# MBTA Transit Police



## Shaggy

Hi there...

Just signed the list with the MBTA Transit Police. This is the first list I have signed and I'm pretty excited and anxious of course. It seems like they have a pretty quick timeline to go off of. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if you have to "know" someone to get a job. I know the MBTA itself is filled with hacks and friends of friends but not sure about the police department. I know no one but I'm sure with my military, college nad life experience, if given a level playing field I will do just fine. Would love to get any feedback.
Thanks


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## mpguy

MBTA is great, both money and job wise from what i've heard. Civil service also makes jobs a "what you've done" (i.e. military) an not a "who you know" hiring process.

---------- Post added at 17:04 ---------- Previous post was at 17:03 ----------

Best of luck to you


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## The Bad LT

You will be competing against fellow veterans, since thats all that gets hired. I would love the job, just to work in Boston.


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## Irishpride

It must be a pretty good gig, one of our laid off officers got hired there and every time admin calls him to offer him his old job back he stays with the T. I always looked at Transit PD as a good deal cause you get to work in Boston but you can live wherever you want.


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## Gil

Guess it depends on the situation we have taken a few laterals from the MBTA and I don't think any one of them would think of going back....


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## The Bad LT

Its not traditional police work, like working domestics and running radar. Its mostly monitoring turnstyles, checking t-property and sweeping the bums and junkies out of the subways and platforms. It is what it is, but I guess the money is good.


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## Macop

mpguy said:


> MBTA is great, both money and job wise from what i've heard. Civil service also makes jobs a "*what you've done" (i.e. military) an not a "who you know" hiring process*.
> 
> ---------- Post added at 17:04 ---------- Previous post was at 17:03 ----------
> 
> Best of luck to you


Yeah, right!


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## Guest

mpguy said:


> MBTA is great, both money and job wise from what i've heard. Civil service also makes jobs a "what you've done" (i.e. military) an not a "who you know" hiring process.


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<wiping away tears>

Thanks, I haven't laughed like that in a long time.


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## mpguy

Delta784 said:


> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> <wiping away tears>
> 
> Thanks, I haven't laughed like that in a long time.


Vet status gets you the interview... No interview = no job. What am I missing here?


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## Guest

mpguy said:


> Vet status gets you the interview... No interview = no job. What am I missing here?


In my case, they needed to eliminate a veteran from the list to get to a politically connected non-veteran, and since I had no political connections, I drew the short straw. I developed high blood pressure for one single day, the day of my physical exam. I never had it before, and I haven't had it since, but for one magical day, I developed high blood pressure, which disqualified me.

I appealed and won, but lost almost a year of seniority......trust me, Civil Service can only correct wrongs that have already been committed. The hiring process is as crooked as marked cards and shaved dice.....if they need to get to someone below you on the list for political purposes, you're a dead man.


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## mpguy

I was just always told of how the process is numerical (1st 2nd 3rd exc on said list)and if bypassed, as you said, an appeal can be put in. I didn't realize it happend so often.


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## Guest

mpguy said:


> I was just always told of how the process is numerical (1st 2nd 3rd exc on said list)and if bypassed, as you said, an appeal can be put in. I didn't realize it happend so often.


Civil Service administers the exam, compiles the list, then sends it to the appointing authorities. Everything else that happens after that (hiring) is up to the appointing authorities, and Civil Service only gets involved after that if there is a bypass appeal.


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## 9319

Would love to be hired by the MBTA, on my list. Everyone keeps saying the pay is good, any idea how good?


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## Guest

Javert said:


> Would love to be hired by the MBTA, on my list. Everyone keeps saying the pay is good, any idea how good?


"Good" is a very subjective term, but I'm willing to theorize that it's better than what you're making now.


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## 9319

I don't even make $35,000 a year deployed and I im not paying taxes at the moment! Lucky me I have no debt. So yea, if it pays more then my $28,000 stateside salary then im in!


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## KSM82

It sounds to me that MBTA is a pretty good gig. I'm set for a military make-up here in September. I don't remember listing MBTA as a preference....so here's a question. Once I take the exam, can i put MBTA down as a preference? Anyone have any guidance on the matter?


