TTC Application Process

[CJ.]

12 minutes ago, Bus_Medic said:

You shouldn’t need night school to qualify as an apprentice.

Yes. But I'm also looking at RA positions, maintaining transfer machines, fare gates, presto machines, etc which require an electrical theory course completion, it has to be taken in college. 

Bus maintenance or train might be too difficult as it is competitive and few positions seem to be available

[Turtle]

On 2/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, QueenswayOp said:

1. I have already stated that due to the lack of a lunch break on late relief straight pieces, I personally choose split crews (both step-back and even those with a 3 hour gap in between). I absolutely need off-time in between, and in the times where I was forced to work a straight late relief (like on spareboard after training), I will find a way to run early on certain trips by a very significant amount (like leaving the start point 5 minutes earlier than the scheduled departure time), so at the end point, I would squeeze out more recovery time. 

Oh, you're one of those people. Are you one of those people who will loop around a station until the bus behind you pulls into the bay to pick up your passengers, and leave the station empty? The second a fellow op calls you out to it, you're running to your superintendant to complain about the meanie who is harassing you?

 

If you have enough time to leave the ends 5 minutes early, then you have enough time to leave on your scheduled time. You ever think of how hard you have to work to pull these stupid games, and how much easier it is to just do your job?

 

On 2/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, QueenswayOp said:

During my training class, it was not mentioned about the lack of lunch breaks until day 21, when it was the union rep who finally told us about it.

You must not have been paying attention to the first 20 days then, or the 8 months of the hiring process before that. You should have been told about that in your ride alongs, and it was definitely mentioned during the orientation sessions.

 

On 2/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, QueenswayOp said:

 

2. Just because there is lots of money to be made in a city government job with benefits, does not mean that one should not analyze the dark side of it. There is a reason why the pay and benefits are so high. The work environment as a collective is very poisoned and toxic,

Poisoned and toxic because asshats jump the ends by 5 minutes.

 

On 2/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, QueenswayOp said:

not to mention it is not for the faint of heart. The management ALWAYS looking for any reason to penalize employees,

Because people like you are gaming the system. Don't want to do anything at all and get paid for it? Apply to be a station supervisor.

 

On 2/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, QueenswayOp said:

a certain percentage of the public who is extremely entitled with a lack of basic common sense, courtesy, and respect,

What about all those people that are depending on you to do your job? They are late for work, doctors appointments, school, late to pick up their kids at daycare ... just because the driver that was supposed to be at the station at 2:30pm left at 2:25. Courtesy and respect goes both ways. What about the next driver that pulls in at 2:45pm that has to get the brunt of their anger because the asshat ahead jumped the end? They don't understand that the 2:30 bus left early, all they see is the 2:30 bus is 15 minutes late, even though it actually is the 2:45 bus.

 

On 2/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, QueenswayOp said:

in addition to dealing with absolute degenerates with mental problems, drug addiction, alcoholism, and violent tendencies, who should be institutionalized and not be let out into society. I don't care what certain individuals on this board say, this is the harsh truth that cannot be denied.

Again, if the job is too much for you to handle, look at the green sheets for something you are qualified for and apply. I'm sure you'll be happy screwing the pooch in another position. Station Supervisor is a sweet gig, you get a radio, a room to hide out in when big delays happen, and a clipboard to mark down items that the people actually doing work have to take care of.

 

On 2/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, QueenswayOp said:

3. When I do transfer internally to another position (and I actually plan to do it when an opening appears), it will be a unionized skilled trades position. There is no way in hell that I would sell my soul by transferring over to the management side. I would rather they terminate me or have me breathe in brake dust in subway tunnels as a track maintainer than have me be in the supervisory/management ranks.

Good luck with your coworkers in your new job.

[TransitMotorcoach]

1 hour ago, Turtle said:

Oh, you're one of those people. Are you one of those people who will loop around a station until the bus behind you pulls into the bay to pick up your passengers, and leave the station empty? The second a fellow op calls you out to it, you're running to your superintendant to complain about the meanie who is harassing you?

 

If you have enough time to leave the ends 5 minutes early, then you have enough time to leave on your scheduled time. You ever think of how hard you have to work to pull these stupid games, and how much easier it is to just do your job?

