news 230 Open B/O Positions

[Jah]

According to this article in AMNY there are 230 open B/O positions right now.

 

http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/2009/05/bus_service_suffers_with_drive.html

 

The doomsday MTA cuts never materialized, but bus service has still been whittled down behind the scenes.

 

More than 230 bus driver positions are unfilled, up from 75 in January, according to agency figures.

 

Fewer drivers means longer waits for riders, and it will take weeks for the MTA to hire enough manpower to get service back to normal.

 

“It's a reduction and we're not happy about it,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.

 

NYC Transit stopped filling vacant bus driver slots last year, as the agency planned to reduce bus service in light of a $1.2 billion budget deficit.

 

 

“It would have been fiscally irresponsible for us to have filled positions we would have cut,” said Paul Fleuranges, NYC Transit spokesman.

 

Facing a manpower crunch, the MTA reduced the number of trips on dozens of bus routes throughout the city, union officials said.

 

“It's been really slow in the last week,” said Ta-Nia Brown, 18, a frequent rider of one of the scaled back Brooklyn bus lines. “They need to add something, more buses or drivers.”

 

More than 2.5 million New Yorkers ride city buses during the week, an increase of nearly 3 percent from last year, according to recent agency figures.

 

“You can't afford any service cuts whatsoever,” said Harry Wills, a Brooklyn bus driver running as a union candidate.

 

With $2.3 billion in new funding headed to the agency through the state bailout, the MTA is getting bus routes back to normal through overtime and substitute drivers, said John Paul Patafio, union chairman for Transit's bus division.

 

Transit will begin hiring drivers in June until it meets its quota, and will train a class of 320 by August, an agency spokesman said.

 

“We are working hard to manage the issue,” Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said.

 

Meanwhile, NYC Transit is looking to save $4.8 million by scaling back bus trips on 35 routes across the city to “more closely align service with customer demand,” according to MTA board documents. The move, which includes 17 increases in service, will take affect next month if the agency's board approves it.

[Y2Julio]

This is good news (y). So did hiring for C/R and T/Os really stop after the hiring freeze went official across the board?

[CPBO]

According to this article in AMNY there are 230 open B/O positions right now.

 

http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/2009/05/bus_service_suffers_with_drive.html

 

The doomsday MTA cuts never materialized, but bus service has still been whittled down behind the scenes.

 

More than 230 bus driver positions are unfilled, up from 75 in January, according to agency figures.

 

Fewer drivers means longer waits for riders, and it will take weeks for the MTA to hire enough manpower to get service back to normal.

 

“It's a reduction and we're not happy about it,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.

 

NYC Transit stopped filling vacant bus driver slots last year, as the agency planned to reduce bus service in light of a $1.2 billion budget deficit.

 

 

“It would have been fiscally irresponsible for us to have filled positions we would have cut,” said Paul Fleuranges, NYC Transit spokesman.

 

Facing a manpower crunch, the MTA reduced the number of trips on dozens of bus routes throughout the city, union officials said.

 

“It's been really slow in the last week,” said Ta-Nia Brown, 18, a frequent rider of one of the scaled back Brooklyn bus lines. “They need to add something, more buses or drivers.”

 

More than 2.5 million New Yorkers ride city buses during the week, an increase of nearly 3 percent from last year, according to recent agency figures.

 

“You can't afford any service cuts whatsoever,” said Harry Wills, a Brooklyn bus driver running as a union candidate.

 

With $2.3 billion in new funding headed to the agency through the state bailout, the MTA is getting bus routes back to normal through overtime and substitute drivers, said John Paul Patafio, union chairman for Transit's bus division.

 

Transit will begin hiring drivers in June until it meets its quota, and will train a class of 320 by August, an agency spokesman said.

 

“We are working hard to manage the issue,” Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said.

 

Meanwhile, NYC Transit is looking to save $4.8 million by scaling back bus trips on 35 routes across the city to “more closely align service with customer demand,” according to MTA board documents. The move, which includes 17 increases in service, will take affect next month if the agency's board approves it.

 

I know at my depot I was hearing that they would not fill open work with overtime.....but it seems like the Ot was still flowing....I have not worked any in 2 weeks but that was my choice.....just need some me time...I give to the public all the time.....70hrs a week....

[Locomotion69]

Thanks Jah for posting this. :tup:

[Pelham Bay Dave]

This is good news (y). So did hiring for C/R and T/Os really stop after the hiring freeze went official across the board?

 

No they been having steady new Train Operator classes but they slowed down on new Conductors classes but heard a class will start soon.

[Y2Julio]

No they been having steady new Train Operator classes but they slowed down on new Conductors classes but heard a class will start soon.

Hopefully the new C/R OC list didn't get pushed back.

[SubwayGuy]

Hopefully the new C/R OC list didn't get pushed back.

 

Yeah...can't wait until the list gets certified and we get our #'s so I can see where I stand and the clock can start ticking

 

I can't imagine why they'd extend the current list. According to a C/R I know that I talked to over the summer, the last few classes that came out "looked like they'd never seen a train before" when they got out on the road. So I can't imagine they'd want to keep calling from further down that list if they have another one getting ready but hey who knows...

[Pelham Bay Dave]

Yeah...can't wait until the list gets certified and we get our #'s so I can see where I stand and the clock can start ticking

 

I can't imagine why they'd extend the current list. According to a C/R I know that I talked to over the summer, the last few classes that came out "looked like they'd never seen a train before" when they got out on the road. So I can't imagine they'd want to keep calling from further down that list if they have another one getting ready but hey who knows...

 

You think thats going to change just because they call from a new list? The got some good ones that came off this list and also those that make you think TA was desperite.

[SubwayGuy]

You think thats going to change just because they call from a new list? The got some good ones that came off this list and also those that make you think TA was desperite.

 

Heh..no I didn't mean it would change...after all it's still an O/C test right? But I just meant that based on the last list I can't imagine they'd want to keep that one around longer than they have to, they'll take their chances on ours (I hope) as soon as it's ready

[MTR Admiralty]

“It's been really slow in the last week,” said Ta-Nia Brown, 18, a frequent rider of one of the scaled back Brooklyn bus lines. “They need to add something, more buses or drivers.”

 

Question, how are you going to have more buses if you don't have enough drivers?

[Pelham Bay Dave]

Have Bus Operators work Overtime.

[MTA Hopeful08]

as of right now, today staten island is down 40 operators...

[gabchi0909]

Do you know if they have started calling more from 5025 and if they will start more classes?

[DOB2RTO]

I know liberty Lines is hiring. Seen two training buses the past couple of days, and yesterday, I seen about 5 in a bus in uniform (not white training shirt), at 242st, learning to do the U-turn, the 1's, 2, and 3 do there. It was about 2:30pm, with bus 626.......