Not teachers appreciation day, not nurses appreciation day, not even a day of appreciation for first responders…no, what we need is a day set aside just to specifically appreciate the city’s most over paid position in the municipal job force. Hasn’t even been two years since that strike had me walking my ass to work and back in the freezing cold. How quickly they must think they forget. And just today, after seeing the front page story about how we’re expected to appreciate you turds, I arrive at my bus stop to find the bus has arrived earlier than usual (generally it’s almost 5 minutes late) I run to catch up, I see the driver look right at me – does he wait the 10 seconds it would have taken me to get to the door? Of course not! That would be much better customer service than you could ever expect from a transit driver. Comfortable job + Union + 70,000 or more a year = a big fuck you to the public if they don’t like it and now an appreciation day, too! —You gotta be fucking kidding me
This article appears in Mar 20-26, 2014.
70,000/yr? On what planet is that? Must have failed Math in school. Ah…the stench of resentment. Oh BTW, the strike you referenced was spun by a certain very well taxpayer financed PR Department…you must remember the plethora of print and radio ads. If you pay taxes to this certain level of gov’t, you helped pay for the message you swallowed…hook…line…sinker. Life is ironic.
they need a day off from dealing with people like you OP
Umm… 25X40=1000 times that by 52 and that equals 52,000 per year. I would say that if a bus driver gets on average 10 hours of overtime per week. Lets see…10X37.5=375. Now add that to 1000 equalling 1375/week and multiply that by 52 which equals 71,500/year. That’s not a far stretch, Sport.
Just to be clear, this is not my bitch.
FORGETFUL BUS DRIVERS
“Hasn’t even been two years since that strike had me walking my ass to work and back in the freezing cold. How quickly they must think they forget.” Yo gotta be fucking kidding me
The Transit Drivers not only forgot about that strike two years ago but even quickly forgot that they forgot.
New Avatar Alert! Wartime Life Magazines (8): The Sweater Issue!
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
70,000 a year? I wish! You are probably one of the assholes we have to drive around this bellyaching city. You know the kind, always complaining about every little thing , never happy no matter what. We’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t so no wonder we don’t give a fuck about you. You want to get on the bus? Get to the stop 5 minutes early. Should not have called you an asshole, assholes are useful. An empty bus is and will always be a happy one. Do us bus drivers a favour and walk.
Yours truly.
SHITMFD…that is one very big assumption on your part…the vast majority of drivers make no OT…zip…nada. So, unless you know something the rest of us don’t, which you don’t…try getting your facts straight. Cheers.
“An empty bus is and will always be a happy one.”
-Wheels
I think you just confirmed OPs point, dipshit.
Stevie, you gotta remember any idiot can post…
even those that need to count with their fingers.
http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/educati…
An empty bus is a happy bus, like I said.
Yours truly.
I love this reoccurring myth that Metro Transit drivers make $70,000 a year. Get your head out of your ass. Their wages are PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE you dimwitted fucktard.
You obviously know how to use the internet since you managed to post this bitch…perhaps next time you could use the same internet to Google “Halifax Metro Transit Salary”.
I did…and here’s what I found:
Wage Scales As Per ATU Collective Agreement:
http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/documen…
At present, a 100% driver (2 years on the job) would be making an hourly wage of $24.97/hour.
Multiply that by 40 hours = $998.80/week * 2 weeks = A GROSS salary of $1997.60.
Multiply $1997.60 by 26 weeks and you have a GROSS salary of $51,937.60.
Now, start factoring in deductions (Income tax, EI, CPP, union dues, health plan, LTD, etc.) and suddenly the NET pay probably becomes significantly less.
I’d say in the range of 35%-40% less than the actual GROSS salary.
That’s the TOP rated drivers…that’s not the newbies who are making $18.73/hour ($6.24 less than their coworkers) all so they can drive your ignorant ass around the city.
Your salary is your salary before deductions. Period, no ifs ands or buts. That’s how its measured, not after deductions.
Ewe, i said “if”… There were/are no “facts” for me to get straight. Correct me if I’m wrong but, wasn’t one of the major points of contention during the strike (for the city) overtime costs and “cafeteria style scheduling” being the most costly as far as OT was concerned? Isn’t that why you all went on strike?
