MTA Bus Operator Exam Prep Course & Practice Questions
The Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA), considered the largest public transit authority in the U.S., is responsible for serving over 11 million passengers all over New York. The MTA utilizes the MTA Bus Operator Exam to ensure that all of its bus operators are competent and responsible for that role.
Prepterminal’s all-inclusive guides, practice materials, and authentic practice questions are the ideal preparation resource for anybody seeking to apply as an MTA Bus Operator.
Introduction to the MTA Bus Operator Exam
With nearly 6,000 buses plying its 325 routes, the MTA needs to make sure that these vehicles are manned by competent and reliable operators. To do this utilizes a number of assessments and pre-employment tests to see if the aspiring applicant has what it takes to become an MTA bus operator, one of which is the MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam.
Depending on who you talk to, the exam is also known as:
- MTA Bus Operator Exam
- MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam
- MTA Multiple Choice Exam
- MTA Bus Operator MCE
- MTA MCE
With nearly 6,000 buses plying its 325 routes, the MTA needs to make sure that these vehicles are manned by competent and reliable operators.
The MTA Bus exam aims to see if the candidate is capable of safely and efficiently operating an MTA New York City Transit bus transporting passengers along an assigned route while adhering to a schedule, traffic regulations, state laws, and the MTA’s own rules and regulations at being an MTA Bus operator.
They are also tasked with ensuring the safety of their passengers as well as the safety and security of their assigned vehicle, performing regular pre-trip and post-trip inspections, and writing accurate but succinct work-related reports.
All of these capabilities are tested in the numerous subjects contained in the MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam.
MTA Bus Operator Exam
What does the MTA Bus Operator Exam Include?
Like its name, the exam will follow a multiple-choice format and contains questions centering around 11 subjects.
According to the MTA, these subjects are:
Deductive Reasoning
Candidates of the MTA Bus Operator are given a passage containing state laws or policies of the MTA and they will be required to read and analyze how these rules apply to a particular situation or question following the passage.
This is included in the exam because it allows the MTA to know if the test-taker has sufficient problem-solving skills needed to become an effective MTA bus operator.
After all, they will need to make good decisions or judgment calls in the field on their own when a problem appears and a senior operator or coworker isn’t there to help them know which is the best course of action to take.
Inductive Reasoning
Similar to the deductive reasoning subject, here, the candidate has to come to a logical conclusion by looking at a set of pictures, numbers, scenarios, objects, or even just words or letters.
Sometimes, the questions will come in the form of sentences, tables, or charts, and it will be up to the test-taker to find the common element, concept, rule, or sequence that all of the figures share with each other.
The subject is included in the test because the MTA needs its bus operators to have an inquisitive mind when it comes to problem-solving. An example of this is realizing that a number of mechanical problems in multiple MTA vehicles stem from the same source or nature, allowing them to immediately know which mechanical part is causing the problem.
Information Ordering
In this section, the test-taker will be given five to six statements in random order. From here, they will have to re-arrange them in a way that follows a logical sequence or follows the intended chronological order of the passage.
This is, after all, a means for the MTA to know how well the candidate can process information and come to a logical conclusion even if it wasn’t presented or discovered in the correct order or if certain details are missing.
On the other hand, this is also used to make sure that the applicant can write a report chronologically so that they can be easily understood by their coworkers or superiors when an incident occurs.
Problem Sensitivity
Sometimes known as the MTA situational judgment test, the questions contained in this section of the MTA bus operator multiple choice exam revolve around you having to solve a conflict of some sort that a bus operator of the MTA may encounter while on the job.
The responses will range from highly pacifistic/tolerant to being firm or aggressive and it will be up to you to decide what is the best course of action to take to solve that problem.
Fortunately, however, you do not need to know of the policies or procedures of the MTA and most of the situations only follow a ‘common sense’ solving style as the company wants to know just what sort of operator you will be when presented with such situations.
Short Term Memorization
As an MTA bus operator, you will need to learn and remember a lot of routes, landmarks, street names, speed limits, one-way lanes, special traffic rules, MTA procedures, and so much more as you go through your day bringing in passengers and dropping them off at their specific stops.
This means that you will need to have a sufficient enough level of memorization skills so that you can still navigate and bring passengers to their destinations even if the GPS device of your bus is down or malfunctioning.
In case you do not know what route to take, this means that you must remember directions given to you by dispatch, police officers, or fellow bus operators the first or second time they relay the information to you.
The questions will come in the form of you having to find a complicated line of letters, numbers, symbols, or a mixture of everything according to a list or table.
Spatial Orientation
This part of the MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam aims to know if the test-taker has the ability to determine their location at any time through the use of maps or layouts.
After all, as an MTA bus operator, you will need to be familiar with your surroundings as you drive your assigned vehicle through your assigned routes, and know how to utilize different ways to get to a location if an obstacle or problem prevents you from taking the normal route all the while paying close attention to the laws and rules of the city.
In the test, questions will come in the form of which is the fastest route without breaking traffic laws and other requirements provided in the question.
Written Comprehension
This subject is similar to that of reading comprehension but the contents will be more focused on passages or word choices utilized by the MTA itself such as those of bulletins, messages, policies, and regulations.
In short, the MTA wants to know that the candidate has the ability to understand such subjects, even instructions for a particular inspection, trip, or even repairs if a mechanic isn’t nearby and the problem is something that can be fixed personally by the operator.
Once again, this subject is meant to gauge if the test-taker has the capability to understand instructions, statements, or even just mere directions given to them so that they can work effectively.
