What’d it be like, seated in a little box on a bridge in brrrrr wintery weather and winds, breathing in vehicle fumes, handing over paper receipts and mass quantities of $1 bills in change?
I might be finding out.
Today I’m interviewing for an on-call position as bridge toll collector.
I know nothing other than the pay and that as an on-call position the hours could be any on the 24-four hour clock on any day of the week.
Oh, and this: If you take a wrong turn at the anchor and are inadvertently forced back onto the bridge just crossed, you’re forced to pay the $4 toll again. Even if the toll collector recognizes you from 5 minutes earlier and you explain your mistake.
No, not policy garnered from a sneak peek at the employee manual. Experience, my friends, experience.
Wait for the update. In the meantime, you think it’d be bad form or intelligent foresight in the spirit of the job to show up at the interview wearing nice black slacks, black shirt and a gas mask?
Barefoot Blogger 
Nov 18, 2010 @ 12:53:06
Oh my. What a job that would be. We don’t have toll bridges here thank goodness but when I was traveling, I went through many. I actually thought about what it would be like to have that job. I think you should show up with the gas mask, if not for the interview, then at least for the first day of work! lol
Nov 18, 2010 @ 15:00:57
@ladywise – lol! Or perhaps I can ease into it, using the gas mask as a handbag in the first week.
Nov 18, 2010 @ 16:43:03
The same thing happens if you go to the station, get to the platform and realise you’ve forgotten something. Even though you have not ridden a train and they can see you only entered 2 minutes ago you are charged the minimum ride rate to get out! Hope it goes well – I’ve always wondered what’s in the booth in the way of air purifying, heat and a/c.
Nov 18, 2010 @ 16:52:33
@Emjay – Righto on the subways. Because I sometimes ask as many questions as the interviewers if not more (!), I can tell you what’s in the booths — an air conditioner on the ceiling, the sort used in RVs, and on the floor a small heater for the feet. I can also tell you that in this state, human toll collections are going the way of the Edsel and based on pending state decisions, these remaining positions may be eliminated down the road. No word play intended, that was a lucky freebie!
Nov 19, 2010 @ 03:01:33
Suppose there are intersting people to meet, if only for a brief, fleetimg moment.
Nov 19, 2010 @ 12:14:47
@expat – “ntersting people to meet, if only for a brief, fleeting moment.” – yup and I said just that – well something similar – when asked why I wanna be a toll collector. š