Questions about training and few other things for a new conductor?

[Pyrodjm]

My husband starts training as a conductor on Nov. 17th. How long does it last?

 

They gave him info about the clothing he is supposed to report in until he gets his uniform. When do they give out uniforms? I need to know how many blue shirts he'll need in the meantime.

 

The insurance packet says that health insurance does not kick in for about three months, which company do you recommend HIP or GHI?

 

My husband was able to pass the vision test without his glasses. He was then told to try it with his glasses also. Now his paperwork says he must wear them. Can he change this? How? He really doesn't need them and has a hard time keeping up with them.

 

Any special advice for him to have going in? About training, paperwork,etc?

[Jah]

My husband starts training as a conductor on Nov. 17th. How long does it last?

 

They gave him info about the clothing he is supposed to report in until he gets his uniform. When do they give out uniforms? I need to know how many blue shirts he'll need in the meantime.

 

The insurance packet says that health insurance does not kick in for about three months, which company do you recommend HIP or GHI?

 

My husband was able to pass the vision test without his glasses. He was then told to try it with his glasses also. Now his paperwork says he must wear them. Can he change this? How? He really doesn't need them and has a hard time keeping up with them.

 

Any special advice for him to have going in? About training, paperwork,etc?

 

For insurance it depends on where you live because I think HIP centers are only available in the 5 boroughs and you have no copay with HIP. GHI you have a 15 dollar co-pay but you can go to any doctor you want at any time without a referral.

 

Uniforms come at different times some classmates will get them first they ship as the sizes are available. If you are getting cloths to wear you don't need more than 5 shirts for the 5 days of work.

 

The fact that your husbands pass says corrective lenses means that it will be very difficult to have that changed. Once he gets off of probation he can just not wear them if he doesn't need them and if asked just say no he doesn't need them.

 

Conductor school car is pretty quick a couple of months and onto the road to "tour" the system on a daily basis.B)

[Joe]

Are C/R's assigned to specific divisions the same way that T/O's are?

[SubwayGuy]

Are C/R's assigned to specific divisions the same way that T/O's are?

 

Yes.

[Pyrodjm]

Thanks for your help.

[Zman]

Go to GHI. I had HIP for my first few years with the TA and it was a disaster.

 

I'd say buy three blue shirts. That should be enough to get him through.

 

He'll be able to get the "Corrective Lenses" portion of his pass taken off later. What he'll probably have to do is see an eye doctor, pass the test without his glasses, then go to the TA Medical Assessment Center with the doctor's recommendation. He'll then have to pass the TA vision test. In the meantime, tell him to carry a pair of glasses in his bag at all times (in a hard eyeglass case, very important) and say to the supervisors that he is wearing contacts (which is legal.)

[SubwayGuy]

Go to GHI. I had HIP for my first few years with the TA and it was a disaster.

 

I'd say buy three blue shirts. That should be enough to get him through.

 

He'll be able to get the "Corrective Lenses" portion of his pass taken off later. What he'll probably have to do is see an eye doctor, pass the test without his glasses, then go to the TA Medical Assessment Center with the doctor's recommendation. He'll then have to pass the TA vision test. In the meantime, tell him to carry a pair of glasses in his bag at all times (in a hard eyeglass case, very important) and say to the supervisors that he is wearing contacts (which is legal.)

 

Does GHI have copay? HIP is free copay, no?

[Zman]

Does GHI have copay? HIP is free copay, no?

 

Put it this way, when I was a HIP participant I had developed a very painful skin condition that needed attention. You know what HIP said to me? "Ok, come in to our clinic to see the HIP doctor. Our next available appointment is in three weeks."

 

I'd rather pay the friggin' 15 clams.

[SubwayGuy]

Put it this way, when I was a HIP participant I had developed a very painful skin condition that needed attention. You know what HIP said to me? "Ok, come in to our clinic to see the HIP doctor. Our next available appointment is in three weeks."

 

I'd rather pay the friggin' 15 clams.

 

True...I remember my father's union used to have HIP when I was a kid. Finding the right doctor was a pain (literally). I remember some of the advice I got. For allergies I got told run the air conditioner year round and the humidifier year round...we can't afford that :eek:, I'd "heard" somewhere that they've gotten better over the last 10 years but I guess that's still not good enough then and no one I know has confirmed this so it could just be "clever advertising" at work again...

 

and 15 beats what I'm paying now (20), so I can't complain about that...right now my copays are 10 more than that if I see a specialist..

 

What's the deductible you have to clear before the GHI plan start paying?