T H E 6 T H F L O O R

Life in 6 Land

Tag Archives: Train Controller

Job Satisfaction

A recent Harris Interactive survey* found only 45% of Americans are “satisfied or extremely satisfied” with their job, while only 20% feel “passionate” about what they do. It seems a good job is becoming more difficult to come by these days. I will consider myself extremely lucky that I landed a great job, one in which that allows me to answer honestly in the “extremely satisfied” category.

Never before have I felt such satisfaction with a job I have held. While working at the airlines, for United Airlines I did feel some satisfaction but one important part of the equation that was never going to be met was the pay. Even in the best year I never cleared $60,000, this after 6 years on the job. Unfortunately that sixth year (2001) at United spelled that end and sent the airline into a worse tailspin than it was already in.

I was passionate for my position at United, from ramp serviceman to load planner and zone controller (operations supervisor) to the time I spent in Chicago in flight dispatch. As I mentioned before, the pay was never going to be there and in fact by the time I punched out of United for greener pastures my pay had decreased 35%, with only 3% given back in my final year.

Thankfully BART has been an excellent experience as I approach my second full year with the light rain system. Training was long and very stressful, but I feel I have been rewarded for the effort and hard work I put forth in order to learn the company, the system, the nature of operations and my position as a Train Controller in the Operations Control Center.

While the pay is something that would NEVER have come at the airlines, the benefits are something that are really good, especially with a wife and son, who seems to make monthly emergency room visits. The retirement plan does not include paying into Social Security, but there are two plans I have enrolled in, one in which the company uses in lieu of Social Security.

The position is unique unto itself and while I cannot compare it to any other light rail system I am still impressed every time I walk into work or a tour comes through and they see what we do from our office, which allows us to run an entire light rain system (90+ miles of track) through out the Bay Area. The job requires you grow in order to become a good or even outstanding controller. I am challenged every day I sit down for my two hour rotation and attempt to better myself. Granted I am still learning and will be for the next 4 years from what everyone says.

It’s funny to hear some bitch and complain about the company or their job (not necessarily in my department), especially those who have never worked at another company. A prime example, there is now a time clock and all employees are required to swipe in and out at work. Prior to this there was much “leniency” when it came to punching in and especially punching out. So I can understand the reasoning behind the system, but many were upset with the implementation of the time/pay system.

Thankfully I will get to put in a solid 25-30 years of work at BART and get the satisfaction of doing a good job each day, while having excellent benefits and great pay structure, as well as free rides for my commute. Can’t beat that with the way fuel prices continue to rise.

Step Up Your Game

I remember a time about 7 months ago, when I would I hate coming to work. As I was told during training, “you just puke at the door and know you are going to get your ass kicked.” And a majority of the time that was the case, so much so it caused added pressure and stress on an already strenuous on the job training program.

Now, as we approach July, I have made great strides in my work ethic and performance. I am able to take on more responsibility, multitask as I once did at the airlines and be able to type and talk at the same time. But it has not been easy, as growing pains have taught valuable lessons, most of the time learning by my mistakes. Honestly, that has been the best way to learn, while causing the most problems, but it is all part of the job.

Sunday was one of those days, where your 80 minute rotation came and went and you noticed you had worked the entire system nonstop the entire time. This has been some of the best training, on the job, without the added pressure and stress I had during training. No extra eyes watching and scrutinizing your every decision and Monday morning quarterbacking every task.

As I was told, these are good days to work because you do have to “step your game” in order to keep up with the system or else it will eat you alive. While I was a step or two behind the system I was able to keep all my trains moving, but the amount of radio traffic was unbelievable. Trains in every part of the system making inquiries, requesting information or routes, reading back instructions. But I did a fine job and had the satisfaction of knowing I did a good job.

Just four and a half more years and I think I will be settled in to the position. LOL!

Evaluation Time: Effective

It has only been since January that I have been “certified” as a Train Controller, but as mid-year approaches it is evaluation time, this coming up on my 2nd anniversary (October). While I have worked with the managers, other controllers and support personnel in the control center, this was the first time I was being evaluated for my performance.

The first evaluation was really just a baseline for the manager who completed it to use for next time. He did compare my “style” of controlling to his. I guess that is good, I am calm under pressure, don’t get excitable on the radio and remain cool and collected. Being here only 6 months as a certified controller, every day is something new, always learning in order to better myself to be a more complete controller.

There were numerous categories on which we were evaluated, with five different ratings, I ended up being “effective” on all those categories, which was fair. No reason to judge me any higher at this point, since there is still A LOT of room to grow and mature as a controller. These reviews also play into our pay raise. That is always a good thing.

This evaluation sure beats the hell out of my final evaluation at United, in which they told me I did not communicate well and I would only see a 3% raise (this after United took 35% from for pay cuts). Nothing positive out of my United review and many positive or potentially positive growth from my first BART evaluation.

Damn, I am happy I am here…

A Funny Feeling

Yesterday morning, I received a phone call while at breakfast. The call came from a friend of mine, whom I have worked with since my transfer to San Francisco with United a number of years back. He and I were both supervisors in the operations center, eventually we both made the move to BART and green pastures.

He called to tell me he was relinquishing his position as Train Controller (in training) and going back to be a Train Operator. I was saddened to hear this news because he has the mind and skills to be a great controller. I guess he delayed calling me because I would have attempted to talk him out of it. Maybe I actually pushed him too much to get in during the interview stages. I don’t know.

Regardless, he and I will still be good friends and I consider him one of the best operators we have in the system just because he is so thorough and knowledgeable. He will be a better train operator now for going through the 2.5 months of training he had, but it makes me wonder just how good of a controller he would have been. I will be curious to hear the “rumors” fly around the office when I return off vacation.

I guess he knew in his heart that this position was not for him after operating trains. I know I have talked to other former operators who are now in the operations center and sometimes they wish they were back out in the system, just them and their train.

Sense of Urgency

You know that sense, when you need to pee and you have to hold it because there is nowhere to relieve yourself. That is the sort of urgency I am talking about here when it comes to how we need to work while sitting down. Okay, so maybe we all don’t have to pee, but we must work with a sense of urgency in everything we do. I guess this is something that will come with time since becoming certified.

I have just bid for my new shift today at work, I put in for an 1800-0200 shift with Sunday and Monday off. Not the best shift, days off are cool and the schedule seems to work with our family life better than my other option of 1400-2200 (Fri/Sat off). First off this shift will pay a bit more then the other shift, more over time possibilities on this shift as well.

But it might come with some reservation because one of the other graveyard controllers does not have a very reliable attendance record, so it could be being forced to work an additional 4 hours until 0600. Again, not a big negative, but I think we can swing it, at least for the next few months until the new bid comes around.

I am finally happy to be working as a certified controller. Yesterday was my first day, but I was not able to go home early, as planned. They (management) said they own me some time coming in the future. Hopefully I see it soon. Nonetheless it feels good to be out in the office and working. Funny thing happened this morning, all three of us, former trainees were running the entire commute, system wide. A good feeling for sure to know we could do the job.