TTC Application Process

[CJ.]

19 minutes ago, Turtle said:

Omfg, you are clueless. By the HTA and internal ttc policies, do not use your cellphone at any time you are responsible for a vehicle while sitting in the seat. If you need to use your cellphone for whatever reason, secure the vehicle at a safe location (i.e. at a stop), step off the bus and use it.

 

That being said: You shouldn't be using your cellphone for any reason while on the job.

 

By the HTA, it's 6 demerit points. That is a licence downgrade. Licence downgrade = CSA if you are lucky enough that they are compassionate towards you and your life situation. If not, if you are a problem employee and they are happy to get rid of you, thanks for wasting the unions' money

So explain why the supervisor doesn't give a shit when an operator is on 2-3 min layover at a station or terminal stop if the operator is using their phone or not?

As long as its outside the vehicle its okay

[Turtle]

12 minutes ago, CJ. said:

So explain why the supervisor doesn't give a shit when an operator is on 2-3 min layover at a station or terminal stop if the operator is using their phone or not?

As long as its outside the vehicle its okay

It's almost like you guys have a reading comprehension issue. Sorry, by current social norms, I shouldn't be using the term "guys". 

 

The supervisor specifically does not give a shit about that operator because they are doing their job. Sure, it would be great if that op would be using their personal electronic device out of the view of the general public, but for the most part if you basically do your job you will be left alone to do your job in any manner you choose. Just do your job and stfu

[Turtle]

5 hours ago, CJ. said:

There's an operator who stops the bus at a stop, and puts on the parking brake and uses their phone to make sure their child arrived home safely, surely it would be evil for the commission to fire them for that

In the seat, with the bus on the street? Highway Traffic Act violation as well as workplace safety rule violation.

 

Couldn't they wait until the end to check? Couldn't they secure the bus safely at a stop, get out of the bus and check? 

[CJ.]

5 minutes ago, Turtle said:

In the seat, with the bus on the street? Highway Traffic Act violation as well as workplace safety rule violation.

 

Couldn't they wait until the end to check? Couldn't they secure the bus safely at a stop, get out of the bus and check? 

Yes I shall clarify that is what they do. Parking brake, at stop then use phone (outside of operators area)

[Turtle]

23 hours ago, CJ. said:

Yes I shall clarify that is what they do. Parking brake, at stop then use phone (outside of operators area)

Optically that's still kind of a dick move though. How do you think the passengers on that bus perceive the ops actions? Couldn't it wait another 20 minutes until the bus is at a station or end point? Did they just service a few stops and not wait for running customers, only to secure the bus, get out and waste 30 seconds checking their phone to see if their kid made it safely?

[Ttcley]

Anyone else starting training tomorrow?

[ZümmyZüm]

I like to imagine all of you going at it actually are good friends in the division and have no idea you’re about to rip each others heads off online.. let’s go back to letting new hires figure their future careers out, shall we? 

[Turtle]

13 hours ago, ZümmyZüm said:

I like to imagine all of you going at it actually are good friends in the division and have no idea you’re about to rip each others heads off online.. let’s go back to letting new hires figure their future careers out, shall we? 

I don't know about being good friends at the division. I found it worse than high school with all the cliques and gossip.

[Uptop1519]

Hello All,

I am looking to receive honest  feedback and comments from new / long term employees and those in between. I'm having doubts about whether I want to move forward with the training. I currently work 9-5 office job, no weekends but getting tired of the same old routine and want to make a change. I understand I will have to give up this type of work environment and have to work shift work, nights, holidays, etc... 

What's the work culture like?

Do you feel your safety is at risk even more especially with the recent stabbings? How does the TTC protect employees when it comes to verbal, physical abuse?

Odd question, but how do y'all take Bathroom breaks or even a breather from a crazy customer/confrontation. What about taking a lunch?

What are the supervisors like? 

Although, the pay and pension sounds nice. Money isn't everything.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Jayhyrule]

3 hours ago, Uptop1519 said:

Hello All,

I am looking to receive honest  feedback and comments from new / long term employees and those in between. I'm having doubts about whether I want to move forward with the training. I currently work 9-5 office job, no weekends but getting tired of the same old routine and want to make a change. I understand I will have to give up this type of work environment and have to work shift work, nights, holidays, etc... 

What's the work culture like?

Do you feel your safety is at risk even more especially with the recent stabbings? How does the TTC protect employees when it comes to verbal, physical abuse?

Odd question, but how do y'all take Bathroom breaks or even a breather from a crazy customer/confrontation. What about taking a lunch?

What are the supervisors like? 

