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• Stressful job. Will make you miserable.
  
  
  
  Once you graduate, be ready to work split shifts (4 hours on, 4 hours off and 4 hours again). You will be away from home for 12 hours but only get paid for 8 hours. Once your seniority gets better, you will be able to sign early straight shifts. It took me around four years until I was able to sign work that started at 4 AM and ended at Noon. If you want early straights and weekends off, good luck. Maybe in 15 years. I like weekdays off, so it’s all good for me.
  
  
  
  When you are a junior operator, most routes left for you will be the ones that go through Hastings. All the garbage routes that go through the Downtown Eastside. It’s going to feel like driving a free hop-on-hop-off but keep your mouth shut and don’t make eye contact. Doing this will reduce the risk of getting assaulted. Be ready to plug your nose at times too. Sometimes it’s a smell that you can never imagine.
  
  
  
  Once you finally figure out what this job is like, you will become miserable. After many years of driving through the Downtown Eastside, you will learn how messed up this world is. Dealing with people who are rude, grumpy, miserable and aggressive will start to get to you.
  
  
  
  Be ready to pedal to the metal because the schedules are tight. If you don’t drive efficiently, you will lose your break at the end of each side. It’s stressful when you are running late with the thought of having no time for a washroom break at the end. Not even a few minutes at the terminus to decompress if you are late. Passengers criticize you for being late. Some even scream at you. It’s not your fault, but you have to sit there and absorb everything. If you use the washroom anyways and leave late, there will be more people at every stop causing a snowball effect. Now you will be super late with a fully loaded bus. Every bus stop you pull into will have angry-looking people. Don’t look at them. It’s scary.
  
  
  
  Most of the time, the time they give you to drive from a certain point to another point is the same time Google Maps says it takes for a car. If you Google Maps search the same route and leave time for driving, the estimated arrival time is the same time you get. Sometimes even a few minutes less. Busses need to service stops, so schedules like these are hard to keep on time. Also, your break at the end of the line starts before you get to the unloading bay to unload passengers. It takes time to park the bus too. On paper, it may state that you have 10 minutes, but in reality, there will only be 5 minutes left before you are due to leave. The worst is when you are supposed to have 5 minutes, but after unloading the passengers and looping around, you have zero minutes left.
  
  
  
  Many drivers I know were once happy, but now they are miserable. Watch your mental state. Get help when you need it. This job will change you without you even knowing it. Your family will be able to tell.
  
  
  
  The co-workers you meet here are the best people ever! All your brothers and sisters. You can vent about everything to them. They will understand you.
  
  
  
  To survive in this job, you need to learn not to care about anything and not let things get to you. The easiest way is to keep your mouth shut, don’t look at anyone. Make your money and go home. The pay is not bad for a job that doesn’t require an education. 75k-80k/year. Sunday is 1.5x. The benefits are okay. If you end your shift passed your finish time, you can claim OT. Even 1 minute. Every minute beyond your finish time becomes 1.5x.
  
  
  
  On the bright side, no boss is watching you. You get to drive around for fun. You get to change your days off or hours four times a year. You get three weeks of vacation. If you bank your stats, you get an extra two weeks off. Know that you will always be late. Just stop caring about the schedule. Drive slowly and enjoy the scenery. Learn to love being late. Angry passengers will make you laugh.   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 24 November 2022 by Rater #19 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 10 1

• Started off as a stressful job but over the last 5 years more stress has been added by management with unrealistic running times, no breaks and a meddling management.  

  Posted on 26 June 2020 by Rater #18 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 12 4

• I have worked at many transit companies, and this is by far the best! I was a Bus Operator for CMBC for 12 years! I ended up leaving to go and take care of a sick family member, and to this day truly wish I never left! Management is great, the union is strong, nice new equipment to operate, great benefits! I really truly miss this place! If you are looking to get into transit, then this is the only place you should think about!   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 1 August 2016 by Rater #17 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 7 5

• Driving buses is not a carrerr its a deadend job no future you will still be driving them buses in 20 year.This is what happen when you quit school and dont have an education. You drive buses or trukcs. Yep yep   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 12 April 2015 by Rater #15 | Comments (1) | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 11 5

• Very Flexible hours (Seniority based) You pick your hours/days off 4 times a year.
  Flexible with time off - you can bank overtime/stats for extra vacation.
  3 weeks vacation to start- goes up to 6 weeks +6 days, with the option to bank 2 weeks of stats and 2 weeks of overtime.
  Very competative pay. Not constantly supervised.....very independant- almost self employed without the stress of costs. Location- In the lowermainland of BC, you can transfer.   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 24 November 2012 by Rater #11 | Comments (1) | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 99 108

• great place to work with a good retirement benefits, and the equipment is very well maintained as the maintenance shop is second to none.  

  Posted on 4 October 2012 by Rater #10 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 104 133

• A lot of useless managers that make decisions that do not support the betterment of the organization. Get rid of useless Managers that have no accountabilty for their poor performance.
    read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 30 May 2012 by Rater #8 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 152 136

• love working here as an operator! they take care of us well !! being a junior operator is a little challenging but it gets much better as time goes on ! there is a camaraderie amongst operators that is second to none, being out on a bus you are on your own ..no one to "babysit" you ....excellent wages ,benefits and safe work environment!! ...keep your nose clean and youll stay on the good side of management !   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 29 May 2012 by Rater #7 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 83 59

• Terrible relationship between management and employees. Senior managers continue to find savings by increasing work load of front line employees leading to deteriorating working conditions. But, hey, decent pay and a pension apparently means you can't complain. Shut up and get back to work. Yeah, that attitude definitely breeds innovation and loyalty.   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 1 April 2012 by Rater #6 | Comments (1) | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 109 135

• I work for this company, very friendly environment, staff are mostly helpful, supervisors are supportive as well. Union people are very helpful. I'm told management staff very political, but overall the best company so far in my life.   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 27 March 2012 by Rater #5 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 106 68

• awesome place to work. awesome pay. like someone below said, one of the best jobs you can get without a university degree.
  
  great benefits. i've heard a few things about management though... just stick to the union.   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 26 September 2011 by Rater #4 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 93 66

• Great company, I enjoy having a job that I know that has a bright future and that is good for both the public and myself! Good benefits and pay, Work can be stressfull at times but in the end its fine.   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 11 September 2009 by Rater #3 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 80 58

• Being a transit operator is a great job for anyone who wants pretty good pay, flexible work times, and good benefits. Not many jobs allow you to change your work schedule and days off 4 times a year.   read complete rating Hide complete rating

  Posted on 7 October 2008 by Rater #3 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 89 95

• Inflexable management, attendance review program with goal posts that move. No respect for human rights awards. Top management gives lip service answers that are ignored by front line managers.  

  Posted on 22 April 2008 by Rater #1 | Add Comment | Flag as inappropriate

  Was this review helpful? 85 84