 

You must not have been paying attention to the first 20 days then, or the 8 months of the hiring process before that. You should have been told about that in your ride alongs, and it was definitely mentioned during the orientation sessions.

 

Poisoned and toxic because asshats jump the ends by 5 minutes.

 

Because people like you are gaming the system. Don't want to do anything at all and get paid for it? Apply to be a station supervisor.

 

What about all those people that are depending on you to do your job? They are late for work, doctors appointments, school, late to pick up their kids at daycare ... just because the driver that was supposed to be at the station at 2:30pm left at 2:25. Courtesy and respect goes both ways. What about the next driver that pulls in at 2:45pm that has to get the brunt of their anger because the asshat ahead jumped the end? They don't understand that the 2:30 bus left early, all they see is the 2:30 bus is 15 minutes late, even though it actually is the 2:45 bus.

 

Again, if the job is too much for you to handle, look at the green sheets for something you are qualified for and apply. I'm sure you'll be happy screwing the pooch in another position. Station Supervisor is a sweet gig, you get a radio, a room to hide out in when big delays happen, and a clipboard to mark down items that the people actually doing work have to take care of.

 

Good luck with your coworkers in your new job.

Why must you keep instigating conflict with such responses and immature name calling when the rest of us have already moved past it? It happened in the past. Nothing can be changed about it now. He found a solution to avoid this from happening and it works for him. Did you miss that part or are you just nitpicking for things to lash out at someone over?

 

Seriously, that post by QueenswayOp was made on the 26th of February. It is now March 2nd. Other members commented on it, and then we moved on to something else since then. Just let it go and keep it moving, otherwise you are just poisoning the forum once again. 

[Turtle]

1 hour ago, TransitMotorcoach said:

 that post by QueenswayOp was made on the 26th of February. It is now March 2nd. Other members commented on it, and then we moved on to something else since then. Just let it go and keep it moving, otherwise you are just poisoning the forum once again. 

Lol, you're funny

[TransitMotorcoach]

20 minutes ago, Turtle said:

Lol, you're funny

Prior to you lashing out earlier, we were having a decent and respectful conversation about internal transfers and the pros of it. Leave the past in the past.

[CJ.]

5 hours ago, Turtle said:

What about all those people that are depending on you to do your job? They are late for work, doctors appointments, school, late to pick up their kids at daycare ... just because the driver that was supposed to be at the station at 2:30pm left at 2:25. Courtesy and respect goes both ways. What about the next driver that pulls in at 2:45pm that has to get the brunt of their anger because the asshat ahead jumped the end? They don't understand that the 2:30 bus left early, all they see is the 2:30 bus is 15 minutes late, even though it actually is the 2:45 bus.

You cant even leave that early without being called in by control or supervisor. I speak from experience. I've left even 2 min early on 24A and I got a call within seconds. The only time you are legitimately allowed to leave early is when the schedule is super messed up, buses are most likely late on the route or something like that, but even then control or supervisor has to call you in and give the instructions

But there are some cheaters that I know that will sit in the layover bay entire layover, and instead of going to pick passengers up in their respective route bays, they will just swing out of the station with a not in service sign, and change it as soon as they leave to avoid dealing with passengers at the station

[7749]

20 minutes ago, CJ. said:

You cant even leave that early without being called in by control or supervisor.

???

This is not correct. I remember back a while ago with an instance where there was a 44 driver who was skipping layover every trip and ended up being very early his entire shift. What happened then?

Also this happens alot during the night, especially the last few trips usually of an op's crew. Leaving 1-2 min early is pretty usual. I get that it's night but still they shouldn't be doing that. Do they get called by control or CIS? According with your statement, they do, but guess what, they don't.

[CJ.]

Just now, 7749 said:

???

This is not correct. I remember back a while ago with an instance where there was a 44 driver who was skipping layover every trip and ended up being very early his entire shift. What happened then?

Also this happens alot during the night, especially the last few trips usually of an op's crew. Leaving 1-2 min early is pretty usual. I get that it's night but still they shouldn't be doing that. Do they get called by control or CIS? According with your statement, they do, but guess what, they don't.

