Automation and the future.

[njbk]

Hello everyone,

 

I am a longtime reader of this forum but this is my first post. I took the T/O exam last week and humbly believe that I did well (I am currently an attorney, I have very good reading comprehension). I anticipate that someday I will have the option of pursuing this job. I have been thinking though, how will transportation automation affect the MTA? It's an emerging issue bearing down on all other transportation industries. There is lots of reporting and conjecture that in the next 20 years, all vehicles on the road will be self-driven by computers. Obviously if this were to become the industry norm, it would only make sense for this technology to make its way to subways, buses, etc. Taking a T/O job, you assume job security and a stable income and retirement if you put your time in, but what happens if the opportunity to put the time in runs out? Does anyone currently working as a T/O, or anyone else who recently took the test and anticipates possibly becoming a T/O, think about this and how it might affect their career? Do any current MTA employees have any insight into whether or not the MTA or the TWU has this in mind? Thanks and good luck to anyone else who took the exam.

[DrewMania]

There is actually two subway lines that is automatic as we speak, that is the L line and the 7 line. I personally think technology in the subway system is a amazing thing but even with that you'll always need someone to overlook these things. Simply because anything can happen that'll need a humans best judgement call on the spot. So while the train may operate on it's own it still need someone in the front to make sure things are going smoothly.

 

Think of airplanes now a days all planes have autopilot so they basically fly on there own. Some planes can even land on they own, but yet there is always two people up there just to make sure things are in order.

 

So no worries we're be in control for the next 100 years!

[+Young+]

Same thing when I was on my last cruise - although the bridge was on auto-pilot, there was always at least three people in the bridge in the event something happened. And with the size of those ships, it's impossible to dock those things with auto-pilot.