Wheels, “You know the kind, always complaining about every little thing , never happy no matter what.”. Really? That actually came out of your mouth. I have never heard one positive thing come out of your mouth, well, keyboard. All you do is complain!!!
There should be a plexi glass screen protecting the drivers, with a sign saying ‘Don’t feed the Mutants’
Hooligan and SHITMFD…you are both partly right. For clarity sake, the numbers don’t reflect recent considerable cost increases for Group Ins and Pension contributions. The net pay is actually less than your assumptions Hooligan. SHITMFD, gross pay is a valid metric. But, it is not the whole story. For anyone who is inclined, the gross number is more inflammatory and useful for advancing an opinion. Net pay is a truer measure of a person’s standard of living. For many, the pension is a long way off, if they live long enough to benefit from it. Cheers.
Wait, so just to clarify here – my estimate that the net pay is approximately 35%-40% less than the actual gross salary is incorrect?
As for being appreciated and having a day for it… It was the same as any other day. If anyone appreciated us they sure as hell kept it to themselves. So why u mad? Because of the way I tip my hat? Because I got so much swagger? Go fuck yourself you jealous bitch.
Yours truly.
And an empty bus is… well you know. 🙂
SHITD’s calculation needs on revision. $24.97 is the hourly wage at the highest end of the pay scale – for a person with 4 years on the job. (Table 1 of the first page). http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/documen…
This translates into about $70,000 per year assuming 10 hours per week (excluding 3.8 weeks vacation) at double rate for OT.
However, Metro Transit staff is new to the job relative to other municipal workforces. This means that the higher end of the scale is unlikely to be representative of the workforce as a whole. Assuming $20/hour is more reasonable results in an annual gross income of $58,000.
I don’t know about you, but I would require a lot more than $58,000 to accept a job as a transit driver.
The pension costs 200 a week. Don’t tell me I don’t pay into my future.
The max a person can put into their pension is 18% of salary according to CRA rules. If it were more then I would gladly put more in rather than putting more eggs into RRSP’s and private investments.
So, $50K would be $346 bi-weekly. At my organization I contribute 8% and the company contributes 10% on my behalf maxing out the 18%. Awesome!! Especially awesome as my income far exceeds 50K.
We are working for our future. Pay yourself first and it will pay off later.
“An empty bus is a happy bus.” That’s why people hate you, among many other reasons. There are a few that are wonderful people but most of you are ignorant ass shats. I’ve watched bus drivers leave elderly in the cold after looking RIGHT AT THEM and pulling away anyway, belittle a man for riding with his service dog, threatening to kick him off, secure in wheel chair users with ignorance and impatience, banging the buckles huffing and puffing. Turning a child away for not having the correct amount of fare at 8 am (obviously trying to get to school). Hitting curbs, blowing past stops at break neck speeds. I could seriously go on and on with the list but the bottom line will always be, do better, be better and then maybe people will appreciate the work you do.
Sarge you’re one of the dumbest people I have never had the pleasure to meet, and I like it that way. Today is happy day. That’s positive. A bus with no idiots on board is a happy one. 🙂
Yours truly. P.S. Sarge is jealous too.
Why would I be jealous? You keep on saying how shitty your job is and how little you get paid. Wowzers, I sure wish I had your shitty, minimum wage job!!! Assclown!!!
Look who calls the kettle black. Nothing comes out of your mouth but ridicule and evil. At least I tell the truth about transit. Facts dear Sarge, just the facts. You wouldn’t be able to handle our job. It would drive you to suicide or murder. You’re pathetic and jealous besides being an idiot.
Yours truly.
And to you Lily I say: You have no clue as to what we go through on a daily basis. After a decade or two or three of being disrespected, assaulted verbally and physically, being shit on daily, you would probably have some of the traits you paint us with and maybe even worse ones. Who me? Yes you, bitch. So shut the fuck up, pay the damn fare and sit your fat arse down and get the fuck off when your stop is come. That’s why an empty bus is a happy one you dumb fucks.
Yours truly.
Having driven a bus about a thousand years ago back in Englandipakistan, I can fully sympathize with Wheels. The badge says Public Service Vehicle Driver, to a sector of the public that means that they think you’re a sanitary napkin and treat you accordingly.