Reading this made me very mad. Maybe its one of the million other privileges that come with being a senior? I'm placing my bet that he was a senior

Meanwhile I will keep lectured for leaving 2 min late, or dropping off at the Donlands Station pickup street stop instead of the drop off stop by accident, or a call if I leave 2 min early when people can do this type of bullshit and completely get away with it. 

Its almost as if I am being preyed on to slip up

I got into a collision once nearly 7 months ago, wasn't my fault either and police and supervisor knew, but I was told in a intimidating tone by supervisor "Well you should have been more careful then, huh" How am I supposed to know if an idiot will suddenly change lanes during rush hour at 40KMPH WITHOUT INDICATOR USAGE? 

[captaintrolley]

2 hours ago, CJ. said:

Reading this made me very mad. Maybe its one of the million other privileges that come with being a senior? I'm placing my bet that he was a senior

Meanwhile I will keep lectured for leaving 2 min late, or dropping off at the Donlands Station pickup street stop instead of the drop off stop by accident, or a call if I leave 2 min early when people can do this type of bullshit and completely get away with it. 

Its almost as if I am being preyed on to slip up

I got into a collision once nearly 7 months ago, wasn't my fault either and police and supervisor knew, but I was told in a intimidating tone by supervisor "Well you should have been more careful then, huh" How am I supposed to know if an idiot will suddenly change lanes during rush hour at 40KMPH WITHOUT INDICATOR USAGE? 

Sometimes it's not senior privilege. We had a senior lady in our information call center. She had a bit of an accent, and she had her quirks, but she showed up on time, her work was accurate, and she was always pleasant and helpful. The supervisors for some reason or another started to not like her and rode her case until she had a nervous breakdown and quit. Seniority didn't help her case.

I was under the gun too at one point. ETS was valiantly weaving untruths and nefarious deeds to rid the city of their trolley fleet. As an ETS employee I was supposed to toe the line and conform to their anti trolley directives. In good faith I could not do it. I know they wanted to give me the axe, but I was in contact with other pro trolley supporters and they secretly had bugged my computer (I only had a work computer at the time, did not have a personal one) to get the scoop on what our side was planning. Also, I knew some higher ups, and had more transit knowledge than anyone else in our department. So aside from being a thorn, I was also valuable. Thankfully I had that ace to play. (Sorry for going off the rails a bit).

[TransitMotorcoach]

On 3/1/2023 at 6:39 PM, CJ. said:

Yes. But I'm also looking at RA positions, maintaining transfer machines, fare gates, presto machines, etc which require an electrical theory course completion, it has to be taken in college. 

Bus maintenance or train might be too difficult as it is competitive and few positions seem to be available

If you want to take a program to gain electrical knowledge to transfer to a position requiring it, but don't have the time to actually step foot in class, one option to consider would be an online course.

George Brown College offers such a course:

Electromechanical Technician Program (Distance Education) T902 | George Brown College

It does cover all of the basics in electrical knowledge. Now that I think about it, maybe I could take it as well for any possible future TTC opportunity that requires this. Wouldn't hurt to gain more knowledge!

[Jayhyrule]

2 hours ago, TransitMotorcoach said:

If you want to take a program to gain electrical knowledge to transfer to a position requiring it, but don't have the time to actually step foot in class, one option to consider would be an online course.

George Brown College offers such a course:

Electromechanical Technician Program (Distance Education) T902 | George Brown College

It does cover all of the basics in electrical knowledge. Now that I think about it, maybe I could take it as well for any possible future TTC opportunity that requires this. Wouldn't hurt to gain more knowledge!

What possible positions would there be internally that we can apply for if we do a course like this? I assumed that most jobs would require education and experience?

[TransitMotorcoach]

8 hours ago, Jayhyrule said:

What possible positions would there be internally that we can apply for if we do a course like this? I assumed that most jobs would require education and experience?

Definitely anything involved with maintenance and upkeep of equipment powered by electricity. Fare gates, ticket machines, subway train/streetcar maintenance,  ect....