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## mpguy

KSM82 said:


> It sounds to me that MBTA is a pretty good gig. I'm set for a military make-up here in September. I don't remember listing MBTA as a preference....so here's a question. Once I take the exam, can i put MBTA down as a preference? Anyone have any guidance on the matter?


]

Don't worry, once the list comes out, you can change any 1 of your 4 town/city preferences on your SOARIS account. I recommend that you do not change your home town/city though. PM me once you get your scores and i'll run you thru the process. Good luck


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## KSM82

Thanks for the information, brother. I'll definitely be keeping my hometown the same. I wonder what MBTA's tattoo policy is. I've seen a few pictures of MBTA officers with large tattoos below the elbow, which is nice because I have a full sleeve on my left arm. Before I picked my community preferences I literally had to call a number of departments to see if they had a policy. I didn't want to waste my preference slots on a department that didn't allow visible tattoos. Anywho, I'll get in touch with you once I get my scores. Thanks again man.


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## mpguy

KSM82 said:


> Thanks for the information, brother. I'll definitely be keeping my hometown the same. I wonder what MBTA's tattoo policy is. I've seen a few pictures of MBTA officers with large tattoos below the elbow, which is nice because I have a full sleeve on my left arm. Before I picked my community preferences I literally had to call a number of departments to see if they had a policy. I didn't want to waste my preference slots on a department that didn't allow visible tattoos. Anywho, I'll get in touch with you once I get my scores. Thanks again man.


From my understand, Mass has no policy. I could be wrong, but i've been told that tats are ok, just as long as they are "tasteful" (i.e. not gang related our explicit exc..).


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## lofu

Depends on the agency but a buddy of mine has been on the T for a couple of years and he has tattoos on both forearms


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## KSM82

lofu said:


> Depends on the agency but a buddy of mine has been on the T for a couple of years and he has tattoos on both forearms


 Yeah, I think they're pretty lenient....just as long they're tasteful like mp said. But, then again I could be completely wrong and talking out my ass haha.


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## mpguy

I'm not sure if that would be a CS or a department rule? Call em up


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## Shaggy

Thanks for the help....Went last night to the orientation and am excited!


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## JAYMEDINC

My wife is bringing in her power of attorney right now, so the MBTA Police can start my background investigation while I am in Afghanistan. The Detective that called her said they hope to have me in the Academy by March. Since I am not a resident of any Civil Service towns, the MBTA may be my only shot. I hope for the best and I'm optimistic that it could be a worthwhile experience.


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## lofu

Good Luck, stay focused on the mission so that you make it home safe.


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## JAYMEDINC

Q5-TPR said:


> 182 inf?


26th SIG


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## SgtAndySipowicz

The Bad LT said:


> You will be competing against fellow veterans, since thats all that gets hired. I would love the job, just to work in Boston.


They (MBTA) do have the occasional race based hiring system as well. I know a Vietnamese kid/non-vet who scored in the 70's on the civil service test. He got the MBTA job (Asian only list)..... He is a good kid and I consider him a friend, BUT, for him to get the job over a war vet or some white guy non-vet who scored a 99% is just plain wrong if you ask me.......


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## SgtAndySipowicz

GMass said:


> Was it a RACE hire? Or a LANGUAGE hire?


I apologize.......* language based*. My bad....... I still feel the same way though. He was born in Vietnam and then moved here. His family spoke Vietnamese at home and he learned English at school. I was born in Boston, my family spoke English (the language of our country) and I learned/was taught English in school. Should someone like me be penalized in this scenerio (someone w/ a lower score getting job over me due to their speaking another language?). My dept has a *"language line" service *that we use for translations (just about all languages can be interpreted, not just one IE: Vietnamese). It's worked fine when I have used it. Preferences on gender, race, language etc are discrimatory in nature, usually against the evil *white male *population (I am one of these evil white guys and am sick of the acceptance of this "reverse-discrimination")...........


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