Halifax Transit

First off, I've worked at Halifax Transit as an operator for just over 6 years.
When I first started, prospects as a driver actually didn't look too bad. It's hectic at first as you learn the ropes, and the first 6 months or so can be quite challenging, but once you settle in the job itself is actually quite easy.

The main problem is that over the past six years, shifts have become increasingly worse when it comes to dedicating your life to Transit. The coming changes this November will be making the job insufferable for many of us even many of the senior drivers.

This is a unionized environment and the longer you work here the better access you have to better shifts. Right now there are some shifts where you will be working and paid for 8 hours a day but putting in 10 to 12 hours (2 to 4 hours unpaid) due to having to bus around the city to start your shifts and then get back to your car at the end of the day.

After six years I can largely avoid most of these, but coming this November that is going to be a pipe dream. You can literally start your day at the garage, finish 3 or 4 hours later at Scotia Square, have a 3 or 4 hour split break and then have to find your way to the next part of your shift that may start at Lacewood. At the end of the day you could very well be finishing at the bridge terminal or Mumford. This means you can be spending most of your split, and in total from 2-5 hours per day of unpaid time bussing around to get to your next start location and to get to your car at the end of the day. My current 8 hour work day looks like it will be more like a 10 to 14 hour work day with 2 to 6 of that being unpaid time.

Another issue that goes hand-in-hand with this is that we are already down quite a few drivers. With the new routes being put in place this means we may very well be down dozens of drivers come November. Transit can also force you in on your days off and force you in on mornings that you're not working. These are paid hours but at this point a lot of us don't really care. Transit has been unable to keep drivers over the past 6 years - older drivers have retired and newer drivers aren't staying for many of the reasons above. Again with these changes in November this is only going to get a lot worse. Once November hits I expect a waterfall of people quitting which will make the job a lot worse than it already is for the ones who remain. This in turn will mean more people quitting as they just aren't hiring and training enough people to fill the void.
They've even recently dropped the educational requirements to become a driver as they're so desperate.

I definitely DO NOT recommend becoming a driver for Halifax Transit. It may have been a good job in the past but it's changed into something else entirely...

Pros: Great benefits and probably one of teh better pension plans available in Canada (although that is changing shortly). You work with minimal supervision. If you love driving big vehicles off you go. Most of the direct supervisors are great!

Cons: Very bad quality of life. Absolutely no work/life balance and about to get much worse. Upper management obviously could care less about the driver's lives. You dont even have good shifts to look forward to anymore. All your union position will really give you is more time off and the ability to pick your days off.

I was a long term employee with Halifax Transit. I worked in maintenance departmen, terribly abusive environment. Staff and foremen at the time of employment felt they could verbally abuse staff. Moved to Operstions as an Operator. Never valued, over worked, if I refused OT was told I still had to work. I moved onto Planning and Scheduling. Supervisor and Managers alike were nice at 1st but became more demanding and did not value staff  input. Supervisor and Managers would devalue your ideas yet would take them and use the ideas as their own and get recognized for the idea. Moved on to work as a Network Supervisor. The culture in that environment was great at first, then as time went on there were many Manager changes the department suffered. Managers that were placed in the position that did not have a clue or experience  of the position took their frustrations out on staff. Made for a poisoned work environment.  Unfortunately it started to take a  toll on my mental health, under advisement from Doctors that stated this workplace is causing health effects that could be detrimental to your life. I stepped back spoke to my family and decided the best thing for my health was to retire.

What is the best part of working at the company?
I started as a driver. Halifax Transit offers comprehensive training. They set you up for success every step of the way from clear and concise route plans, self directed schedule planning and support from dispatch, operations and management. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
This is a driving job. Driving at all times of the day and in all weather conditions can be challenging during rain, snow or freezing conditions. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It is self directed. Good drivers can be involved as much or as little as they wish in company and union activities. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Starting at the beginning of my route, I drive the bus safely and efficiently,

Halifax transit has much lower wages than other smaller municipalities in Canada. The 4 year wait to achieve top operator rate combined with the incredibly expensive benefits deductions (for mediocre benefits) means that an operator takes home much less than a living wage for the first 3 years of his / her career. Many operators must take as much overtime as possible just to support their family, which combined with the unpaid time getting to and from various starting and finishing locations within the city, means they spend a minimal amount of time at home. The work-life balance for new employees is practically non existent. 


It’s not a bad wage but what song is deductions you really have to budget once you are in program and working they pretty much dictate your life it does not matter what you have to do personally there a gender comes first you have to remember and you’re in the system always cover your back keep very good records because I’ve never seen a job that from the day they heard you they keep a complete filer on you to be able to terminate if you can handle that type of stress and make it through you’ll be OK for personal decision I stuck it out because of the pension

What is the best part of working at the company?
Nothing good about working here. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
No weekends off. No holidays off. Can’t even take a day off unless you call in sick. No vision  benefits, no dental. Starting wage is still under the living wage. Start at one place finish at another. Spend hours getting to and from your busses without pay. Toxic environment between senior and junior staff. Toxic environment between union and management. Topped off with  a public that hates you. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Toxic. Everyone is out for themselves. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Work 12 hours, get paid for 8

What is the best part of working at the company?
Retirement  and leaving the Managers behind that should not be placed in positions that they are not qualified for.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Planning Department that feel  they run the entire business unit and have no willingness to listen and colaborate with other departments 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Stressful, lack of respect for employees, niche group of management team.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I have retired. Worked in the Operations Centre.

Started out promising but has completely gone downhill the last few years!! Shifts are garbage long splits and starting and finishing at different locations. The system is completely outdated for drivers and passengers! The scheduling dept are completely out of touch as is management! Most of them are not educated for the positions and have no clue how to do their job. The public can be completely dispectful and very get violent and management just sweeps it under the rug.
Completely toxic workplace!!

You’re travelling across the city to your start and finish locations.. with the inflation and the rate of pay you definitely need two incomes. This job is not for a family that is young because coming from my experience, you have little time to spend with your kids, and you can forget about having your weekends off for a very long time and 80% of the time the employer will force you in on your days off to work. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Paid Holidays 
Paid Sick which you will use 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Dealing with the clients which are rude and coupling with the constant threat of being assaulted am or pm with no support 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Poor and the feeling of isolation 😞


What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Stressful and lonely 
Hard on the body and mind

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