[Turtle]

16 hours ago, CJ. said:

You cant even leave that early without being called in by control or supervisor. I speak from experience. I've left even 2 min early on 24A and I got a call within seconds. The only time you are legitimately allowed to leave early is when the schedule is super messed up, 

The only time you are allowed is when a supervisor tells you to, and you can still get called in for a kpi if that supervisor didn't log it in the system. Every surface vehicle that leaves early from the ends gets logged automatically in the system. The supervisor running the line gets an automated message that they have to respond to. There is a threshold, so you can get away with jumping the end by less than 1 minute. There is also some physical distance between the end and the point vision actually registers the vehicle as departed, so in reality you can jump by almost 2 minutes at some places and get away with it if a manager isn't there at the station in person watching you. There are those times when vision isn't working correctly (often actually) where people can get away with almost anything.

 

The rules are no more than 3 minutes in route (some supervisors will call you at 2 or less in certain situations - bus behind in a gap for example), and leave 0 from the end. What gets logged is anything earlier than 1 minute from the end and more than 5 minutes late from the end. You only get in trouble for jumping if somebody calls you in the office about it, but everything is logged on your file in the system.

 

When I said "game the system a little to gain some time at the ends" I meant arrive at your last timing point +3 and leave the end -2, which gives you 5 minutes and is well within the rules. How you do it depends on traffic, customer loads at the stops, your experience to operate the bus safely smoothly and efficiently while still making time. Sometimes you get lucky and it works, and sometimes you mess up and arrive -4. The people on your bus at the station will be slightly annoyed that the bus is leaving 2 minutes late, but the people slightly late for your bus running for it at the station will think you are the best driver in the world for waiting a little longer for them. Some routes are impossible to keep up, you learn which ones those are and avoid them at sign up if you can, or sign small splits. I always found the routes that you were moving briskly all the time were my favourite. Day goes so much faster when you aren't sitting at stops triyng to kill a minute here or there.

 

16 hours ago, CJ. said:

But there are some cheaters that I know that will sit in the layover bay entire layover, and instead of going to pick passengers up in their respective route bays, they will just swing out of the station with a not in service sign, and change it as soon as they leave to avoid dealing with passengers at the station

Yes, those are the worst and they are common. They play the short end long end game at a midpoint station (Sheppard West when they used to run the York U Express A and B), or the express local game at the end where the local bus waits for the express to load and go, but you get two of those ops together and it's a standoff. Or when the buses are frequent (5 minutes or less) one bus will make themselves 5 minutes late so the bus behind takes all their people.

16 hours ago, CJ. said:

Reading this made me very mad. Maybe its one of the million other privileges that come with being a senior? I'm placing my bet that he was a senior

Not at all. Sometimes it's bbq buddies (i.e. friends that started as operators but one got promoted to route supervisor). A lot of times it's just poor supervision or malfunctioning vision. Sometimes it's the operator getting some leeway, because they are usually a good op and made a mistake one time. 

 

16 hours ago, CJ. said:

Meanwhile I will keep lectured for leaving 2 min late, or dropping off at the Donlands Station pickup street stop instead of the drop off stop by accident,

Who lectures you about that, the people on the bus that missed their stop? You did them a favor and took them on a tour of the neighbourhood, and saved them a little walking distance.

 

16 hours ago, CJ. said:

or a call if I leave 2 min early when people can do this type of bullshit and completely get away with it. 

Leave on time and don't worry about the other vehicles. Your perception may be mistaken. 

 

I had a route with another operator, just two buses. He would jump the end by 3 minutes (I was told by a regular who missed his bus but used to catch mine when I did that run) and get up to +7 mid route. His excuse was that he didn't have enough running time. The supervisor was allowing this. It was back in the Trump CIS days where you would get called to hold back at +2 on certain trips. I got fed up and made it so that we would pass exactly in the middle of the route on every trip, so we were both running +8.

 

I got called after a few hours of this, and was documented for running +8. Got a insubordination charge for how I responded to the CIS supervisor, and got threatened by the other operator at the division later on for how everything ended up. He was bbq buddies with that CIS supervisor, and the other supervisors were intimidated by him so they let him do what he wanted. The insubordination charge got thrown out in the divisional interview, and I'm guessing the other op got told because he ran on time for 3 days, but started up with his bs again after that. He ended up getting fired for theft later on, hope his shoes and back brace were worth it.

