MTA Bus Operator & Train Operator Exam - Get Accurate Practice and Tips to Pass Your Exam [2024]

The MTA Bus Operator Exam is the initial screening stage for candidates looking to become bus operators or train conductors. It is one of the most common MTA employment exams and is obligatory for all candidates.

There are two types of exams you might take as part of the bus driver exam. 

This page offers practice questions for both! Click on these links to jump to the relevant part on this page:

• BOSS (Bus Operator Selection Survey)
• Multiple-Choice (MC)

The exam bus operators/train conductors exam has two forms: BOSS and Multiple Choice. These two tests are completely different in nature, so it is crucial that you first understand which test you will be taking. 

To find out, have a look at the "Type of Test" box on the top right-hand side of your NOE (notification of examination):

Becoming an MTA bus operator has a 4-stage hiring process: 

You must apply online for most jobs at the MTA. Do do this, you need an e-mail address. Make sure that your e-mail address is professional- an e-mail that includes simply your first and last name is best. You need to fill out all of the application pages and give details on your educational background, contact information, and past job experience. You will also need to attach a copy of your resume. Once you have found a job that you want to apply to, you can select the job and add it to your Job Basket. Make sure that you fit the requirements for the job that you want, and then click on Apply for Jobs in my Job Basket to complete your application.

Any candidate for the conductor, operator, or driver positions is required to sit the MTA employment exam. Successful candidates will be contacted for an interview at any point following the MTA assessment, even years later.

All candidates must pass a drug test and a medical exam (physical) to get hired.

This is the last step of the application process, and only candidates who achieved a high score on their pre-employment test will be asked to complete an interview. For your interview, you should arrive ten minutes early and dress professionally. You may find it helpful to practice with a friend ahead of time so that you will feel confident and prepared for your interview. 

After applying, you will usually wait 3-4 months to your test. If you pass the MTA Bus Operator Exam successfully, you will be called to an interview whenever job vacancies are available. That may take from several weeks to several years, all depending on the number of open jobs and your ranking in the candidate pool.

The BOSS (Bus Operator Selection Survey) Exam was developed in 1996 by EB Jacobs and APTA (American Public Transportation Association) and is used by various public transportation employers in the U.S, the major of which is the MTA.

It is a personality profiling test, which means it evaluates your personality traits and whether they are a good fit for the job.

The scoring of the BOSS Exam is on a pass/fail basis. According to official MTA data, around one-third of candidates who show the least suitable personality traits for a bus conductor are disqualified at this stage.

The test contains 75 questions to be solved in 75 minutes, and revolves around 3 main themes, each containing 2-4 sub-themes.

Here are some practice questions for you to consider:

To measure all those sub-themes, the BOSS exam uses a sophisticated set of questions, with approximately 7-8 questions for each topic. All of these questions are formulated in the following manner:

You will be presented with a statement and will then be requested to rank how much you agree with that particular statement.

While the test is long, there are many questions that ask you essentially the same thing. Therefore, your answers should be consistent throughout the entire exam.

The BOSS Exam is no easy task to complete successfully. You need to be both consistent and understand what the MTA expects from its employees. On top of that, the test has a 75-minute time constraint. To score high and make it to the next stage, we recommend paying attention to the 3 following tips:

Tip #1 – Get used to personality questions and reduce stress

Unlike most personality tests, the BOSS has a strict time limit of 1 minute per question on average. In other words, you have one minute to read, analyze, interpret and decide the desirable response for each and every statement or scenario. All that stress makes it even more essential than usual to get familiar with the various questions that may appear on the exam.

When it comes to personality tests, stress might result in carelessness, over-investment or indecisiveness, all of which will be monitored by your BOSS exam administrator and might affect your score.

Tip #2 - Change Your Behavior, Not Your Personality

It is likely that you have multiple personas. You may have a “professional persona,” which is responsible, meticulous, and courteous. You may also have a “home persona,” which is irresponsible, unorganized, and has some temper. While you may possess both personas, you are still the same person.