Although, the pay and pension sounds nice. Money isn't everything.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

If I were able to make similar money in a mon-fri 9-5 setting, I would do that instead of being an operator. My main reason is that the scheduling is really different, no consistency especially for new hires, and no weekends off. If you’re at all a social personal with friends, you’ll be missing a lot of events and to me that sucks. But financially, TTc has been great and it’s a sacrifice I decided to make. And if you have kids, be prepared to not see them as much. Also with 12+ crew spreads, it may take a while to get used to so you may be more tired than you’re used go. 

People in my division are nice overall. Most coworkers are welcoming and understand the difficulties of the job and give you tips on how to survive.

Supervivors overall are good, I don’t interact with them unless they initiate. They don’t seem that bad. 
 

On safety,  I’ve luckily never had anything serious happen, but I can see how they can happen. Avoid enforcing fares and 99% of your troubles are gone. Maintain composure with the mentally I’ll and usually you’ll be ok. 
 

overall if you learn to live with the types of work, and the weird days off, it’s an ok job and it gets better in time with seniority, or so they say. 
 

good luck with you decision
 

 

 

 

[Uptop1519]

That's what I'm afraid of, losing my social life but like you said it's a sacrifice you decided to make. Thanks for your input, much appreciated.

 

 

[SMS]

I am not a TTC employee but I do drive a city bus. My opinion is this. Do you want a defined benefit pension at retirement? Is it worth sacrificing your social life? Only you can answer this question.

With regard to food breaks... I have long given up on bringing cutlery and full meals to work. I eat at home... what I can snack on at work without sullying up the work station (bananas, cookies, for instance) goes a long way in lieu of depending on fast food which is an excellent way of getting fat. I buy the case of bubly at Costco, cheaper and in many regards healthier than expensive cans of soda at vending machines. Again, another excellent way of becoming fat and diabetic.

There are almost 500 pages worth of discussion on joining the TTC, I don't know if you have hours to burn by reading through it all, I wish you luck all the same. And don't let the bastards get you down.

[av2002]

Does anyone have any insight on what’s involved in the wheel trans medical exam? 

[Turtle]

On 3/27/2023 at 3:19 PM, Uptop1519 said:

Hello All,

I am looking to receive honest  feedback and comments from new / long term employees and those in between. I'm having doubts about whether I want to move forward with the training. I currently work 9-5 office job, no weekends but getting tired of the same old routine and want to make a change. I understand I will have to give up this type of work environment and have to work shift work, nights, holidays, etc... 

What's the work culture like?

Like everywhere else, but with an added bit of construction worker/trades shop maleness culture. You get exposed to some verbal abuse from passengers, and you get some verbal abuse from the old school militant supervisory staff, but generally people are nice and helpful. Those old school militant people are thinning out now, but be prepared to raise your voice slightly but professionally to defend yourself in a divisional interview if you are correct and innocent. Otherwise, a great place to work. Lots of opportunity.

 

Customers will leave you alone for the most part if you leave them alone. Of course, there are those people with issues that need their hands held to get to their destination, those ones are difficult since you need a lot of patience and understanding esp with a tight schedule.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 3:19 PM, Uptop1519 said:

Do you feel your safety is at risk even more especially with the recent stabbings? How does the TTC protect employees when it comes to verbal, physical abuse?

They can't protect employees 100%. There is always someone looking for trouble, or looking to unload their bad day on someone else.

 

Currently some non-operations staff have been issued keys to get in the cabs of line 2 trains so they can hide in there on their commute, and they have issued guidelines for riding transit while at work or on the way to work, such as keeping your back to the walls and being aware of your surroundings. At work driving the bus, you are at risk for getting shot or getting egged when you open your front doors, but that is rare. Usually it's a random drunk kid who thinks it's funny to tie a cinder block from a bridge over the subway, or throw a pumpkin at the front windshield of the bus. Passengers are in as much danger as the operator generally.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 3:19 PM, Uptop1519 said:

Odd question, but how do y'all take Bathroom breaks or even a breather from a crazy customer/confrontation. What about taking a lunch?

There are no scheduled breathers. Safety is #1, so if you are having an episode of road rage, or having trouble concentrating you can pull over and take a breather to calm yourself. But don't make it a usual occurrence. It gets easier with experience. You're not a cop, you can't force someone to conform to your social norms. It's public transit, the whole point of it is to safely operate the vehicle so that anybody can get from A to B.

