbside window at first once in the seat it became clear. Your tip really came in handy. I qualified yesterday, and I must say it's such a relief.

Congrats and welcome!

[+Young+]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:53 PM, MTA MAC said:

I definitely have to thank you +Young+ for all of the information and help I received throughout the past few years of being on the forum. Believe me it is greatly appreciated, thanks.. Yes I will use the handouts combined with my pre-road test training.

You're more than welcome...Good luck with your career!!

[imtheogre]

Hope you get Evans , she’s a really cool person with a LOT of years on her belt. Tough , but listen to what she says constructively! 
 

“what’s the problem?” 😂

Edited June 21, 2021 by imtheogre

[SevenEleven]

2 hours ago, imtheogre said:

Hope you get Evans , she’s a really cool person with a LOT of years on her belt. Tough , but listen to what she says constructively! 
 

“what’s the problem?” 😂

Wasss the problem?

That and Jesus Christ, lmao.

[imtheogre]

43 minutes ago, SevenEleven said:

Wasss the problem?

That and Jesus Christ, lmao.

You can’t make this up ! 

[MTA MAC]

On 6/21/2021 at 2:14 PM, imtheogre said:

Hope you get Evans , she’s a really cool person with a LOT of years on her belt. Tough , but listen to what she says constructively! 
 

“what’s the problem?” 😂

She's definitely unique.. Had her for New Flyer training..

[train1290]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:12 PM, MTA MAC said:

Your tip is also much appreciated, it helped on my qualifying day which was yesterday. Thanks again..

Congrats, let me ask you, what depot did you qualify out of? Also, do you have your CDL license or the permit?

[MTA MAC]

On 6/22/2021 at 8:36 PM, train1290 said:

Congrats, let me ask you, what depot did you qualify out of? Also, do you have your CDL license or the permit?

I qualified out of Queensvillage w/Cdl Permit.

[RailBus63]

On 6/18/2021 at 12:53 PM, MTA MAC said:

I definitely have to thank you +Young+ for all of the information and help I received throughout the past few years of being on the forum. Believe me it is greatly appreciated, thanks.. Yes I will use the handouts combined with my pre-road test training.

Congrats on your qualification! 

Good luck on your road test training - the pre-trip can seem daunting when you first start learning it but constant practice will help you develop a rhythm that will help you remember, no matter what curveballs the examiner may throw you.  When I was going through training (not the MTA) for my CDL road test, I became friends with two other students and the three of us would use break times during road training or go in early before class to quiz each other on the pre-trip.     

[KDGallagher]

Do most students qualify on day 7? 

After getting hired and being placed on probation, how likely is it to not make it past probation? Is it easy to get laid off or must you really screw up BADLY? 

[lornaevo]

On 6/25/2021 at 1:03 PM, KDGallagher said:

Do most students qualify on day 7? 

After getting hired and being placed on probation, how likely is it to not make it past probation? Is it easy to get laid off or must you really screw up BADLY? 

The probationary period is one year. I won’t say it’s easy to get fired, if you do the job as trained. I started with a guy that got into a couple accidents before getting laid off during probation. The last one was really bad. Just take it easy. Go slow, don’t call out sick and you should be fine for the most part. 

[SevenEleven]

The whole year of probation is a challenge itself but as lornaevo said, do the job the way you're supposed to and you don't have to worry about much. It's hard to get yourself fired really unless you're that much of a f up. The operator who let her bus roll down the block a couple years back still has her job. (And that was a major accident)

So yeah, keep your nose clean and they won't have a reason to come looking for you. If you need help, seek it from the union.

[KDGallagher]

On 6/26/2021 at 1:53 PM, SevenEleven said:

The whole year of probation is a challenge itself but as lornaevo said, do the job the way you're supposed to and you don't have to worry about much. It's hard to get yourself fired really unless you're that much of a f up. The operator who let her bus roll down the block a couple years back still has her job. (And that was a major accident)

So yeah, keep your nose clean and they won't have a reason to come looking for you. If you need help, seek it from the union.

 

On 6/26/2021 at 1:53 PM, SevenEleven said:

The whole year of probation is a challenge itself but as lornaevo said, do the job the way you're supposed to and you don't have to worry about much. It's hard to get yourself fired really unless you're that much of a f up. The operator who let her bus roll down the block a couple years back still has her job. (And that was a major accident)

So yeah, keep your nose clean and they won't have a reason to come looking for you. If you need help, seek it from the union.

Thanks for the replies. For someone that is looking to certify in 7 days and just make it as likely as possible to pass the 10 day training, would you recommend getting CDL beforehand? 

 

No prior bus or big vehicle experience and just trying to ensure the wait for this isn't for nothing. 

 

I'm very early on the 9604 list (7X) but not eligible for 2 more months due to license being too young. Wondering if CDL is best use of my time while waiting. 

 

Thanks for the help guys

[lornaevo]

1 hour ago, KDGallagher said:

 

Thanks for the replies. For someone that is looking to certify in 7 days and just make it as likely as possible to pass the 10 day training, would you recommend getting CDL beforehand? 

 

No prior bus or big vehicle experience and just trying to ensure the wait for this isn't for nothing. 

 

I'm very early on the 9604 list (7X) but not eligible for 2 more months due to license being too young. Wondering if CDL is best use of my time while waiting. 

 

Thanks for the help guys

TBH, I think they prefer someone who never drove larger vehicles before. Just so that you don’t have any bad habits yet. Me, I came from school buses and tow trucks and it was difficult for me to understand that this is a different type of driving. They rather slower paced. So not having your CDL shouldn’t be a challenge.  

[SevenEleven]

3 hours ago, KDGallagher said:

 

Thanks for the replies. For someone that is looking to certify in 7 days and just make it as likely as possible to pass the 10 day training, would you recommend getting CDL beforehand? 

 

No prior bus or big vehicle experience and just trying to ensure the wait for this isn't for nothing. 

 

I'm very early on the 9604 list (7X) but not eligible for 2 more months due to license being too young. Wondering if CDL is best use of my time while waiting. 

 

Thanks for the help guys

It's definitely doable in 7 days. Just listen to what your instructors tell you and follow through... And pay attention.

[+Young+]

3 hours ago, KDGallagher said:

Thanks for the replies. For someone that is looking to certify in 7 days and just make it as likely as possible to pass the 10 day training, would you recommend getting CDL beforehand? 

No prior bus or big vehicle experience and just trying to ensure the wait for this isn't for nothing. 

I'm very early on the 9604 list (7X) but not eligible for 2 more months due to license being too young. Wondering if CDL is best use of my time while waiting. 

Thanks for the help guys

From the perspective of someone who failed the initial 10-Day Training Session, one of the things which I would recommend is to use your CLP (Commercial Learner's Permit) to take a few lessons on a bus at a local driving school or two, depending upon where you live, how much time and money you have to spend, etc. This way, not only would you avoid getting any "bad habits," but you won't be 100% cold like I was, when it comes time to operating a 40-foot Bus within the streets of New York City.

Good luck!!