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

Just read in the Vancouver Sun that the head of Translink is putting expansion of the trasit system on hold due to funding shortfalls. Perhaps it is just as well that I only got so far in the hiring process earlier this year because it looks like there may not be jobs after all.

Something will have to be done in the future as more people are taking transit and in many area's the buses are packed.

 

i am an apprentice mechanic looking for a job wondering if there is any openings

 

Well Kyle, if you go to their website www.coastmountainbus.com/careers/ and click onto View On-Line Job Opportunities, up comes a list of their latest job postings that are open to the public to apply for...

Sometimes, if there are MORE than 5 job titles, click onto NEXT to see the next set of up to 5 more job titles..

Opportunities can come and go almost daily. Some opportunities only get posted for 5 business days and then they are gone....

 

Just reading through this thread and wanted to reply to Victor. He asks if anyone has ever been told no, come back in a year, and actually been hired. I can say YES! I have. I'm a transit driver currently working out of the Vancouver depot. I originally applied for transit in 2005, got through the video test and had a panel interview. I was not hired at that time. I moved to Alberta to test the waters there, came back to BC in 2008 and tried transit again. This time I got through the panel interview, and all the steps that followed and am happily employed with CMBC today. I had a few years between applications, and I did mention during the second interview that I had previously applied and was happy to have another opportunity. This might have helped, and clearly didn't hurt. I think you should re-apply in a year if it's still something you want. If you don't already have customer service experience, perhaps getting a part time or temporary job in that field might better prepare you to answer some of their questions. A lot of them were customer related and much different than the type of questions I experienced the first time around which were more focused on driving and rules of the road. (Of course a job within CMBC or TransLink will be better, but just an option if one doesn't roll your way.)

 

TransLink (www.translink.ca), located near Metrotown in Burnaby, has just added a new job posting for a PRODUCTION ASSISTANT- ENTERPRISE MARKETING (?), FULL TIME- TEMPORARY (37.5 hours per week), FOR 6 MONTHS...

GETS YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR, AND THEN HAVE ACCESS TO INTERNAL VACANCIES!!!

ALSO: Cloverdale based HandyDart is also hiring "multiple" CASUAL DRIVERS & CALL CENTRE STAFF as well... www.mvtcanada.com is the link...

 

Coast Mountain Bus is currently accepting applications for MARINE ATTENDANTS- CASUAL...

 

Hi Gang! Just thought I'd pass on the fact that not only is there a bit of a hiring freeze on at Coast Mountain Bus Company, there are now rumours of some potential lay offs later on this summer...
Apparently, with the planned Fall 2012 Service Improvements "On Hold", and more operators deciding to NOT retire at retirement age, there m-a-y-b-e- layoffs in the order of 14 to 28??? As soon as I see/hear something official, I will post it....

In the meantime: If you really want to get your foot in the door with transit, keep your eyes on the websites... It might be slim pickings for the next few months or so...
-"AirCare" is actively hiring Part Time Lane Inspectors?
-"HandyDart" has been accepting applications for Casual staff?
-"BC Transit- VICTORIA" has been accepting driver training applications?
-"Transit Police" have been actively recruiting new Officers?
-Maybe check out other employers such as city/municipal websites, Canada Post, Casinos, BC Government... BC Ferries? BC Hydro? Fortis BC? WestJet?

 

Still a bit of a hiring freeze at most lower mainland transit companies...

The occasional opportunity has come up, but no "major" hiring at this time...

There was a notice up at Coast Mountain last week, stating that those new operators that were laid off/offered alternative opportunities back in May are now being recalled/re-activated as Transit Operators...

"Keep the faith", they will need to hire again shortly. I don't know if they have funds to hire before the new budget year which comes around next April... Originally, the plan for 2012 was to hire approx 300 new drivers. Then the funding "crisis" hit in April, and they had to find/cut $30,000,000.00 for 2012...

If they find the funding, there are plans for major service improvements in the Surrey area. New B-Line route (#399) connecting Guildford-Surrey Central-Newton & White Rock, and a new Rapid Bus connecting Langley/Walnut Grove with the SkyTrain at either Lougheed or Brentwood Town Centre... Richmond is set to get 25 new artic buses late 2012/early 2013, freeing up 25 older Artics for that planned Surrey B-line route I mentioned above...

Stay tuned, and pop into those websites regularly!

 

TransLink has a new, detailed, web page about becoming a Transit Operator... The 8 steps in the recruitment process, Qualifications, Pay and Benefits, and a FAQ page too...

www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Careers/Bus-Operators.aspx is the link!

 

I would like to drive the Skytrain.

 

"ProTransBC", the Canada Line operator/contractor, was hiring about a month and a half ago... $25 hr to start, www.protransbc.com or their is a link for the other SkyTrain over on the careers page of www.translink.ca

 

Hello! UPDATE: SEPT 8, 2012; Coast Mountain Bus Company is currently NOT accepting applications for Transit Operators at this time...

If you go to www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Careers.aspx You will discover links to the following Employment Opportunities within the transit industry;

-TransLink has TWENTY THREE Opportunities listed!
-Coast Mountain Bus Company has 5 opportunities listed,
-SkyTrain (BC Rapid Transit Co) has 6 opportunities listed,
-Transit Police is still actively recruiting new Officers, as well as 2 other opportunities listed too...

Google "ProTransBC" (Canada Line) and discover that they are still looking for a DUTY MANAGER...
Google "BC Transit" and discover their needing Transit Operators as well as Certified Mechanics...

