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Tram Driver - Manchester Metrolink - now recruiting

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Todo Recto

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Was there not a strike or talk of a strike with metrolink drivers because of pay & conditions ?

Seem to recall reading that they were targeting a strike on the day of a man united home game to have as big an impact as possible!
 

Todo Recto

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Not sure or not but think they may have agreed 3.5% pay increase to the strike action. Anyone hear drive for them ? Be interested to hear if they are a good employer
 

Lddex

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I know there part of the Stagecoach group. A private venture run with TfGM.
 

beavercreek

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I was a driver here before becoming a driver on the heavy rail.
They agreed a 2% pay rise with no conditions attached.
The company are run by RATP Dev who run the Paris Metro.
They are a good company to work for and although the job can be stressful it is a good job.
Good luck to those who apply.
 

Todo Recto

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What are the shifts like ? How long did you work for them before moving into heavy ?
 

beavercreek

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Earliest sign on is 0415 and the latest finish is 0300.
You follow a roster so it rotates between earlies, middles and lates.
I was there a few years.
 

martin2345uk

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Do you know if you get my variety of routes? By which I mean are you likely to get stuck on Altrincham-Bury for weeks on end, or do they mix in some Rochdale-East Didsbury's or Cornbrook-Airports to mix things up a bit..?
 

beavercreek

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At the start you will learn one or two routes but you will quickly learn all of them.You can be on different lines in one shift and if you are unlucky, especially when there is engineering works get stuck on neverending shuttle runs ie Altrincham to Cornbrook x8.
 

martin2345uk

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Thanks beaver... Can I ask another couple of questions? Feel free to ignore if they're just getting annoying!

Firstly how much scope for overtime is there usually...?

Secondly, on engineering works days when very few trams are running, what would happen if you were scheduled to do a shift but you weren't actually needed.. would they send you off to a closed station to direct and inform passengers?

Finally... there was a rather alarmist article in the MEN last year about how dangerous the job is with seemingly near constant verbal and physical abuse from passengers! How close to the truth was that..?!
 

185

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Was there not a strike or talk of a strike with metrolink drivers because of pay & conditions ?

Seem to recall reading that they were targeting a strike on the day of a man united home game to have as big an impact as possible!

You imagined this. Look into my eyes, look into my eyes.... your under.....

:D
 
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Seem to recall reading that they were targeting a strike on the day of a man united home game to have as big an impact as possible!

A strike on South Eastern would disrupt more Man Utd fans ;)

Anyone know what type of assessments Metrolink Drivers would need to take?
 

beavercreek

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Thanks beaver... Can I ask another couple of questions? Feel free to ignore if they're just getting annoying!

Firstly how much scope for overtime is there usually...?

Secondly, on engineering works days when very few trams are running, what would happen if you were scheduled to do a shift but you weren't actually needed.. would they send you off to a closed station to direct and inform passengers?

Finally... there was a rather alarmist article in the MEN last year about how dangerous the job is with seemingly near constant verbal and physical abuse from passengers! How close to the truth was that..?!

Overtime is readily available if you want it to cover annual leave ect and is paid at time and a half.
On a shutdown they will normally have lots of spares.You can chose to help your colleagues out or watch TV.Its rare they will ask you to do anything else.
I never had any problems but it's got worse in the last 12 months as new lines open the local yobs have something new to abuse.You are in a locked cab and should you feel threatened then you use the radio rather than confront them.For me when you are in your cab you are paid to drive, maintain concentration and keep to the rules, what goes on behind you Isnt your problem.
The assessments change but they normally use some of heavy rail assessments.
 

martin2345uk

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Overtime is readily available if you want it to cover annual leave ect and is paid at time and a half.
On a shutdown they will normally have lots of spares.You can chose to help your colleagues out or watch TV.Its rare they will ask you to do anything else.
I never had any problems but it's got worse in the last 12 months as new lines open the local yobs have something new to abuse.You are in a locked cab and should you feel threatened then you use the radio rather than confront them.For me when you are in your cab you are paid to drive, maintain concentration and keep to the rules, what goes on behind you Isnt your problem.
The assessments change but they normally use some of heavy rail assessments.

Thanks a lot, very helpful and interesting. Well I'm having a go, I don't massively rate my chances to be honest but you have to be in it to win it eh! <D
 

martin2345uk

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Ugh, I suck at application forms! :(

Anyone else actually applying for this..??
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well there we go, application submitted, now it's time to wait.. :(
 

andyb2706

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Nothing to do with Stagecoach now, unless RATP are connected to them? Didn't think they were though...

No Stagecoach has nothing to do with RATP. RATP is Regie Autonome des Transports Parisiens which is a French state owned company that operates most of the public transport in Paris.

Had a look at the advert for drivers and had to laugh. Under essential skills it states:

"Demonstrate high quality written and verbal communication skills." To begin with that is poor written skills but as you read through it there are plenty of mistakes in punctuation and excessive use of capital letters without a full stop before them. Not a good advertisement for them. I'm not saying I am brilliant but that is so poor.
 

martin2345uk

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In fairness, it's been copied and pasted from a pdf document with bullet points, but the bullet points formatting doesn't work on their website hence random capital letters without a full stop before them.
 

Withnailandi

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Don't hear much praise from people who worked for Metrolink. No eating or drinking in cab and blind has to be up at all times. I know 3 people who used to drive for them.
 

andyb2706

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In fairness, it's been copied and pasted from a pdf document with bullet points, but the bullet points formatting doesn't work on their website hence random capital letters without a full stop before them.

But were is the proof reading before publishing? Not very professional.
 

martin2345uk

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Don't hear much praise from people who worked for Metrolink. No eating or drinking in cab and blind has to be up at all times. I know 3 people who used to drive for them.

What blind? Sun blind? Surely it would be dangerous to not to have that at least partially lowered in bright sun?

I have heard some pretty good things about them, not least from Beavercreek on this very thread! You will always get people who like and loathe jobs though...
 

beavercreek

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The blinds were on the old T68 trams to keep out the saloon lights behind you and needed to be upright during daylight.The new M5000 trams have tinted glass so you didn't get the reflection in the windscreen.

My own view is that Id never be driving express trains now if it wasn't for the experience I gained at Metrolink.About Nine of my former colleagues have gone on to be new drivers on the heavy rail so it's a good stepping stone.
 

Mojo

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What blind? Sun blind? Surely it would be dangerous to not to have that at least partially lowered in bright sun?
The bulkhead separating the drivers cab and the saloon has a window, I am presuming it is referring to the blind to stop customers looking into the cab.
 

martin2345uk

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The bulkhead separating the drivers cab and the saloon has a window, I am presuming it is referring to the blind to stop customers looking into the cab.


Ah ok. As beavercreek says they don't have them anymore.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Still only me who's applied for this off here...? :-/
 
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