Drivers in Halifax have gotten angry at me for asking simple questions like “is this bus going towards downtown or away from it?” Please keep your psycho bus drivers in Halifax because the drivers we have in Calgary are great!
Yawn, bus bitches are the worst! Everything about metro transit sucks. Most of the drivers suck, the routes suck, the scheduling sucks, the management sucks, the lack of concern for the publics complaints sucks, the ridership sucks, etc… Can we just move on?
This is why I never leave home without my ipod.I figure if I keep the headphones in, I wont even notice if the busdriver is an asshole,cause I can’t hear a word they’re sayin.And that’s the way I prefer it. 🙂
OMFG, Wheels. Just shaddup already, no one agrees with you! I predict any dislikes I get on this post will be by Mr Busdriver Wheels coming back and clicking, repeatedly.
52,000 a year…70,000 a year…both are pretty darn good wages for NOva Scotia. I have no sympathy for bus drivers. Some are decent but I have certainly had enough “Empty bus is happy bus”assholes to reject a ‘transit driver appreciation day’ with every fiber of my being. Wheels if everyone walked/biked/drove their cars as you suggest, you would quickly find yourself flipping burger at the nearest mcDicks.
I’ll bet that if you disrespect a McDick’s worker by assaulting them physically or verbally you will be barred, asked to leave, charged, etc. Or if you order a Big Mac and say when it’s time to pay’ this is all I’ve got’, and your over a dollar short, I don’t think you’re gonna get your burger. I don’t care if people are short on the fare. But I do care when they don’t tell me before putting the fare in and thinking I won’t notice. That’s why an empty bus is a happy one. Thanks Basil F.
Yours truly.
If Wheels was assaulted, physically or verbally…. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. He does for transit drivers what this clotted sannie:
http://chersonandmolschky.com/wp-content/u…
does for muzzies.
His on-line persona makes bus bitches redundant.
I’m beginning to think that Wheels didn’t get any recognition on appreciation day. To me a happy bus would be one in which he isn’t the driver….happy passengers.
HO!S+…just opened my pay stub….I have 13.50/hr to live on for the next 2 weeks…with a family. No, I don’t have any wage garnishments either. My health plan is not gold plated and does have co payments. Governments are very good at manipulating numbers. As in a previous posting, the higher number (gross pay), has a degree of sticker shock for the public and elected officials will often leverage this when contract time is up.
Sometimes, the employer, public or private, will engage in “Ultimatum Bargaining”. Translate as…here is a dog of an offer…go F@#K OFF for a while. We (employer) will get to bargaining in good faith when we decide. Until then, we (employer) will go on a tax payer funded media blitz to undermine your image with the public and you can go without pay for an unknown period of time.
Once back to work…guess what? Any cost of living increase was a mirage. Because, you will have to pay more for a Health Plan and Pension Plan. Conveniently, the “Government” doesn’t discuss this end of the equation.
13.50/hr is not much money by any stretch. So some of you are not far off. There are many days that I feel I work for Rotten Ronnie and I serve many of his loyal clients too. Cheers everyone, I’m going to get a Tylenol now.
Oh I forgot…the annual free skate on the Oval and Beaver Tail doesn’t quite make up for what I described…I can’t skate. Funny for a Canadian…eh!
Klyde: I think most regular transit users are honest and intelligent enough recognize that Wheels is a special case, all by himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if most drivers think so, too.
This “thread” really makes me feel good about being me.
@Wheels, spoken like the true ass shat you are. Fat arse? Don’t make me laugh. You on the other hand I’m sure are the epitome of female conquest… Cause, you know, all the bus drivers in metro are soooo dreamy and not at all tubby little losers 😉
Ivan, you’ve forced me to open a bottle of Mr. Keith’s muscle relaxer after looking at that fat, bearded fuck, bayonet practice anyone?
Your chains are so easy to yank it’s a pleasure to yank them. Lily, Lily, Lily. First of all you have no idea who I am. Second, I may be your bus driver. Thirdly, you would probably shit yourself if you knew who I was because I’m so sweet you’d get cavities just looking at me. I have people who make a point of coming to the front of the bus from waaaaaaay in the back just to be able to tell me I’m a pleasure to ride with before they get off. Don’t believe me? That’s your problem. An empty bus is a happy bus is a great chain yanker. I enjoy the entertainment you bring me with your profound ignorance. And the reason I yank your chains is simply because of your constant bellyaching of something you know nothing about. So like I said Lily, pay the fare, shut up, sit your fat arse down and get the fuck off when your stop is come. 🙂
Yours truly.