Written Expression
Given the nature of their work, an MTA bus operator must be able to communicate information and ideas effectively, both through oral and written methods as this would be vital in helping passengers take the correct stop if they are not familiar with the route as well as them having to write a report when needed if an incident occurs during their trip.
To summarize, this section is included in the MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam to test the candidate’s ability to express themselves verbally.
Generally, the questions encountered under this subject will come in the form of incomplete sentences and the test-taker will need to select the answer that completes it while adhering to vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and word order rules.
Visualization
In this part of the MTA Bus Operator Test, the test-taker will be tasked with proving their mental imagery skills.
This is done by giving them questions to which they have to identify the original object, pattern, figure, or person following a number of changes in terms of its position or appearance.
Generally, the questions will come in the form of a unique geometric pattern/portrait and the test-taker has to choose amongst the choices which match the original image.
Mechanical Aptitude
In this subject, the MTA seeks to assess the candidate’s ability to understand and apply mechanical concepts and principles to solve problems such as understanding that the bus needs fuel when the fuel gauge is near empty.
As someone in charge of a vehicle, operators of the MTA must have some mechanical knowledge so that they can fix or prevent a mechanical problem, especially when a mechanic is not nearby and the problem is easily fixable.
This means the test-taker will encounter questions revolving around speed, wheels, belts, pulleys, levers, mechanical concepts, etc.
Customer Service
This is similar to the problem sensitivity section but is more geared towards being helpful to the passengers and customers of the MTA.
In this section, the test-taker will be provided with a short passage that contains a conflict or problem that they have to resolve through a number of given choices of varying intensity, friendliness, approachability, etc.
However, unlike the problem sensitivity section, this focuses more on trying to give more favor to the customer as long as it is within the boundaries of MTA policies and reason.
Additional Information About the MTA Bus Operator Exam
Requirements
Following the MTA Bus Operator Exam, although you don’t need to have formal education or a New York City Residency to be a bus operator of the MTA, there are a number of requirements that you must meet such as:
1) A driver’s license that’s either:
- A Class B Commercial Driver License (CDL) valid in the State of New York with a passenger endorsement and no disqualifying restrictions(serious moving violations, a license suspension, or an accident record); or
- A Motor Vehicle Driver License valid in the State of New York and a Learner Permit for a Class B CDL valid in the State of New York with a passenger endorsement and no disqualifying restrictions (serious moving violations, a license suspension or an accident record).
2) Pass a medical exam
3) Pass a drug screening test
What is The Passing Rate For the MTA Bus Operator Exam?
The minimum score required to pass the test is 70%
However, even if the 70% minimum passing score of the MTA Multiple Choice Exam seems manageable, we have discovered that a number of test-takers are bound to underestimate the difficulty and the complexity of the exam’s subject matter, causing them to lose precious time and money just because they didn’t prepare enough for it.
To make matters worse, even if you do pass the MTA bus operator exam, your score will be compared to other candidates, further limiting your chances of being given an appointment.
As a result, it would be in your best interest to make sure that your MTA Multiple Choice Exam score is one of the highest, if not THE highest, scores on the eligibility list.
What You’ll Learn in Our MTA Multiple Choice Exam Prep Course
- Strategy and Time management – With how many subjects are contained in the MTA Multiple Choice Exam, you will be bound to make mistakes in the long run if you linger too long in a single question and exhaust yourself. With our prep course, we will walk you through on how to tackle each question so that you can keep your cool throughout the exam and answer questions quickly and effectively.
- Full preparation for all question types – This course is all-inclusive. That means that it will prepare you for the subjects contained in the real MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam.
Who is this MTA Bus Operator Exam Prep Course for?
If you’ve applied to take the MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam, chances are, you probably don’t have a lot of time between now and the date of the test. The passing rate, although manageable, is hampered by the fact that the MTA shortlists only those with the highest scores, making the competition extremely difficult.
However, even if time is short, you have a lot to gain by getting this right.
Whether you are confident with taking tests or haven’t sat a single examination in years, this course has something to offer.
This MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam Preparation Course is perfect for:
- Inexperienced test-takers who need to learn the concepts covered in the MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam from scratch.
- Experienced test-takers who wish to further sharpen their skills and jog their memory in order to maximize their chances of success.
Why is it Important to Get a High Score in the MTA Bus Operator Exam?
Receiving a high score on the MTA Bus Operator Test Test increases your chances of being hired.
For starters here are just a few of the benefits of becoming a bus operator of the MTA:
- Lucrative starting salary
- 401K-style 457 pension plans
- Comprehensive dental and medical coverage
- Generous vacation days and paid leave
- Long-term and short-term disability insurance plans.
How Prepterminal Can Help with the MTA Bus Operator Exam
As shown above, the MTA bus operator test can be a difficult test to get through, and for good reason given the responsibilities that one has to take when becoming one in addition to the benefits that they can get.
Considering the fact that the MTA will take a look at the scores of candidates, which WILL affect their application depending on whether or not they did well on it, you shouldn’t settle for just a passing grade.
Our comprehensive MTA Bus Operator Exam Test Prep Course is designed by aptitude and pre-employment test experts and test developers who regularly keep an eye and research the contents of the MTA bus operator exam so that our guides are always up-to-date.
With their help, we were able to produce a full curriculum-based course for an optimal structured learning experience that covers everything so that test-takers can prepare and succeed despite its difficult nature.
This means that our prep course has study guides, video guides, practice questions, and full practice tests that contain all of the subjects, questions, and question formats that will appear in the MTA Bus Operator Multiple Choice Exam.
Here at Prepterminal, we know that there are no bad test-takers, only ones that are more informed and more prepared. Secure your future at the Suffolk County police force by studying and practicing with our MTA Bus Operator Exam Prep Course today!
