CORP SMT HAS ALTDEV ON DEPT SID.

Narrative

PF WROTE CLRNC AS FOLLOWS -- CLRED TO DEST ARPT VIA MORRISTOWN 3 DEP ELIOT INTXN; ETC -- WRITTEN SHORTHAND: M3 ELIOT -- DURING TAXI OUT I ASKED PF WHAT THE MORRISTOWN 3 INITIAL ALT WAS AND HE CONSISTENTLY RESPONDED 3000 FT BUT HE WAS READING THE M3 AS MEANING MAINTAIN 3000 FT. THE MORRISTOWN 3 CALLS FOR 2000 FT INITIAL ALT. DURING CLBOUT WE WERE HANDED OFF BY MORRISTOWN TWR TO NY DEP CTL 119.2 AND CONTACT WAS MADE. AS WE PASSED 2000 FT; DEP CTL TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 2000 FT. WE WERE CLBING TO 3000 FT. WE RESPONDED WE WERE PAST 2 FOR 3 BUT WE'LL DSND TO 2000 FT. DEP CTL TOLD US TO CONTINUE CLB TO 8000 FT ON 240 DEG HDG AND THAT INITIAL ALT ON THE SID IS 2000 FT. SURE ENOUGH; HE SAID THERE WAS NO CONFLICT BUT THAT IN FUTURE WE NEED TO READ THE ALTS CLOSELY. UPON REVIEW; WE NO LONGER PUT M2 OR M3 NON ?3 FOR ANY SID BUT RATHER THE LB SIGN FOLLOWED BY THE NUMBER SO IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AN ALT AND BOTH PLTS MUST READ AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE PRESCRIBED SID -- STAR -- APCH PLATE; ETC! WE WERE FORTUNATE NO CONFLICT OCCURRED; AND A LOT WISER NOW.