 

16 hours ago, CJ. said:

Its almost as if I am being preyed on to slip up

I got into a collision once nearly 7 months ago, wasn't my fault either and police and supervisor knew, but I was told in a intimidating tone by supervisor "Well you should have been more careful then, huh" How am I supposed to know if an idiot will suddenly change lanes during rush hour at 40KMPH WITHOUT INDICATOR USAGE? 

Defensive driving, comes with experience. You are supposed to give up your right of way if it will prevent an accident. You can't predict or prevent everything, that's why they are called accidents. The managers always ask you if there was "something you could have done to prevent it". A lot of those managers used to be bus drivers, and have an extensive list of screw ups on their record.

[CJ.]

2 hours ago, Turtle said:

 

Who lectures you about that, the people on the bus that missed their stop? You did them a favor and took them on a tour of the neighbourhood, and saved them a little walking distance.

Senior Leslie and lakeshore grumpies on the 83. Apparently you are supposed to drop off at the 300 Bloor Danforth stop at Danforth & Donlands, even though there is no proper indication to do so. It doesn’t say “drop off only” like the 56 Leaside temporarily drop off stop. Vision doesn’t show it either

By coincidence, I’m on the same route again. I’m actually supposed to be doing the 75 right now but one of the drivers cancelled last minute.

I’m enjoying the layovers at Donlands and lakeshore. The company of other employees of ttc makes it feel quite good

[Turtle]

 

13 hours ago, CJ. said:

Senior Leslie and lakeshore grumpies on the 83. Apparently you are supposed to drop off at the 300 Bloor Danforth stop at Danforth & Donlands, even though there is no proper indication to do so. It doesn’t say “drop off only” like the 56 Leaside temporarily drop off stop. Vision doesn’t show it either

It announces it on the bus, it must be on vision. It's shown as a stop on transsee:

Why would you want to layover on Donlands blocking the right turn lane when you could hide out empty on Strathmore?

[CJ.]

32 minutes ago, Turtle said:

It announces it on the bus, it must be on vision. It's shown as a stop on transsee:

Why would you want to layover on Donlands blocking the right turn lane when you could hide out empty on Strathmore?

I don’t know. Vision still pins Donlands station at the bus terminal for 83 northbound. Normal temporarily stops for drop off would either have an 83 decal or an”DROP OFF ONLY” decal on the stop. It just said 300 which makes it more confusing. The bus announced danforth ave//Donlands station but that could have also meant at pickup stop on the right turn lane.

56 Leaside, it has a drop off only stop and a boarding stop with proper signage. 83 doesn’t. We are supposed to somehow find out that drop off is at the 300 stop when vision is still pinning it inside the closed bus terminal

 

And it was my first time doing it as well. I never got that route till recently. It is pretty senior

[Turtle]

11 hours ago, CJ. said:

I don’t know. Vision still pins Donlands station at the bus terminal for 83 northbound.

Yes, the terminal. Just navigate on the vision to where it shows the stops and it will be listed. 

11 hours ago, CJ. said:

Normal temporarily stops for drop off would either have an 83 decal or an”DROP OFF ONLY” decal on the stop. It just said 300 which makes it more confusing.

It actually says temporary stop for line 2 shuttles as well. 

11 hours ago, CJ. said:

The bus announced danforth ave//Donlands station but that could have also meant at pickup stop on the right turn lane.

56 Leaside, it has a drop off only stop and a boarding stop with proper signage. 83 doesn’t.

Because the 56 can't pull up to the stop before it's departure time, it would block the road. 

11 hours ago, CJ. said:

We are supposed to somehow find out that drop off is at the 300 stop when vision is still pinning it inside the closed bus terminal

 

The stop is listed on ttc.ca

[Dominap]

Hi brother and sister. My training day start this march 20. Needs some advice

[CJ.]

6 hours ago, Turtle said:

Yes, the terminal. Just navigate on the vision to where it shows the stops and it will be listed.