 

Every once in a while, especially if you are in streetcar, that nice little break in a loop that you gamed a little extra time for is ruined by a camper who has been on your vehicle for longer than you. Bonus is when they smell like pig manure and are smoking crack in the back of the vehicle. Or extra bonus is when you are on your run in trip and they refuse to leave, even though the line you are on has 24hr service and the next vehicle is a few minutes away. Not your problem, call it in, and collect the overtime. It adds up quickly.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 3:19 PM, Uptop1519 said:

What are the supervisors like? 

Like the operators, some are jerks, most are great and helpful.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 3:19 PM, Uptop1519 said:

Although, the pay and pension sounds nice. Money isn't everything.  Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

The defined benefit pension at the end of your career is extremely nice, even though you probably won't live long after you retire (health reasons from being in a "bus driving job" all your life). Nowhere else has this anymore, unless you want to be a ceo or work in a gov't job. Save a little money on the side, invest wisely, and have that pension to fall back on. Start early in life, and you can retire in your 50's and go work somewhere else until the Canadian pension kicks in, Combined with the ttc pension and possibly some oas, you will be very fortunate in retirement.

 

On 3/30/2023 at 9:09 AM, av2002 said:

Does anyone have any insight on what’s involved in the wheel trans medical exam? 

Same as the medical for any other modes. It's the police background checks that are slightly more thorough.

[Jayhyrule]

There has been moves in the federal government to change defined benefits pensions to defined contribution. I’m not sure how that change is going. 
Mira up to our union to protect the defined benefits and luckily TTC’s unit in president says he will defend that for us and seems passionate about it

[81-717]

On 3/2/2023 at 11:17 AM, Turtle said:

just because the driver that was supposed to be at the station at 2:30pm left at 2:25.

I'm not an insider, and I don't mean to intrude on an insider-only thread, but from a passenger perspective I just want to say, people that just got off the train and are frantically running up the stairs at 2:29 to catch a 2:30 bus are relying on the bus to wait until its scheduled departure time.

[Turtle]

Just a good piece of advice for anybody in a customer service role: you will never win an argument with someone even if you are right.

 

They will be unhappy that you are trying to maintain schedule and are killing a little time at every major intersection.

 

They will be unhappy when you are 5 mins late and don't wait for them running for your vehicle, like where were you 5 mins ago when the bus was supposed to arrive at the stop in the first place?

 

They will be unhappy that the fare increased $0.10, when fuel and every other costs have increased 5x that.

 

They will be unhappy that the driver of the bus ahead of you did whatever, and need to vent.

 

They will just be unhappy, and want to bait you into an argument for tiktok views.

 

Best to keep your mouth shut, shrug your shoulders, and say nothing at all unless they are asking for help with something. Better yet, don't even shrug your shoulders or react at all.

 

[Turtle]

On 4/11/2023 at 9:25 AM, Jayhyrule said:

There has been moves in the federal government to change defined benefits pensions to defined contribution. I’m not sure how that change is going. 
Mira up to our union to protect the defined benefits and luckily TTC’s unit in president says he will defend that for us and seems passionate about it

What they want to do, they will do despite what you thought you agreed to when you initially got hired. Still waiting for that decision on the essential service right to strike thing. It has been a decade I think since they did the essential service thing, even though there is precedent in other much more essential sectors.

[Tee]

Hey guys,

I got my offer for the op position in September of 2022. Anybody else get it in the same time frame? Anybody hear back from their recruiter about training start dates? Thanks! 

[Rekognize]

[Adam00]

On 3/21/2023 at 7:09 PM, Ttcley said:

Anyone else starting training tomorrow? how long have you been waiting to revive your training date? 

[Ttcley]

5 hours ago, Adam00 said:

On 3/21/2023 at 7:09 PM, Ttcley said:

Anyone else starting training tomorrow? how long have you been waiting to revive your training date? 

Job offer in November and training date in March 

[Adam00]

On 4/30/2023 at 5:21 PM, Tee said:

Hey guys,

I got my offer for the op position in September of 2022. Anybody else get it in the same time frame? Anybody hear back from their recruiter about training start dates? Thanks! 

I got mine in Oct, the last time I spoke to the recruiter they said that I would be maybe getting a training day in the second half of the year other then that it’s been very vague on details or a time frame. It’s just been a waiting and guessing game lol 

[av2002]

Any updates for anyone waiting on a training date?  

[Toronto416]

Hello everyone,

I applied in November 2022 but still did not even get a Wonderlic Assessment.

I was told we should be getting in within days of applying, initially

I spoke with a recruiter and she said it woudl be earlier this year which got changed to Summer of this year and I still have not heard back anything.

Has anyone applied around this time and got to do the Wonderlic Assessment or heard anything back?

 

Thank you