Permanent Bid System

On May 17th, 2024, BNSF implemented a new bid system called the Permanent Bid System. This system replaced the existing system that we use to place bids and bumps. As of today, June 18th, 2024, there are still several issues with this bid system programming that have not been resolved. Most of them revolve around the flowback agreement when bidding/ bumping from engineer to trainman or trainman to engineer. Any incorrect movement made by the permanent bid system must be sent to and be reviewed by a special team in order to be corrected. If you are either not awarded a bid or awarded a bid improperly please follow the steps. Call the admin desk, tell them what happened and take note of what they tell you. If they are not able to resolve the issue, reach out to one of your local chairmen for assistance.

Key points of the permanent bid system

• First off, I need to address the rumor that “we will no longer have the ability to place a bump”. This is 100% false. We will still have the ability to place a bump but we will no longer have bump time, i.e. 24 or 48 hours. Bumps will be automatically placed at the schedule permanent bid run time.

• Engineers will keep a bid sheet on file and will be awarded bids in the order they are listed. This is very similar to how our current standing bid system works.

• Bids can be updated at any time before the bid system runs. Instructions on how to place bids is listed below.

• All bids will remain on file and will not be removed or replaced when a bid is awarded.

• Your current assignment will be highlighted in orange.

• All bids and bumps will be made at the same times of the day when the bid sheet runs. These times are as follows:

  • • Engineers – twice daily at 1000CT and 2000CT.

    • Trainmen – once daily at 1100CT

• The system will not assume anything. Your bids/bumps will be processed based on your bid sheet.

• Notifications are not required as they are now a courtesy. Notification will be sent via a push alertand will not be required to be accepted. This notification is a courtesy and it is our responsibility to ensure we know which assignment we are on after the system processes. In order to receive a notification you must have your push alerts setup.

• The bump board will not be used. If you are displaced it will be at one of the times listed above. You will be immediately displaced to the highest position listed on your bid sheet that you have the seniority to hold.

• If an engineers bid sheet is blank or they do not have the seniority to hold any of the choices on their bid sheet, they will be forced to an open position; if none, they will displace/bump the junior engineer in the terminal (including outside locations), seniority permitting.

• You will still be able to place a 30-day bump. These movements will be made at the times listed above. More information on this is listed below

• Engineers will still be allowed to flowback to the ground but there is an entirely new process to do so. Instructions are listed below.

• Markup time for vacations of seven (7) continuous days or more will be adjusted from 0700 to 0900 local time.  Engineers will not be marked up prior to the first bid check unless they voluntarily mark up early before the 1000 CT bid assignment time. If you have your flowback option checked you could be marked up to a trainman job at the trainman board adjustment time.

How to update your bid sheet (Engineer or Trainman)

1. Log on to the WFHUB. http://www.bnsf.com/wfhub

2. Click on Assignment

3. Click on Assignment Change Options

4. Click on Permanent Bids

5. Click on the bid sheet you want to update, Engineer or Trainman.

6. Select the category on the bottom of the screen. Options are Road, Local or Extra Board.

7. Select the job(s) you want to bid on by clicking the “+” sign next to the job. You can also click on the “I” next to the job for information regarding the job.

8. The order of bids can be modified by dragging a job up or down on the list. If you are on a mobile device, be careful because as it is easy to reorder jobs when scrolling up or down on the screen.

9. Bids can be deleted by clicking on the red trash can next to the job you wish to remove.

10. When your bid sheet is updated to your preference you must click the “SAVE” button

How to flowback to the ground

Below are some instructions on how to use the permanent bid system to flowback to the ground. Your bid sheet can be updated at any time but wull only be referenced at the agreed upon times. The system will look at the active bid sheet for both bid and bump purposes. Full instructions are linked below.

1. Log on to the WFHUB. http://www.bnsf.com/wfhub

2. Click on Assignment

3. Click on Assignment Change Options

4. Click on Permanent Bids

5. Enable the “flowback to trainman” toggle

6. Update your trainman bid sheet using the steps listed above.

7. Update your engineer bid sheet. 

8. Any jobs above the blue line will be looked at before your trainman bid sheet. If you are on an engineer job above the blue line you will not be awarded a bid to any trainman job on your trainman bid sheet. The toggle switch will be black when enabled and white when disabled.