All the way from the back eh? Wow, you must be the “coolest bus driver ever bro!!!” I mean, with all that “swagger” you were talking about earlier I can totally see why. “Profound ignorance” is everything you wrote about the people who PROVIDE your uneducated ass with a JOB. Keep on with the rant and rave, rave and rant. I can see from the thread that all your “supporters” got your back…
Well, Wheels, I sure hope for your sake that you are the sweetest bus driver in Hali and just come here to get your meanies out so you can continue to be Mr. Congeniality on the job. If that’s the case, you can stop reading this.
I have experienced public transport drivers who were surly and nasty (the majority, I’m sorry to say) and sometimes a charming, smiling even singing driver who made every passenger glad they were on his vehicle.
It’s your choice, Wheels—it’s your ride. Imagine all the good feelings coming back to you with a bus full of smiling people—people whom you had made feel good?
Few wage slaves are cheerful on their way to work. Yes many avoid eye contact and seem sullen. It’s a funny thing, though: the grumpier you feel, the more assholes you run into.
Just like the wheels on the bus, good feelings go round and round.
Lily, Lily, Lily. Even if half the population stopped taking the bus, we would still have a job, still be driving around and with truly empty buses. Oh joy, oh bliss. Lily we have had driver’s who had PHD’s, we have at least one driver who is considered genius, why he drives I don’t know. Maybe he likes it? You are the epitome of ignorance and stupidity. And you think we are stupid. You don’t have two clues to rub together pal. Like I said, pay fare, shut up, sit down, get off. An empty bus or ones without idiot’s on, (wait those would be empty buses,) are happy buses. Who needs supporters? Never asked for any. I don’t need your support to do my job, a job I do very well.
Yours truly.
Why would anyone rub two clues together? Will a genie appear? If you rub them together fast enough, will they produce smoke and then, eventually, intellectual flame? Kinda seems like a total waste of clues and energy, rubbing them together and all. Maybe if you spent a little less time rubbing your clues together, Wheels, you would find time to be a little less of an asshole.
“I don’t need your support to do my job”
Yes you do, especially if “half the population stops taking the bus”. We, transit and non-transit users alike pay your salary. Without our “support”, you wouldn’t have a job. So next time you see a taxpayer, just smile and say thanks!!! After all, we bought you everything you own and provide everything for your family.
You, and people like you, disgust me. You have nothing real to complain about, so you waste the time you could spend being happy blaming other people for your shitty attitude. Ungrateful piece of shit!!!!
One thing I forgot to mention Lily, if management who are made up mostly of ex-drivers, would give us the compliments that people call in for us as they call them in, lots of us drivers would have extra money on our cheques. In turn this would build morale which in turn would cause us to be a happier bunch, which in turn would reflect on our customer service, which would in turn make the rider experience a better and more pleasant one, which in turn would produce more compliments, but that would not please management whose sole desire is to keep us under their thumbs and demoralized and unhappy. But it’s amazing how quickly they forgot from whence they have come.
You can wait for 6 to 12 months to get a compliment if you ever get it at all. Most are filed in the round grey filing receptacles under their desks. Why don’t you give it a try yourself my dear Lily? Become a transit driver. Every time I make this suggestion to any one of you ignorant arseholes who love to bash us, you put your tails between your legs and hide under a bed. And Xenophilia you have no clue as well. Just as ignorant as the rest. The latest twist with management is to tell the supervisors to not treat us with respect. They want dispatch to not be too nice to us when we have interactions at the dispatch widow. One was told when outside for a cigarette, don’t talk to the drivers or be pleasant with them. Now how is that for fucked up? But as usual you will dismiss this as not even been written or read. An empty bus is a happy bus.
Yours truly
LOL, case in point^^^^^^
Pretty sure an empty bus is a deadhead.
