Walpole Resident Earns Certification As Commuter Rail Assistant Conductor

BOSTON - Walpole resident Matthew Connolly recently earned certification as an Assistant Conductor with Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail (MBCR).

Connolly is one of 21 men and women who began working this week on commuter rail trains traveling through Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island following graduation.
 
Connolly joins the ranks of a select group that works directly with customers and transportation managers to provide safe and reliable service to 70,000 customers who ride the MBTA commuter rail service every day. Connolly and other new Assistant Conductors were formally inducted into service during a ceremony at MBCR’s training facility in Somerville.

Assistant Conductors play an essential role in commuter rail operations, staffing entrances and exits to ensure customer safety, working with customers to ensure their well being, and checking trains for any onboard issues. They also collect revenue, tickets, and check passes. All Assistant Conductors are required to complete an extensive training program in order to earn certification, including:

Phase I: Classroom

• Federal Rail Laws
• Federal Rail Administration Operating Rules
• Rail safety
• Revenue collection
• Customer interaction

Phase II: Field Training

• Job shadowing
• Car handling
• Field safety