How to bid back to an engineer job

Below are some instructions on how to use the permanent bid system to bid back to an engineer. Your bid sheet can be updated at any time but wull only be referenced at the agreed upon times. The system will look at the active bid sheet for both bid and bump purposes. Full instructions are linked below.

1. Log on to the WFHUB. http://www.bnsf.com/wfhub

2. Click on Assignment

3. Click on Assignment Change Options

4. Click on Permanent Bids

5. Enable the “bid back to engineer” toggle

6. Update your trainman bid sheet using the steps listed above.

7. Update your engineer bid sheet. 

8. Any engineer job above the blue line will be checked, if you cannot hold one of these jobs you will remain on your trainman job. The toggle switch will be black when enabled and white when disabled.

How to place a 30-day bump

30-day bumps can be requested at any time but will not be executed until the next job assignment change time.

1. Log on to the WFHUB. http://www.bnsf.com/wfhub

2. Click on Assignment

3. Click on Assignment Change Options

4. Click on Permanent Bids

5. Eligibility will be displaced at the top of the screen

6. Slide the 30-day bump toggle to on (right)

7. The system will only place a 30-day bump to your first bid choice (it will be highlighted grey) if your seniority can hold the job. The system will not look at any other bid choice.

8. Click SAVE

TYE Options Toggle Switches

There are several new toggle switches available in the TYE Options menu of the WFHUB. Full instructions are linked below.

• Toggle #9 - Return to my previous assignment when VAC is over. This is on by default for all employees. This toggle, if enabled, will return the employee to the assignment they held when their vacation started. This will only apply if the employee's seniority permits them to hold this assignment. This will bypass the bench board and place the employee directly back to their previous assignment. This toggle must be turned on before the vacation starts and cannot be enabled after.

• Toggle #9 - Drop to the foot of board upon FRA Rest (BLET Only) - This toggle only applies if an engineer is awarded a bid/bumps to an assignment while they are not FRA rested. If an engineer is moved to another assignment while not FRA rested they will be dropped to the foot of the board upon becoming FRA rested. This can be used up to one hour after becoming FRA rested.

Returning From Vacation

The permanent bid system did not make any changes to engineer vacation start times but made a change to how an engineer is handled when returning from vacation. Engineers vacation start and end times are still based on the advance call time of the terminal. Engineers will still be removed from the board (PRE) the evening before. VAC and PRE times are listed below for both Barstow and Needles.

• Barstow

  • • VAC – Starts 0730 & Ends 0729

    • PRE – Starts at 2231 the evening before.

• Needles

  • • VAC – Starts 0700 & Ends 0659

    • PRE – Starts at 2201 the evening before.

• If an engineer had Toggle Switch #9 (referenced above) turned on when their vacation started, they will be placed back on their previous assignment when returning from vacation. Turning off this toggle after starting vacation will not void this.

• If an engineer did not have Toggle Switch #9 turned on when starting vacation, they will not be marked up from vacation until 1100. This will allow an engineer to miss the morning bid system run and not be placed to a job until the afternoon bid system run. They will be placed to a job based on their bid sheet preference at the 2000 CT bid system run time.

Rest Cycle Information

Division 383 held a poll of the membership on which rest cycles should be adopted for Needles boards 6 and 30. Based on the results of this poll Needles board 30 will adopt a 6/3 Voluntary Rest Cycle and Needles board 6 will adopt a 6/3 Mandatory Rest Cycle. Barstow Board 6 will adopt the same 6/3 Mandatory Rest Cycle as Needles Board 6. The Needles rest cycles are scheduled to be implemented on July 22nd, 2024 and the Barstow rest cycle is scheduled to be implemented on July 29th, 2024. We have asked that they be implemented sooner but as of now we are still scheduled for Jule 22nd. 

Follow the link below to go to the Rest Cycle Information page:

Rest Cycle Information 

What time does the permanent bid system run?

Engineer bid sheets will only be run twice a day at the following times:

First Bid Sheet Run

• 1000 CT

• 0900 MT

• 0800 PT

Second Bid Sheet Run

• 2000 CT

• 1900 MT

• 1800 PT

Trainman bid sheets will be run once a day at the following time:

• 1100 CT

• 1000 MT

• 0900 PT

Below are a couple of documents that BNSF has provided to help with understanding the new Permanent BID System.

• Permanent Bid Instructions

• Flowback Instructions

• New TYE Options

Below are links to the Permanent Bid System Agreement and any side letters.

• Permanent Bid System Agreement

• Side Letter #7 Vacation Markup Time