Winnipeg Roads & Infrastructure

[The Unknown Poster]

Originally Posted by Kinguni

Bus rodeos are fun. Last one in Winnipeg was in 1997. Management/employee relations were at a low point and they couldn't get enough operators interested (no one wanted to drive a bus on their day off) so management cancelled it after that. If it was revived I think they'd get a lot of support now. Mind you, part of the rodeo for operators was appearance and the uniform looked much more professional back then.

I think it was $5.00 for the public to try their hand at driving a bus. Driving is the easy part of the job though. They used to say they could teach anyone to drive a bus. The other skills needed for the job can't be taught. I disagree with the former however.

So we agree driving a bus is easy (I actually dont think that part is easy, hence the good pay). What are the other skills that require a special person that should be paid into the $60,000+ salary? Im legit curious.

[TimeFadesAway]

Originally Posted by The Unknown Poster

So we agree driving a bus is easy (I actually dont think that part is easy, hence the good pay). What are the other skills that require a special person that should be paid into the $60,000+ salary? Im legit curious.

All of this is secondary to available supply of (and ability to retain) qualified applicants. If WT has difficulty filling a large number of vacancies or retaining drivers, then for whatever reason supply does not meet demand. Therefore steps need to be taken in order to attract and retain drivers. One such commonly used step is to increase the pay. Whatever step is taken (improve working conditions, increase pay, etc.) will cost money.

[dmacc]

It doesn't appear that there is any major shortage in Bus Operators. There only appears to be one vacancy at the moment. Hardly seems like we need to start increasing wages to retain staff.

http://winnipegtransit.com/en/careers/now-hiring/

[TimeFadesAway]

Originally Posted by dmacc

It doesn't appear that there is any major shortage in Bus Operators. There only appears to be one vacancy at the moment. Hardly seems like we need to start increasing wages to retain staff.

http://winnipegtransit.com/en/careers/now-hiring/

Good news!

[cllew]

Originally Posted by dmacc

It doesn't appear that there is any major shortage in Bus Operators. There only appears to be one vacancy at the moment. Hardly seems like we need to start increasing wages to retain staff.

http://winnipegtransit.com/en/careers/now-hiring/

they don't list each open driver job from what I have been told. Transit does a continuous intake of drivers from the one line that you see on their site.

[cllew]

I have been noticing over the last few weeks that the city signals dept is starting to add bolt on UPS cabinets to their existing control units at select intersections.

That should help keep the traffic flowing properly for a longer time when there are hydro issues in the area.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by cllew

they don't list each open driver job from what I have been told. Transit does a continuous intake of drivers from the one line that you see on their site.

I assume it’s much like a lot of call centres do. Hire at certain points in the year to have a training class with a bunch of people at once. There’s always a natural level of “shortage” if you will.

[Kinguni]

Originally Posted by cheswick

I assume it’s much like a lot of call centres do. Hire at certain points in the year to have a training class with a bunch of people at once. There’s always a natural level of “shortage” if you will.

Hiring is done year round with training classes year round. Class size can be as many as 12, but the best they can do lately is between 2 and 6 a class. Current class training in vehicle is 5. Previous one was 2.

Anyways, this discussion doesn't belong in this thread, especially with the word twisting going on. I won't complain about the pay, even though it's about 10 percent lower now than it was 25 years ago with the cost of living factored in. But to say it's too much? Nope. If it was there would be few job vacancies.

[Bluenote]

Maybe just take your transit squabble to the actual transit thread. Just a thought since I don’t think hirering bus drivers and their pay has anything to do with roads,,,,,

But as to the so called bus driver shortage. Maybe it’s as simple as being a bus driver isn’t a job that exudes coolness. As most think being a bus driver is a low paid job. And when I say low paid. People think under $20 an hour. If people knew you made $60k per year. I’m pretty sure you’d have more applicants

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

Maybe just take your transit squabble to the actual transit thread. Just a thought since I don’t think hirering bus drivers and their pay has anything to do with roads,,,,,

But as to the so called bus driver shortage. Maybe it’s as simple as being a bus driver isn’t a job that exudes coolness. As most think being a bus driver is a low paid job. And when I say low paid. People think under $20 an hour. If people knew you made $60k per year. I’m pretty sure you’d have more applicants

I'd say it has far more to do with the fact people who take the bus see what goes on on them and don't want to deal with that level of absurdity and confrontation.

[cheswick]

Originally Posted by Spocket

I'd say it has far more to do with the fact people who take the bus see what goes on on them and don't want to deal with that level of absurdity and confrontation.

