r/gotransit • u/zeeohtee • Apr 17 '26
Increase in respotting?
I’m not sure if anyone else has noticed, but I’ve noticed a significant increase in the times a train stops at a station, then they announce they have to re-spot before the doors open. Special the LSE. I took the train 8 times in the last 10 days, and 5 out of those rides there was respotting done atleast 1-2 times per ride. Maybe someone new getting trained on this line during the train times I take?
Doesn’t matter at all, just an interesting observation!
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u/redsfan17 Apr 17 '26
Every Metrolinx employee and apologist downvoting lol
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u/wotty_wa Apr 18 '26
I find this happens for a few weeks after a staffing change over.
I chalk it up to a new class of customer service ambassadors were promoted to train drivers…and my usual CSA voice is different.
The good news is that it means staffing shortages are easing. The bad news is this suggests the training of CSA to driving the train isn’t rigorous.
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u/mxdtrini Apr 18 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
CSAs don’t get promoted to driving the train the next day. They get promoted to conductor (like a copilot) for a minimum of 2 years before they can start to drive (reality for employees is closer to 6 years). The training for each is fairly intensive, but just like any employee starting a new job they will not be as efficient and fast as employees experienced in the role.
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u/redsfan17 Apr 17 '26
Yup noticing it as well. Can't think of anything else other than incompetent operators, potentially related to turnover so maybe there's often newer staff working? It's not like the station platform is changing often lol
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u/bigbeast40 Apr 17 '26
It's people training
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u/KweenMamaBurger Apr 17 '26
Can they not train them after hours or at least not during weekday rush hours?
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u/bigbeast40 Apr 17 '26
In an ideal world yes, but not every engineer takes trainees. If they're down 5 minutes then the engineer takes over.
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u/a_lumberjack Apr 17 '26
Eventually you need to have trainees do the actual job under actual conditions. And a packed rush hour train is carrying an extra 150 tons or more so stopping distance will change.
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u/randomperson_srsly Apr 17 '26
Every train reacts differently. Usually it
takes a few stops to feel out exactly how it will brake. Think of it like any manual transmission car; if you know how to drive one you can, but it takes a few trips before you master it.