SmoovFlight
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2003
- Posts
- 12
Welcome to Flightinfo.com
- Register now and join the discussion
- Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
- Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
- Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
- Share the passion for aviation
- Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun
Good News?
- Thread starter SmoovFlight
- Start date
- Watchers 8
Welcome to Flightinfo.com
- Register now and join the discussion
- Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
- Invite your friends
- Share the passion of aviation
- Friendliest aviation community on the web
greyhound
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2003
- Posts
- 200
smoovflight and beechnut
No, you don't actually need your CDL for greyhound.
All you need is to pass your written tests on commercial driving from your home state. That will be your learners permit. You can interview without it, but you will need it to start training.
Pass the interview, it's all easy questions about yourself. There is also a test which in my personal opinion, if your capable of flying an aircraft,you will not be intimidated by the questions. Again easy stuff like "Going north on a highway,you get off and make a right,which direction are you now traveling? easy!
Then they send you to a doctor and take a full DOT physical (they pay for it). Kind of like a second class medical for the FAA. Finally, if your background is clean they will call you in about 2-3 weeks.
Now comes the hard part.There seems to be a 75% washout rate in training.some people can never learn to drive a bus through a set of straight cones...in reverse, but mainly it's because people normally don't see the importance of learning regulations, keeping a log book, or "pre-flying" their bus. Again if your interested in the job of a pilot, you will most likely take the training seriously.
This job is no place to build flight hours, but it will condition you and your family to be on the go at any time, to anywhere within 400-500 miles away from your home.No cross country driving as alot of people believe.I'm home about every 2 days normally. The company lacks on the benefits side, and there is a possible strike in 2004. I'm obtaining my CFI this summer and it is goodbye for the road. Check it out in your neck of the woods, Greyhound has domiciles in practically every major city. Best places are N.Y. city, LAX, ORD,ATL, and DFW.And a lot others I missed. I personally don't see it as a career destination since I really want to fly commercially. Some people do.
( I can't believe i'm actually giving a gouge on Greyhound!
)
No, you don't actually need your CDL for greyhound.
All you need is to pass your written tests on commercial driving from your home state. That will be your learners permit. You can interview without it, but you will need it to start training.
Pass the interview, it's all easy questions about yourself. There is also a test which in my personal opinion, if your capable of flying an aircraft,you will not be intimidated by the questions. Again easy stuff like "Going north on a highway,you get off and make a right,which direction are you now traveling? easy!
Then they send you to a doctor and take a full DOT physical (they pay for it). Kind of like a second class medical for the FAA. Finally, if your background is clean they will call you in about 2-3 weeks.
Now comes the hard part.There seems to be a 75% washout rate in training.some people can never learn to drive a bus through a set of straight cones...in reverse, but mainly it's because people normally don't see the importance of learning regulations, keeping a log book, or "pre-flying" their bus. Again if your interested in the job of a pilot, you will most likely take the training seriously.
This job is no place to build flight hours, but it will condition you and your family to be on the go at any time, to anywhere within 400-500 miles away from your home.No cross country driving as alot of people believe.I'm home about every 2 days normally. The company lacks on the benefits side, and there is a possible strike in 2004. I'm obtaining my CFI this summer and it is goodbye for the road. Check it out in your neck of the woods, Greyhound has domiciles in practically every major city. Best places are N.Y. city, LAX, ORD,ATL, and DFW.And a lot others I missed. I personally don't see it as a career destination since I really want to fly commercially. Some people do.
( I can't believe i'm actually giving a gouge on Greyhound!
)
Beechnut
Ndugu's Foster Dad
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2001
- Posts
- 714
Outstanding!!!! I too laughed that you actually had some gouge on Greyhound. (Hey Mav, you have the number for that truck driving school?) But if things go further into the crapper, I think I may like to do that. I never was one for an office job and I had the opportunity to work on Prevoust (spelling?) coaches a few years ago. I thought it'd be fun to drive for a living for awhile.
Of course the all important question that any good airline guy would ask: What do they pay the first few years and what kind of work rules do they have?
Thanks!
S.
Of course the all important question that any good airline guy would ask: What do they pay the first few years and what kind of work rules do they have?
Thanks!
S.
greyhound
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2003
- Posts
- 200
Beechnut
In the first year,depending on location,you can make between $30,000 to $37000 per year. They start everyone out at $16.70 per driving hour, it's just a matter of how busy your base is.
You start out on the extra-board,that's the equivalent of being on reserve at an airline. You will go to every location normally served by your particular base. You will cover people who are sick or in case where more than one bus is needed on a schedule,you will cover those runs. When you arrive at your destination,you will call dispatch on their 800#,they will tell you to either stay at the hotel and get rested for a future opening that they anticipate,or they will allow you to go home as a passenger.They pay you $9.86 per hour while you are sitting down doing nothing going home. That's the only time you don't mind breaking down since you are on the clock until that bus pulls in.If you are the driver, you are paid the average time it takes to complete the run. Not exactly from the time you leave,until the time you arrive. Unfair we know!! When you arrive home ,you are back on the list,you are allowed your usual rest,then you are on call. You can determine when you will be called,but that takes some longer explaining. I can tell you that you will not have any fixed days off or fixed schedule,while you are on the extra-board.However, you are allowed to book off whenever you want.Your choice,the only thing they ask us for is to understand when the peek periods are.