I've been taking the bus daily for 20 years and can count on one hand the number of "absurdities" I've seen, so not sure what you're getting on about.

I also find the idea that somehow bus drivers are the only profession that deal with the public pretty fascinating. Its not like any retail store employees making minimum wage ever have to deal with these crazies.

[dmacc]

Originally Posted by cheswick

I've been taking the bus daily for 20 years and can count on one hand the number of "absurdities" I've seen, so not sure what you're getting on about.

I also find the idea that somehow bus drivers are the only profession that deal with the public pretty fascinating. Its not like any retail store employees making minimum wage ever have to deal with these crazies.

Or the Health Care Aides who have more of an education, literally deal with shit all day, make a little less than bus drivers.

[tvor202]

http://winnipeg.ca/PublicWorks/const...ute90-2018.stm

Construction in 2020 seems unlikely....

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by cheswick

I've been taking the bus daily for 20 years and can count on one hand the number of "absurdities" I've seen, so not sure what you're getting on about.

I also find the idea that somehow bus drivers are the only profession that deal with the public pretty fascinating. Its not like any retail store employees making minimum wage ever have to deal with these crazies.

Well, then I suppose you've been lucky. I've seen plenty of people fight, bully, and argue with the drivers and passengers. Not a daily occurrence but past about 9 o'clock, it becomes a lot more common.

[vjose32]

Can we get back to the subject of roads?

[mcpish]

Just having some fun. Here's a map I drew for a proposal for a 2nd, Trans-Canada Highway east of Winnipeg (slightly north). This one would be a motorway with exits at Oakbank, Hazelridge/Anola, Beausejour, Milner Ridge, Lac du Bonnet, Lee River, North Whiteshell Provincial Park, Slave Falls, Big Whiteshell Lake, and Caribou Falls. It would also serve the First Nations reserves located on the east side of Lake Winnipeg (wouldn't have to rely on the Ice Road Truckers anymore). It would connect to the Perimeter via a flyover at the north-eastern point.




free uploading site

[rkspec]

Originally Posted by vjose32

Can we get back to the subject of roads?

i hope they do something with that stretch of Narin between Watt and the Louise bridge. Its torture on my front end and only getting worse

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by mcpish

Just having some fun. Here's a map I drew for a proposal for a 2nd, Trans-Canada Highway east of Winnipeg (slightly north). This one would be a motorway with exits at Oakbank, Hazelridge/Anola, Beausejour, Milner Ridge, Lac du Bonnet, Lee River, North Whiteshell Provincial Park, Slave Falls, Big Whiteshell Lake, and Caribou Falls. It would also serve the First Nations reserves located on the east side of Lake Winnipeg (wouldn't have to rely on the Ice Road Truckers anymore). It would connect to the Perimeter via a flyover at the north-eastern point.




free uploading site

But why bypass the population center of Kenora? Also, what's the need for this? There's already so much invested in the TCH as it currently lies, I can't imagine what the point of this new northern route is.

[WildCake]

Originally Posted by mcpish

Just having some fun. Here's a map I drew for a proposal for a 2nd, Trans-Canada Highway east of Winnipeg (slightly north). This one would be a motorway with exits at Oakbank, Hazelridge/Anola, Beausejour, Milner Ridge, Lac du Bonnet, Lee River, North Whiteshell Provincial Park, Slave Falls, Big Whiteshell Lake, and Caribou Falls. It would also serve the First Nations reserves located on the east side of Lake Winnipeg (wouldn't have to rely on the Ice Road Truckers anymore). It would connect to the Perimeter via a flyover at the north-eastern point.




free uploading site

Interesting thought experiment, although the population currently does not justify anything remotely labelled Trans Canada. MAYBE a 2 lane hwy in the distant future, if Manitoba figures its shit out with its current highways.

This highway could be built off of the new proposed highway to Oakbank but I can't see much justification of going beyond beausejour. The region is fine with its current roads unless they find oil in Lac du Bonnet lol

Beyond that you're also dealing with building highways in provincial parks which is another can of worms. To reach the remote reserves in NW Ontario it would be more practical to build off the small provincial roads that snake out from Kenora

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by cllew

I have been noticing over the last few weeks that the city signals dept is starting to add bolt on UPS cabinets to their existing control units at select intersections.

That should help keep the traffic flowing properly for a longer time when there are hydro issues in the area.

are they heated though
as someone thst built an extensive network of rural it u need to heat ur cabinates or they break down