However, on employment personality tests, it is vital to portray only your “professional persona.” This may sound deceptively simple; however, upon taking a practice test, you will start to understand why this point is worth mentioning. After looking at the answers for the first few questions, you will be amazed at how your answers may unwittingly work against you.

Tip #3 – Consider “Right” and “Wrong” Answers

Those who administer personality tests like to claim that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers and often refer to personality tests as personality “questionnaires” instead of “tests.” This is untrue.

A personality assessment aims to find the person who has a profile suitable for a specific position; clearly, then, that there ARE right and wrong answers associated with specific positions.

Preparing for the personality test in advance will allow you to become well-acquainted with the types of questions asked and what the optimal answers are.

The MTA Multiple-Choice Exam for operators and conductors is a pre-employment test that focuses primarily on cognitive ability. That is, your ability to learn new ideas and solve problems. Below you can see the list of subjects appearing on the exam, and a sample question of each.

A passing score is 70% and higher. Anyone with this score or above it is eligible for a position on the MTA’s employment list. However, your score is then compared to the rest of the applicants, and the candidates with the highest scores will be the first to move on to the next stage. Considering that you might sometimes spend several YEARS on the MTA's waiting list, it is crucial that you rank at the top of the candidates' pool.

The test includes questions on the following topics:

This section measures our ability to make correct conclusions based on text passages. You may be asked which of several statements is true/false based on the text, or asked a direct question that the passage contains the answer to.

This section will check our punctuation, spelling, restatement and paragraph organization abilities to see if you can use written English in a way that is clear to others.

This exam assesses a completely different set of skills than the BOSS exam and should be treated as such. To maximize your score and reach the top scorers, use the 3 following tips:

Tip #1 – Practice timed tests

As any cognitive ability test, the MTA MC exam takes two factors in mind – solving problems and time.

Therefore, although it is highly important to practice the test material, learn the techniques and perfect your ability to solve the questions, that's only half the work. Solving 100% of the questions in double the time means one thing and one thing only – failure.

That is why practicing timed simulations is so critical. It will not only help you solve better and faster, but will also:

• Get you to know yourself – where are your weak spots and what requires more practice.
• Push you towards mastering new time-saving techniques that will be essential in the grand scheme of things.
• Teach you how to allocate time wisely and alleviate stress.

For the reading comprehension section, try to read a range of written materials such as newspapers, books, and magazines. While reading, ask yourself what the main point of the passage is, what is the author's point of view, and what are the different opinions shown in the piece. 

Tip #2 – First things first

Each test emphasizes different aspects of cognitive ability, based on the qualities required of employees. The list of subjects on the MTA Multiple-Choice Exam is long, but based on our many years' experience, some subjects will be more common than others.

That is why we have designed the MTA PrepPack™ to guide you from first to last. That is especially important if you're short on time!

Tip #3 – Use the last day before the exam to rehearse everything

It is recommended to dedicate the last day before the exam to brush up on all the test subjects. Research shows that we tend to forget things we've learned in the first couple of days. Re-practicing all test subjects on the last day will solidify the material in your mind.

It can take up to a year to be contacted by the MTA after you receive your list number. However, it may take up to three years if you passed the BOSS test, but didn't score high enough to be a preferred candidate. 

A train conductor is more of a customer service agent—they are in charge of opening and closing the train doors, making announcements, and helping customers. The train operator is the worker who drives the train and is responsible for all aspects of operating the train. 

To be a train operator, you must have a valid New York State driver's license, a high school diploma (or equivalent), and one year of work experience. (Conductors only need to have a high school diploma or its equivalent.)

Yes, you can review your application before submitting it, and it is highly recommended that you check your application and resume for spelling errors before hitting send.

The average salary for MTA NYC train operators is approximately $81,000 annually, with variations based on experience, seniority, and overtime​.

The salary for NYC MTA bus operators typically varies based on experience and tenure. On average, MTA bus operators earn around $62,931 per year. However, this can range significantly, with entry-level positions starting lower and experienced operators potentially earning higher salaries, especially when accounting for overtime and seniority.

There are proposed answer keys for all of the MTA tests on the MTA's website.