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

Good Luck! Most of it is just common sense... You are NOT a cop... Safety First! Maybe someone who's taken the test more recent than me might offer up some advice???

 

FYI: Just noticing an INTERNAL job posting up this week looking for a INTERIOR BUS CLEANER, FTR, $26 an hour...

If NOT filled Internally, it might show up on the main Coast Mountain Bus Company page next week...

 

I have done the test a couple times now, once 2013, and once in 2014, each time was an easy pass.
its the same video from the mid 90's, just consider what keeps your passengers safe, and you will be fine.

 

This posting is still active....

 

The CUSTOMER INFORMATION CLERK- CASUAL posting tht had been active since May has FINALLY come down off the website...

Used to pop up 3 or 4 times a year but just for 5 business days at a time...

 

BREAKING NEWS: Coast Mountain Bus Company is once again accepting online applications for COMMUNITY SHUTTLE TRANSIT OPERATOR TRAINEES! Part time or even just Casual to start...

www.translink.ca/drive and THEN Coast Mountain Bus Company!

 

Curiously, I have a friend who failed the video test a few years ago and he's university educated. He is now a senior medical student at UBC studying to be a doctor.

 

BREAKING NEWS! COAST MOUNTAIN BUS COMPANY is in need of 8 MORE GENERAL SECURITY PATROL Officers...

www.translink.ca/drive and THEN "Coast Mountain Bus Company" if interested!

 

ON a side note: Just noticed an Internal Job Posting for Temporary Acting Instructors... (Trainers)

So, either the existing Acting Instructors have come to the end of their year long assignments (There is a limit as to how long someone can be a temporary/acting Instructor) OR Training is gearing up for MORE hiring in the new year...

 

The Internal posting is for "8" Acting Instructors...

Also an Internal posting up today for CUSTOMER INFORMATION CLERK- FTR...

 

This particular posting appears to have come down off the website as of todays date....

 

Hello, my name is Manuel Balong-Angey and I am interested in applying for Conventional Transit Opertator Trainee. I have been a O/O 5-ton van truck driver for the last 7 years. My email address is [email protected] and my number (cell) is (604)-760-3974. Thank you for your consideration.

 

For all the details about the hiring process, and to find out when they are accepting applications: www.translink.ca/drive and then click onto "Coast Mountain Bus Company"... I only post about the potential opportunities... I DON'T do any hiring... I'm assuming that they'll be hiring early in the new year... They usually accept like 3000 applications to try and weed down to 300 new drivers...

 

Hi Superchecker! I applied for a conventional operator trainee early this year, passed the testing but they stopped hiring before I got an interview and haven't posted for conventional operators since. I applied to the most recent community shuttle position in hopes to get my foot in the door that way. I haven't heard anything yet.

My ultimate goal is to be a conventional operator. Is there any disadvantage of starting out with the community shuttle? As a community shuttle operator do you get fist dibs at the postings for conventional operators?

I also wanted to thank you for all your posts. You are very helpful and I appreciate you always taking the time to reply and keeping everyone up-to-date.

 

Community Shuttle is PART Time, and pays a few dollars less per hour than Conventional... Less benefits... Shuttle works anywhere in the system- one day downtown- one day Port Coquitlam; one day Surrey..., where as Conventional is broken up into 6 depot areas... Everyone starts out in Vancouver... You can then move around as your seniority improves- if desired...
Some prefer to work a few years at Shuttle to gain some experience and to build a little seniority....
When I started we didn't have Shuttle... It's only been around for about 12 years or so, now...

"Some" of the old timers look down at Shuttle as the guys/gals that took all the good work away from Conventional...

I'm assuming since Training has a new bulletin up for 8 Acting Instructors that there will be some hiring in the new year...

I guess it boils sown to what the company is offering when they offer you a job, AND if Part Time is what you want for the first year or so....

If you have the time, maybe go out and r-i-d-e- a few shuttle routes and ask the Ops how they like it, etc...

If you haven't gone out and ridden some of the city trolley routes lately, I'd suggest doing that too as new Conventional Ops will be doing routes like the #3, 8, 16, 20, etc...
Go out and ride a round trip on a Friday night or Saturday night... See how the work really is... Some Ops are chatty, some aren't...