Opportunities come and go regularly! Many Opportunities only get posted for 5 business days...CHECK BACK OFTEN!

Another GREAT website to check out is www.civicinfo.bc.ca/16.asp

 

Coast Mountain Bus Company has just added a posting for CUSTOMER INFORMATION CLERKS- PART TIME- TEMPORARY to start...

Their north Surrey call centre is open EVERYDAY from 6:30am til 11:30pm, so shifts could be anywhere in that timeframe...

Go to www.translink.ca and then onto their CAREERS PAGR and then scroll down to COAST MOUNTAIN BUS COMPANY to find the posting!

Often only posted for 5 business days!

 

Coast Mountain Bus Company is still NOT accepting applications for Transit Operators, BUT has about a half a dozen other postings at this time...

BC Transit-Victoria continues to accept applications for Transit Operators...

TransLink does also have about 30 (Office type) Opportunities listed on their website too....

 

Hello Superchecker,

Since you are inside at Coast Mountain I was wondering what the word is these days. It was almost a year ago that I applied for a CMBC Operator position. I got to the second stage and was very disappointed that I didn't get further in the process however I now wonder if those selected last spring in the hiring "blitz" actually received a permanent position.

Lately I have been reading nothing but doom and gloom stories about the lack of funding, etc. for Translink. In one story I read that there may be no hiring of new drivers for a few years or more , unless funding can be found to increase service in the system.

What do you hear on the inside? Are the media reports true , is the hiring freeze on for some time to come? Interested in your thoughts.

 

Hi Victor, I don't think I have much "good" to say.... Originally the plan for 2012 was to hire approx 300 new operators, but BAMM- Mid April! everything changed: Budget cuts, budgets frozen, trying to find an additional $30,000,00.00 each year in savings: There were 2 classes in Training that were laid off back in May... (I think at least one class has since been recalled and finished their training)... CMBC has closed the 2 company Cafeterias this past summer and laid those staff members off... Rumours of up to 60 Maintenance staff getting laid off next month... Rumours that if the Training Department isn't training, then they might lay off the Instructors....
I believe CMBC is in the process of cutting/reducing service on the least used routes to then re-deploy those unused service hours onto the new bus routes over the Port Mann bridge (Langley-Lougheed), and to launch the Surrey B Line route (Guildford-Surrey Central-Newton Exch) sometime next year as well...
I doubt that there would be any new hiring of drivers until at least the next budget year= April 1, 2013... Unless additional $$$ is found somewhere before then...

I don't know if it's a consideration for you or not, but VICTORIA-BC TRANSIT IS HIRING! They've had both driving opportunities listed on their website all summer and fall...
Slightly lower wages, but same pension plan, same Union, CAW -different local, #333....

 

I haven't heard anything official as of yet, but I heard from one applicant for driver that he just received an email from Coast Mountain with some possible training class dates that begin in the new year....

Stay Tuned....

I will say that they just eliminated 60 positions in the maintenance/mechanical/tradespersons areas of Coast Mountain Bus...

 

My ultimate dream job right now is to be a conventional transit driver. I'm currently working for Canada West Coachlines (tour bus company) out of Kamloops. I just past 2 years of employment already with them. I'm waiting for the green light on the careers page to apply and I'll move to surrey. I was just reading your thread about them sending an email. I was wondering if I should wait til their is an actual posting on the career portal before applying or if I should go through the career portal and choose apply anyway which sends my application without having to click the specific job. Apparently even if there isn't a job posting you can send in your application 'anyway'. Do you think that'll get my name in early. Or should I just wait for the job posting?

Thanks

Regards
Mike

 

Well Mike, I don't work directly with head office, but this is what I know: Originally the plan was to hire 300 new Operators over the course of 2012- like approx 14 every 2 weeks... Then came the financial crunch back in late April, and Coast Mountain Bus Company had to "find" $30,000,000.00 is immediate savings.... In early May, the hammer came down, and 2 classes that were in Training got lay off notices... The union and the company negotiated and those classes were allowed to actually finish, and I believe all but a few were found "alternative" positions within the company, AND were hired back as drivers before the end of October...
Since that hammer came down: The company has closed the 2 cafeterias, offered early retirement incentives to all but driving staff, layed off Road Supervisors, Eliminated 60 maintenance staff & supervisors, and I'd hate to be in the Training Department if they ain't training anyone...
I was surprised in September when there was an actual posting for CUSTOMER INFORMATION CLERKS...
I don't know what the near future will bring, but the "new" budget years always start April 1...
All I can say is keep your eye on the website, maybe call 604-953-3000 and ask for HR...
I did hear thru one person associated with Training that he heard that there might be a few classes in early the new year of existing "Shuttle" drivers getting trained to become "Conventional" operators...
TransLink is in the process of doing a Service Optimization plan for 2013, which basically means looking at cutting some of the least used service hours/routes and then re-deploying those hours onto the busiest routes...
And drivers have been working without a contract/collective agreement since last April 1....
If and when you do get on as a Conventional Operator, you would be starting out of the Vancouver/Marpole depot... Nothing wrong with living in Surrey, but it can be quite the commute. You may want to be close to the south Surrey park & ride (?) and bus #351 to Bridgeport Station... Or close to SkyTrain?
Oh- And Victoria/BC Transit has been accepting applications all year so far....

GOOD LUCK!

 

Coast Mountain Bus is currently looking for a CARPENTER- F.T.T. for 6 months, $35.43 an hour to start....

Find the link over on the CAREERS PAGE at www.translink.ca or Google: Coast Mountain Bus Company...