Transit Jobs NOW!!! Coast Mountain Bus is HIRING!

Does anyone know how long or difficult it is to get part time? How many hours could I get get as casual? The reason I'm asking is because I so want to leave my current job. I've been cleaning up after people for twenty years now. I don't want to do it anymore, but it's all I've done. I want this job so much....

 

Wasn't meant to be snarky. Sorry if you took it that way. Just trying to answer your question, that is all. Just trying to be as helpful as possible to everyone here. I apologize if I offended or was snarky.

 

ConventionalMan used to drive shuttle. He might have a better answer. As far as I know, shuttle drivers must work at least 4 days per pay period. Sometimes they are scrambling to cover shifts and call on those they know they can count on.

Temps earn an extra 14% $$$ in lieu of benefits too.

 

Ok thank you. I'm sorry too. I was just embarrassed. You have been a big help and I appreciate all your help.

 

Ive heard some shuttle drivers took over a year to get Seniority number. Assuming that means out of casual and P/t or FT

As superchecker mentioned up top, Casuals must work 4 days. Not sure how you can keep a second job , while waiting for a call to work if that was the case.

Might have to put 100% and be patient and ride it out .

 

All paperwork done. Ready to start on Monday!

 

Well im back and im at the interview stage again..

I have done the Video test 4 times now, since 2012
Passed everytime no issues

This will be my 4th time at the panel interview. (Next week)

I have been working for BC transit (In Fraser Valley) for the past 10 months, however the hours i get 20 or less a week, really isnt good enough to live off.. BC transit has tons and tons of casual thats only get 20 hours or less a week, and they are always hiring more.
So im trying for CM now again, mabe 4th times the charm..

 

Best of luck!

 

So who wants to be a trimmer? Lol...

On a serious note CMBC is looking for a trimmer (wish the job title would be something more appropriate haha) pretty much repairing interior upholstery, and the bellows for artic buses.

More details on www.translink.ca/drive

Pays $37.51 an hour.

 

I can't speak for everyone because, honestly, every situation is different... I have heard some people waited over a year to get a part-time or full-time roster (i.e. NOT casual) and some people were waiting less than a month. It all depends on the manpower needs of the shuttle department. People leaving, transferring or moving to casual, as well as the hours available to schedule service, all factor into how quickly (or slowly) the "permanent" positions open up.

In my case, it was 10 months from hire to a part-time roster "of my own", meaning same work every day, every week for the whole sheet on a set schedule. My guaranteed work was 21 hrs a week and the schedule was such that it was very difficult to get any extra shifts without working 6, sometimes 7 days a week. The maximum I worked as a "part-time regular" was around 30 hours. Full-time can get more of course, guaranteed 35 hours (I think that's what it is in shuttle) but some indexes pay more. The higher paying ones obviously tend to get taken first by more senior operators at signup time.

To put this into perspective: As a casual driver, I was actually making more hours every week, including more overtime and longer shifts. The catch was that I had to make myself available at ANY depot, at ANY time and nearly EVERY day, but in doing this I was consistently getting 40+ hours a week if I wanted it.

The downside as a casual? There are a few in my mind but it may be different for you depending on your priorities...

1) No benefits (medical, dental, etc) although as Superchecker mentioned, you do get 14% on top of you wage as compensation.
2) Unknown guaranteed hours. Even though I had plenty of hours, it's not always the case. You're there to fills holes in the schedule - holidays, vacation, sick operators etc
3) No set schedule. You're lucky if you know your work more than a week or two in advance - I did often. But in some cases, it's not known until the day before.
4) This is a big one if you plan on being here as a long-term career... NO seniority number.
You don't become "unionized" until you have a part- or full-time regular position. This is felt further down the road as seniority is everything, sign ups, vacation etc. For example in 10 months driving as casual I made more hours (hence $$$) but I had no seniority. A few people I know, who joined the company after me (as Conventional, not Shuttle) are quite a LOT higher than me seniority wise but that's the way it works.

Anyway it's getting long-winded, but some final thoughts... If I had to do it again? If it's about the hours, casual is a way to technically do that... I would advise only for a short time though. You CAN get burned out quickly if you're not careful. I would probably do it the same way again as at least you can adjust your own schedule a bit. If Conventional is your ultimate goal, then get in your pre-requisite hours as quickly as you can and move over. Once you're there, it's full-time, regular status with benefits, etc, right away.

People say I should have waited for a full-time spot instead of part-time... would have made no difference to my case in particular because 2 months later I was training in Conventional, but full-time indexes are very scarce and taken quickly by senior ops.

So, as I said at the top, it's a different road for everyone, which changes sometimes daily. I do know they are running A LOT of classes for conventional ( I have heard they are training upwards of 400 new operators this year) and that your opportunity to move over could happen relatively quickly.

Hope this makes things clear as mud now!

EDIT - P.S. I forgot to mention... open rosters (full-time work) are posted all the time and you may apply to any and all of them as they come up. As usual it is filled by seniority based on who applies for it but you may be surprised if no one else wants it and get your permanent spot very quickly.

 

For the training class on Monday we will be 14 people. I'm excited!

 

Most likely you'll be split into pairs; and will share/split driving time.

Some training classes really mesh together well and continue to meet up monthly/seasonally after training.

 

In other words, cafeteria is going to be full of people without uniform lol.

 

Just a note: the cafeteria is no longer an actual cafeteria. The kitchens were shut down years ago now. Just a few vending machines and microwaves now. I know in Richmond they offer hot lunches on most payday Fridays for like $6, but I don't know if Vancouver does anything like that.

 

Exactly!! Lol

 

I'm surprised... we all had to get our uniforms a week or two before training. We were required to wear them. In fact, when I originally trained in shuttle, we were required to wear our ties. When I went through conventional training, ties were no longer mandatory.

 

Ties were required for a very long time. Don't know when/why they stopped?

 

I got promoted from casual to reduced (part-time) in Shuttle! It took me about 4 months. Next month when the new sheet begins, I will finally be on a "set schedule." It'll only be around 20 hours a week to start, but at least I get a seniority number.

It's like how even though I started training and working before @TypeRNammer finished his training, he is higher up on seniority than me. Lol...

 

Do you like shuttle? Does it suit your needs? Any desire to eventually come to big bus? Or move into office jobs?

We never had shuttle back when I started.

 

I enjoy Shuttle work and it suits my needs at the moment. But I would also like to drive the Conventional buses in the future. I don't think I will choose an office job, as I prefer driving buses instead.