In approx 1 year Oakridge (Community Shuttle) and North Van (Conventional) depots are set to finally close... And ultimately be replaced/shuffled over to the new Hamilton Depot at Westminster Hwy & Boundary Road...

If you ever want to chat, you can "start a conversation" here as well....

 

Back in September (2014), there was a 30,000 service hours CUT in Shuttle, so they had an Internal Posting July-August looking for current Shuttle Ops who wanted to upgrade to Conventional...

My understanding is somewhere around 35 Shuttle Ops were accepted and have upgraded their training and have now switched to Conventional...

The hiring wheels at CMBC are not always moving very fast... I've heard of new hires taking anywhere from 6 to 18 months to finally go thru the whole process...

For me, I already had my foot in the door here, and it then it still took about 5 months to go thru the process to get on as a driver...

I do wish you luck! And hope you are keeping busy in the meantime...

And, like I said: Go out and ride the routes that you might one day be driving... Makes the process a little less hectic... Some drivers are quite chatty...

Conventional Training is quite overwhelming for many... The Air Brakes system; The Pre Trip Inspection; then getting your class #2 (Road Test); The fares; the zones; the fareboxes; they dozens of different fare tickets and passes; the radio system; Company policies and procedures; Forms; The Depot Office; Sign up; Picking work; The National Safety Code; Vacation sign ups; Trades; the bullpen; booking off sick; resuming; sick pay; paydays; Family Days-LOA; Learning the routes; learning the websites; meeting your Union reps; dress code-uniforms... And the list goes on...

 

Just an add to this point... if you don't mind

I've been a Shuttle Operator for about 11 months and applied to conventional (as that is my goal anyway) near the tail end of the transfer hiring in August. I was fast-tracked through the process, had my drivers test again, my medical and was told to get my Class 2 learners (with air endorsement) all within two weeks. My training looks like it may finally be early February unless staffing requirements change. So, slow? Yes, but I have a good job and am building seniority and it's all good. Which leads to my next point...

As to starting in Shuttle and moving over... I haven't obviously been to Conventional yet, but in my opinion, I can't see it being at all a bad idea if it's the only route in the door. You learn all the ropes, the systems, general passenger behavior, different areas of the city, paddles, paperwork, etc, just on a smaller scale. Once you hit training for conventional, I can imagine the stress being MUCH less as you already have the basics and can concentrate much more efficiently on the nuts and bolts of the new equipment, the air brakes, the trolleys, etc... just my opinion

With regards to "first dibs" on Conventional operator jobs, yes and no from what I understand. I have been told that the norm is TWO shuttle ops per each conventional class intake. If I knew where I was on the list I could tell you how many classes there are between now and February as that is when I am told I should be going. It works off of seniority too, so if three guys ahead of me in shuttle want to go to conventional, after I already applied, they go first. It's very fluid and things change all the time, from people quitting/retiring, to taking other positions within the company, so lots can happen in the meantime to affect your schedule!

And as for other "big bus" drivers looking down on you, few and far between, it happens, but less than the ops who actually enjoy chatting about the difference between shuttle and conventional. The few who do look down their noses at shuttle are just sour anyway. And I don't care how "senior" you are, if you are a jerk to me, I'll have something to say Sadly there are some ops, conventional AND shuttle who just would rather be anywhere else lol

And there are actually Full-time, Part-time (reduced) and Casual classifications in shuttle. Everyone starts as reduced and works up from there!

Hope this gives a bit of insight! And thanks to Superchecker for SO much help and wealth of info! If you have questions about my experience as in Shuttle, please feel free to ask or "chat"!

 

Thanx ShuttleMan!

 

Any idea what the pay is like for this position?

 

$21.76 an hr to start... "Regular" status employees also get all union benefits and vacation time... "Temporary" staff would earn an extra 22% in lieu of benefits...

Head office is now located near Sapperton Station, and then we have 7 regional transit depots, Customer Information, Lost Property, SeaBus, and dozens of bus loops and exchanges....