Trainee train drivers wanted...
Discussion
wobman said:
It was 12 month on training wage when I started 20yrs ago, how things have changed. My training wage was £15k and there was no opportunity for overtime whilst training.
But it was worth the wait as I went to 80% once passed out then after another year it was 100%.
Things are very different nowadays
DependsBut it was worth the wait as I went to 80% once passed out then after another year it was 100%.
Things are very different nowadays
8 years ago it was training wage till you passed out, then full money.
Now it's the same but staggered wage rises for three years i.e PQA years. Given its around 18 months on training wage, those that are taking a pay cut to do the job really need to do their Sims to worst case scenario. I don't know any TOCs where you'd be passing out in a year due to shortage of DIs etc.
Also there has never been travelling expenses either in 'my day' or now.
Edited by Vickers_VC10 on Sunday 8th May 14:23
CharlieH89 said:
Not surprised. Morale is pretty low as I'm sat in the Mess Room at Leeds.
The final stages would include a safety critical medical (covering assessments of general health, vision, hearing, colour vision and drugs and alcohol testing).
Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
ChocolateFrog said:
CharlieH89 said:
Not surprised. Morale is pretty low as I'm sat in the Mess Room at Leeds.
MitchT said:
The final stages would include a safety critical medical (covering assessments of general health, vision, hearing, colour vision and drugs and alcohol testing).
Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
Medicals are normally a formality. Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
If you apply and you have an inkling that your hearing or sight isn’t great then it wouldn’t be worth applying.
If your hearing day to day is good then you shouldn’t have an issue.
MitchT said:
The final stages would include a safety critical medical (covering assessments of general health, vision, hearing, colour vision and drugs and alcohol testing).
Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
I read that advert and had exactly the same thoughts. I’m sure their rationale will be that this kind of things costs money. Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
But if you had 2 close candidates and made a provisional offer to one that went on the fail the medical tests and the second found work elsewhere you’d have wasted money and time.
ChrisH79 said:
I read that advert and had exactly the same thoughts. I’m sure their rationale will be that this kind of things costs money.
But if you had 2 close candidates and made a provisional offer to one that went on the fail the medical tests and the second found work elsewhere you’d have wasted money and time.
15,000 applied for the recent Avanti train driver positions. But if you had 2 close candidates and made a provisional offer to one that went on the fail the medical tests and the second found work elsewhere you’d have wasted money and time.
There’ll always be applicants.
MitchT said:
The final stages would include a safety critical medical (covering assessments of general health, vision, hearing, colour vision and drugs and alcohol testing).
Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
Cost. Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
CharlieH89 said:
ChocolateFrog said:
CharlieH89 said:
Not surprised. Morale is pretty low as I'm sat in the Mess Room at Leeds.
Being the lowest paid TOC wasn't a deal breaker a couple of years ago but now the best people are motivated to leave and they're leaving in droves. (20ish% turnover last year at my depot)
My brother after successive double digit payrises is now on virtually the same basic as a mechanic. Unlimited overtime too where as we've been on an overtime ban for the last couple of years and no payrise since 19.
Along with the slack being taken out of the diagrams so we've now got lots of 7+hr driving days or 6hrs nonstop and they wonder why the incident rate has gone up. You do notice 6hrs without a break, similar to driving Newcastle to Exeter non-stop.
Not saying it's a difficult job or that it's low paid, it isn't but it is tiring holding your concentration for that long.
Something to bare in mind if you're thinking of applying.
I can also answer any questions as I went through the process not that long ago.
ChrisH79 said:
MitchT said:
The final stages would include a safety critical medical (covering assessments of general health, vision, hearing, colour vision and drugs and alcohol testing).
Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
I read that advert and had exactly the same thoughts. I’m sure their rationale will be that this kind of things costs money. Why leave things like assessments of health, vision, hearing and colour vision until the final stages? Surely they're filters that should be applied in the first instance rather than dragging applicants through a rigorous assessment process, only to tell them, when their hopes are high having aced everything else, that their hearing or eyesight isn't quite good enough when those things could have been checked first!
But if you had 2 close candidates and made a provisional offer to one that went on the fail the medical tests and the second found work elsewhere you’d have wasted money and time.
demic said:
Both Freightliner and GBRf are taking on trainees at the moment.
I'd love to have a crack at driving 66's etc but the problem I have is I'm currently employed full time (NWR) and earn a lot more than the starting (training) salary for a driver and couldn't afford to drop down that much. A lad I went school with has gone from being a ground staff for DBC, to ground staff at FLHH, then pilot driver and now main line driver for FLHH, he loves it.
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