The northbound stop showed Danforth Ave/Donlands Station, but it was pinned at the pickup temporaily stop location, how does that make any sense? I already let them know so hopefully its fixed eventually at least

I noticed on tracking apps such as transee, there is a duplicate of it, and one shows the 300 stop, and the other shows the boarding stop, but vision decides to only show me the pickup stop even northbound. The trip doesn't even change until I actually curb into the pickup stop in the turn lane

These inconsistencies are wild, someone must be lazy back in the office behind a computer screen

[Turtle]

5 hours ago, CJ. said:

The northbound stop showed Danforth Ave/Donlands Station, but it was pinned at the pickup temporaily stop location, how does that make any sense? I already let them know so hopefully its fixed eventually at least

It will get fixed when the elevator is finished, and the buses resume servicing the station loop. Then you'll have to wait another two years for them to remove that northbound stop from the system because the buses can't service it from the left turn lane.

 

5 hours ago, CJ. said:

I noticed on tracking apps such as transee, there is a duplicate of it, and one shows the 300 stop, and the other shows the boarding stop, but vision decides to only show me the pickup stop even northbound. The trip doesn't even change until I actually curb into the pickup stop in the turn lane

These inconsistencies are wild, someone must be lazy back in the office behind a computer screen

You ever work on the last Friday before a board period ends, and the vision system has incorrect timing points and schedule for your run? Happens all the time when a route gets a new schedule. There is lots of stuff about the system that could be better. Non priority talk request? You might as well find a payphone and call them on a landline.

[Juni4080]

21 hours ago, Dominap said:

Hi brother and sister. My training day start this march 20. Needs some advice

Congratulations ~ if you don't mind,  can I ask when you got a offer and medical check date? I'm one of the persons who is waiting for training date. I got a offer last middle of June.  Still waiting....

[CJ.]

16 hours ago, Turtle said:

It will get fixed when the elevator is finished, and the buses resume servicing the station loop. Then you'll have to wait another two years for them to remove that northbound stop from the system because the buses can't service it from the left turn lane.

 

You ever work on the last Friday before a board period ends, and the vision system has incorrect timing points and schedule for your run? Happens all the time when a route gets a new schedule. There is lots of stuff about the system that could be better. Non priority talk request? You might as well find a payphone and call them on a landline.

Today I was supposed to be doing Line 1 shuttle but I was on nova #8622 on 62 Mortimer filling in. The snow wasn't plowed properly this morning especially on those very small roads along that route. Everytime I turned it kept pinging me and saying I did different violations. One of them was "hard braking" which didn't even make sense because I was making a turn. It also showed me something like an excessive idle violation in a turn as well which doesn't even make sense at all. I also got many turn violations. I called and they told me to ignore it and it wasn't being taken account. Still it was pretty annoying dealing with this my entire shift though

My buddy, who was on 23, his screen completely froze in the morning just as he was about to start his shift at Main Station as well, had to take it all the way back to Birchmount and swap the bus

[Dominap]

5 hours ago, Juni4080 said:

Congratulations ~ if you don't mind,  can I ask when you got a offer and medical check date? I'm one of the persons who is waiting for training date. I got a offer last middle of June.  Still waiting....

i got my offer last june then july for medical and pass all requirements done last september.

[Turtle]

13 hours ago, Dominap said:

i got my offer last june then july for medical and pass all requirements done last september.

Since you aren't being specific about what is stressing you out about the application/interview process:

 

-show up on time, make sure to have your licence with you every day

-show up in appropriate business-style clothes for training (no jeans, dress shirt ($20 walmart special will do), and a tie)

-show up ready to learn, and ready to try, and ready to make new friends and be friendly and cooperative with everybody you meet

-review your training material after class and before class, ask a lot of questions if you aren't sure about something

-don't come in with any grudges or prejudgements about "the system" or how it is racist or is against you, nobody wants to hold you back based on whatever statistic you identify to, they actually want to help you along regardless of anything in your history or how you are born or identify

[Someguy3071]

On 3/3/2023 at 6:02 PM, Dominap said:

Hi brother and sister. My training day start this march 20. Needs some advice

If you go back say 10-20 pages in this thread most questions that people have about training have already been answered. If you've already read through and still have questions be specific about what you want to know.