Whatevs, Crankshaft—haters gonna hate
Wheels, how is that the problem of transit users? Oh right, it’s not. Maybe you never get compliments because I don’t know, you don’t deserve them? One minute you’re saying everyone’s jealous of your job and in the next breath you’re oppressed and demeaned? Which is it fucko? As for me trying out your job, I think I’ll stay in education. Teaching children how NOT to turn out like ass shats like you. Honestly just give it up. Arguing with you is like fighting stupidity and I’m positive you’ll beat me with experience. So just sit YOUR fat ass down, drive the bus, stop at the stops and shut the fuck up 😉
I’ve proven my point. You are all bellyachers who love to hate and judge people of whom you know nothing about. You see and judge without asking why, what, etc. You are empty headed idiots who wouldn’t last a day on our job. I get plenty of compliments, just not the ones called in because of the jealousy of our incompetent team of ex-driver management who couldn’t take the heat in the driver’s seat, but had friends in management and were in the click and fit the management mould quite nicely. They hate us almost as much as you do if not more. Put up or shut up. See the tails ducking between the legs now. Sarge you never cease to amaze me with your stupidity. You know nothing, nothing. A deadhead bus is a happy bus.
Yours truly.
Nobody cares WHY you’re an asshole, they only care that you ARE an asshole, but judging by your last comment, we all know why YOU”RE an asshole, Wheels. You’re jealous of all those former bus drivers who see you for who you are, a grumpy old fuck who hates his job and, treat you accordingly.
You know nothing, nothing. All you are Sarge is blah, blah, blah. Empty headed. You were probably a real winner as a long haul truck driver. I can see you now. Fat, ugly, and no one on board but you and maybe a prostitute or two with raging cases of herpes. You were probably an alcoholic as well and probably still are, hence your nasty disposition. Can’t take the heat then get out of the kitchen. I can take the heat. That’s why I’m still driving. I don’t fit the management mould nor would I want to. One that you will probably see fitting the management mould when his time is up as union president is Wilson. I can’t see him going back to driving a bus. He will fit right in with management because he seems to be in it for himself and what he can get out of his position. Don’t think he has a chance in hell at getting back in a third time. One can only hope.
Yours truly.
LOL @ Wheels.
You mad, Brah?
Prolly mad because someone else got the coveted Cole Harbour Access-A-Bus gig, and with it, increased opportunities to score.
I dunno, at least the shittiest of shitty drivers still get you to point b from point a.
I’d have to say some of the most overpaid are those unionized government employees in the admin support group.
I know of one secretary making 70k. A SECRETARY. This secretary makes more than safety investigators investigating workplace deaths.
Another makes $45k, does shit fuck all and is usually spending their time trying to find ways to get out of coming to work.
There is absolutely no reason for these types of unions to exist. That’s the REAL waste. Talking about going on strike because they didn’t get a big fat raise on an already bloated salary.
A bus driver? Like I said, at least they actually do their jobs.
If we REALLY want to balance NS’s books and not have our economy in the shitter, get rid of the NSGEU and pay admin staff what they’re really worth. And fire the ones who don’t perform and who don’t show up to work on a regular basis.
Is there really Transit Driver Appreciation Day in HRM? If so, that is mighty gay.
If a bunch of crybaby bus drivers get their own day then Cleo should get ‘Cleo Appreciation Day’ and Biscuit should get ‘Butter Day’. Cleo does more for humanity than a bunch of surly bus drivers ever could!
You’re just mad the bus couldn’t get up the hill wit yo’ fat ass on it.
Oh PS: Wheels: just because someone doesn’t want to try out your job, doesn’t mean they deserve to get treated like crap by a service provider they’re PAYING to provide service to them.
And just because some of your colleagues hate their jobs, doesn’t mean y’all have the right to treat those who ultimately pay your salaries, like crap.
Don’t like your job? That’s not a me problem: that’s a YOU problem. No one holds up a gun to your head and makes you drive a bus. Get another job if you don’t like it.
Who said me didn’t like it? You sayin’ me didn’t like it. I just yanking ignorant know nothing bellyachers chains. Did you not talk to your driver friends? Are they sugar coating it for you? Can’t take the sour grapes of truth? Nothing wrong with doing exactly what you guys do on this comment board. Yanking chains etc. A deadhead bus is a happy bus.
Yours truly.