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Concerns raised about 'no experience required' for bridge workers

Ad posted on Craigslist for part-time operators for Casco Bay Bridge

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Concerns raised about 'no experience required' for bridge workers
Ad posted on Craigslist for part-time operators for Casco Bay Bridge
A new online job posting is creating concerns for people who were already upset that Maine’s Department of Transportation is changing the way it runs the Casco Bay Bridge.Part of the job posting looking for people to operate the bridge reads, “No experience required.”The ad is raising some eyebrows, but a Department of Transportation spokesman said it shouldn’t.Florida Drawbridges, the company that has taken over operating the Casco Bay Bridge, is looking for part-time bridge operators on Craigslist.Transportation officials and the private contractor will train anyone who is hired.State Sen. Bill Diamond, a critic of the move to use a private contractor said he is concerned about the job posting.“We’re talking about no experience people, and they’re going to be trained for a couple of weeks, I guess, but still, no experience people going in to operate that bridge – that’s a huge responsibility,” said Diamond, D-Windham.“It’s important to remember that the bridge tenders that are there now had no experience when they started. There’s a lot of training that’s involved,” said Ted Talbot of the Department of Transportation. “So long before they’re hands-on operating the bridge, they’ll have gone through weeks-worth of training.”Starting pay for the job is $12 an hour, according to the posting. Talbot said that’s comparable to what current bridge operators are earning.

A new online job posting is creating concerns for people who were already upset that Maine’s Department of Transportation is changing the way it runs the Casco Bay Bridge.

Part of the job posting looking for people to operate the bridge reads, “No experience required.”

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The ad is raising some eyebrows, but a Department of Transportation spokesman said it shouldn’t.

Florida Drawbridges, the company that has taken over operating the Casco Bay Bridge, is looking for part-time bridge operators on Craigslist.

Transportation officials and the private contractor will train anyone who is hired.

State Sen. Bill Diamond, a critic of the move to use a private contractor said he is concerned about the job posting.

“We’re talking about no experience people, and they’re going to be trained for a couple of weeks, I guess, but still, no experience people going in to operate that bridge – that’s a huge responsibility,” said Diamond, D-Windham.

“It’s important to remember that the bridge tenders that are there now had no experience when they started. There’s a lot of training that’s involved,” said Ted Talbot of the Department of Transportation. “So long before they’re hands-on operating the bridge, they’ll have gone through weeks-worth of training.”

Starting pay for the job is $12 an hour, according to the posting. Talbot said that’s comparable to what current bridge operators are earning.