Someone a few months ago commented on what he felt was the high drop-out rate for new Freight Conductors. I believe he said that many just couldn’t deal with the hours. What is the rate, or what has been the experience of established engineering and freight conductors regarding the new hires?
In my experiance, 50% will quit within the first year.
Nick
I talked to a conductor a few years ago. He worked for CSX for about 26 years. He said that a very high percentage of new hires quit within 5 years and did not recommend the job.
I’ve been told it is a large number as well. In practice it seems to be less. I would believe it is 60%+ over five years, but 50% in the first year sounds high. The District I hired in was a very depressed area so perhaps we tended to be more resilient given the lack of many other job choices.
LC
Out of the 16 in my class eleven years ago, there are 6 of us left.
Two of us are still conductors, three are engineers and one is a yardmaster.
The other 10 quit within 5 years from date of hire.
4 of my coworkers quite American Airlines to work for BNSF. All 3 of the 4 are back at American Airlines and the 4th is trying to get back. 3 were Conductors and 1 was in maintenance, all said the hours is what killed them.
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub
That is amazing…
Re: The hours. Can you guys please elaborate more about your experience with hours. Is it that as soon as a conductor or engineer has had his required rest, they’re called back right away?
Also: I understand that seniority within a crew district is the rule but is the extra board still a separate job pay class?
Out to 5 years, I’ll say 60 to 70% of an incoming class will quit. I stand by my claim that 40 to 50% will quit within the first year. Usually, if you make it 5 years, you’ll stay for life. My numbers could be skewed by the fact I work in a major metropolitian area. So there are more jobs to be had.
Regarding rest…depends on how heavy traffic is and full the boards are. I’ve worked 8 hours on, 8 hours off for months on end. There have also been times where I’ve laid head out for days.
When the boards are properly balanced, you should be going out once a day.
Regarding extra boards…depends on how the board is structured.
When you work off a non-guaranteed board you will make whatever the job you fill normally makes. If you don’t work you don’t get paid.
Things get a little tricky with a guaranteed extra board - you are guaranteed X dollars per pay period. Most boards are structured so that everything you make - straight and overtime -counts against your guarantee. With a few boards, only your straight time counts against the guarantee, and any overtime you make is above and beyond the guarantee.
Nick
From what I have seen, the drop rate for new hires is quite high. The roster i am on goes from Sept 1995 to Dec 1998. In the eight yrs since I was hired, my number has moved up nearly 600, which means that nearly 600 condrs hired during that time frame left the rr for whatever reason. In my class, there were 11 of us. Two never marked up after training, one left to become a probation officer, one became a terminal trainmaster, three are now engineers and us four left still are ground pounders.
This is a really great thread here. I am currently going through school here in Atlanta. From what I have been told turn over can occur for the following reasons: Safety violations, not use to the rotating schedule, and working in the weather during various times of the day and year.
We are told up front not to expect time off, no holidays, no birthdays, no anniversary’s, etc… Kind of like being in the Military. Thats why I signed up. This is not going to be a job but a life style. If you and your significant other are used to being called to work at any time of day and know that you may be gone for 3 to 6 days then you should not have a problem.
I am looking forward to enjoying my next chosen life style as a RAILROADER![8D]
I also failed to mention, Drugs and Alcohol also can ruin your investment of $4,500 if you choose to drink and show up to work with ANY ALCOHOL IN YOUR SYSTEM. [:-^]
I think the 50% figure is a safe bet on the dropout rate, Nick, and I live in a mid-size city. A lot of guys start out and decide they aren’t going to live like this, on call, no schedule, on NS, the trainmen aren’t guaranteed so its feast, acceptable living, or scraping by. I’ve witnessed little scraping by in recent times.
Some wash out due to habitual offenses of one sort or another or because one offense sets them off. There’s always a couple who never seem to leave the training stage before they decide to quit. Occasionally, you have one you’ll think should have quit before he got much invested in the place.