Besides,when it is very busy,that's when you make money. When it is slow, they wouldn't care if you elected to not work in one week. You are pretty much an independent contractor. No boss when you are on the road, you are the PIC. You get your ocassional weirdos on your bus, there are communication breakdowns with dispatch, but for the most part, it is still a good job. Down the road (no pun intended), you will make $17.80 your second year, $18 something the third. top off at $20.25 your fifth year. The most you could dream of is $45-$50k for the rest of your life even when you hold a line, and that could take some time,(LAX)Currently 5 years to hold a line that pays about $30k,working 6 days a week!! Takes about 10 years to hold a well paying line. Up until then you will be working at different times,days, making quality of life an issue for some.You have to go with the flow, and understand the nature of the transportation business in that it changes constantly.
To sum it up, good job, especially for those who aren't office types like us, I also feel it is good training for future captains like us (not the flying part obviously). This job teaches you to operate with standard operating procedures,how to balance regulation compliance while still meeting passenger and company needs. You are responsible to to determine roadworthiness of your equipment, you must learn to be tactfull with mechanics, customer service,and professional in front of your passengers.(you don't have a cockpit door to hide under if you mess up and most people know the rules of the road and they will criticize you if they felt you were not safe and report you.) I have not had any of those problems.The greatest feeling for me is pulling into the gate(airport or bus depot) and knowing you did your job and re-united people with their family,friends, and co-workers after the rain, snow,fog etc...
Look into it, just realize it won't add any flight hours to your logbook. Good luck ,if you need more info let me know!
In the first year,depending on location,you can make between $30,000 to $37000 per year. They start everyone out at $16.70 per driving hour, it's just a matter of how busy your base is.
You start out on the extra-board,that's the equivalent of being on reserve at an airline. You will go to every location normally served by your particular base. You will cover people who are sick or in case where more than one bus is needed on a schedule,you will cover those runs. When you arrive at your destination,you will call dispatch on their 800#,they will tell you to either stay at the hotel and get rested for a future opening that they anticipate,or they will allow you to go home as a passenger.They pay you $9.86 per hour while you are sitting down doing nothing going home. That's the only time you don't mind breaking down since you are on the clock until that bus pulls in.If you are the driver, you are paid the average time it takes to complete the run. Not exactly from the time you leave,until the time you arrive. Unfair we know!! When you arrive home ,you are back on the list,you are allowed your usual rest,then you are on call. You can determine when you will be called,but that takes some longer explaining. I can tell you that you will not have any fixed days off or fixed schedule,while you are on the extra-board.However, you are allowed to book off whenever you want.Your choice,the only thing they ask us for is to understand when the peek periods are.
Besides,when it is very busy,that's when you make money. When it is slow, they wouldn't care if you elected to not work in one week. You are pretty much an independent contractor. No boss when you are on the road, you are the PIC. You get your ocassional weirdos on your bus, there are communication breakdowns with dispatch, but for the most part, it is still a good job. Down the road (no pun intended), you will make $17.80 your second year, $18 something the third. top off at $20.25 your fifth year. The most you could dream of is $45-$50k for the rest of your life even when you hold a line, and that could take some time,(LAX)Currently 5 years to hold a line that pays about $30k,working 6 days a week!! Takes about 10 years to hold a well paying line. Up until then you will be working at different times,days, making quality of life an issue for some.You have to go with the flow, and understand the nature of the transportation business in that it changes constantly.
To sum it up, good job, especially for those who aren't office types like us, I also feel it is good training for future captains like us (not the flying part obviously). This job teaches you to operate with standard operating procedures,how to balance regulation compliance while still meeting passenger and company needs. You are responsible to to determine roadworthiness of your equipment, you must learn to be tactfull with mechanics, customer service,and professional in front of your passengers.(you don't have a cockpit door to hide under if you mess up and most people know the rules of the road and they will criticize you if they felt you were not safe and report you.) I have not had any of those problems.The greatest feeling for me is pulling into the gate(airport or bus depot) and knowing you did your job and re-united people with their family,friends, and co-workers after the rain, snow,fog etc...
Look into it, just realize it won't add any flight hours to your logbook. Good luck ,if you need more info let me know!
Share this page
Latest resources
-
-
-
-
-
AC 90-89C - Amateur-Built Aircraft and Ultralight Flight Testing HandbookAmateur-Built Aircraft and Ultralight Flight Testing Handbook
- Neal
- Updated:
