TOC emailed saying I'm too far away.. anyone experienced this?

[Carl98k]

Do you not have a friend/family closer? If so use their address and say you’re now staying with family until you’re able to fully locate. Loads of drivers have done that.

 

[skyhigh]

Do you not have a friend/family closer? If so use their address and say you’re now staying with family until you’re able to fully locate. Loads of drivers have done that.

And lots of HR departments are wary of this because people have previously promised to relocate and then not followed through with it.

Some TOCs will allow it, some are strict and it will be an absolute no.

 

[185143]

Was it the overground that rejected you. Do you mind saying which company did and where you live ( roughly) . People on here might have suggestions as to where you could apply next time trainee jobs come up etc. I will go first . I live near Bedford and overground took me on at Willesden. A fellow trainee lived near Rushden and was taken on by overground too.

I was just thinking, I've seen someone in London Overground uniform alighting from the last WMT Euston-Crewe service at Rugby several times. I've thought a few times he has a long commute.

 

[baz962]

I was just thinking, I've seen someone in London Overground uniform alighting from the last WMT Euston-Crewe service at Rugby several times. I've thought a few times he has a long commute.

Yes I know him . Another one in Derby.

 

[12LDA28C]

Have an application in for bletchley so fingers crossed as chances seem few and far between for depots from Bedford

Bletchley LNR or Bletchley Chiltern?

 

[DontPlayBoxing]

A waste of money certainly for the TOC but the candidate can then take their passes elsewhere if they have been successful at OPC.

Whilst I fully agree, I was also one who got sifted last night due to 'location', all I required was an MMI which I now have, as I passed so thats great and all..

But I'll tell you what though, the pass feels so empty right now, yes I'm glad I passed etc but I was never expecting to be rejected at this stage due to something you would think has been dealt with already, I was expecting; Pass, well done, move onto DMI or Fail, sorry you failed this section etc, not you've passed but still failed..

When you read the email you don't even recognise that you've passed, and just register/focus on the part where you've failed in a catergory that has been inserted last minute, I really struggle to believe that they didnt do a location sift at the first oppurtunity, doesnt make any sense why you wouldnt, there would also be people here rejected, but over the 1hr time limit if that was the case.

Was enjoying this recruitment process to up until 2.22am this morning!

 

[Archvile]

All TOCs approach it differently. It takes me an hour and a half to drive to/from work and despite a 1 hour restriction on the initial ad, I passed the initial sift, as well as everything else and it was never even mentioned...

 

[12LDA28C]

All TOCs approach it differently. It takes me an hour and a half to drive to/from work and despite a 1 hour restriction on the initial ad, I passed the initial sift, as well as everything else and it was never even mentioned...

In which case it appears you 'slipped through the net' and if those in recruitment at your TOC had followed their own criteria and processes properly, you would have been sifted out straight away. Luckily for you they didn't.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Tbh the whole restrictions thing is a grey area imo. Even thought TOCs set this limit for fatigue management reasons etc it still doesn't stop drivers who initially meet the requirement from then moving homes further out albeit for someone in an attempt to get more affordable housing or nice looking house etc outside of where the catchment of the TOC is.

 

[ComUtoR]

Tbh the whole restrictions thing is a grey area imo. Even thought TOCs set this limit for fatigue management reasons etc it still doesn't stop drivers who initially meet the requirement from then moving homes further out albeit for someone in an attempt to get more affordable housing or nice looking house etc outside of where the catchment of the TOC is.

If a TOC employs without a concern for fatigue or at the minimum, checking where someone lives in relation to where they live etc then it places the liability with them. If an employee moves then the onus is on them and the liability shifts.

Granted there are many ways to manipulate the system but let's be clear, people are using a loophole to get employed.

 

[NSEWonderer]

If a TOC employs without a concern for fatigue or at the minimum, checking where someone lives in relation to where they live etc then it places the liability with them. If an employee moves then the onus is on them and the liability shifts.

Granted there are many ways to manipulate the system but let's be clear, people are using a loophole to get employed.

True that is indeed true.

 

[DontPlayBoxing]

Tbh the whole restrictions thing is a grey area imo. Even thought TOCs set this limit for fatigue management reasons etc it still doesn't stop drivers who initially meet the requirement from then moving homes further out albeit for someone in an attempt to get more affordable housing or nice looking house etc outside of where the catchment of the TOC is.

I can see why they do put some effort into checking though. To be honest, its quite alarming how many people have advised to lie on the application or claim you live at another address, madness.

 

[richw]

Presumably it’s a way to filter down successful applicants.

For example.
10 vacancies. 20 put through tests. 15 pass tests. Need to lose 5 of those. A easy start is to filter out by distance from depot to commute. If 10 live within 30 mins and the other 5 live 45-60 mins away, it’s an easy decision to reject those 5.

If only the right number of candidates passed the test, including you, you’d probably have been hired

 

[Tysoe]

As a candidate it's frustrating they don't filter on, I don't know.....test scores, how well they interview, desirable qualities and generally how suitable they are for the job.

Rather then "this guy's a worse candidate but he can get to depot 10 minutes quicker then this guy."

 

[T-Karmel]

Rather then "this guy's a worse candidate but he can get to depot 10 minutes quicker then this guy."

Well you don't really know that one is worse than the other. At this point that's comparing exactly same level of candidates that passed their tests, so they're quite equal at this point. There would only be a little more to compare after the DMIs, but the truth is, not that much more neither. Everyone can prepare for the DMI and give them the answers they want to hear, say they're punctual, proactive and committed. And then "the better one" will call in sick cause they want a day off, oversleep cause of fatigue, or be late for duty cause of traffic on their 1h30 driving commute.

The truth is, hundreds if not thousands applied for this vacancy, they need to use multiple ways to sift candidates throughout the process. The simplest reason why they may not have sifted you out until now is that they just got more people pass tests than they thought they would. If more people failed, they'd possibly had invited more of you living further away to the interviews.

Would you rather have a DMI and be told you're successful but they've got excess of successful candidates and sorry but no?

Guys, I am gutted for you, I truly am, but just keep applying. No one has wasted a time on this application, you've got your passes now which are to one of the highest standards and they open more doors than you think.

 

[357]

If a TOC employs without a concern for fatigue or at the minimum, checking where someone lives in relation to where they live etc then it places the liability with them. If an employee moves then the onus is on them and the liability shifts.

Granted there are many ways to manipulate the system but let's be clear, people are using a loophole to get employed.

I don't think any TOC/FOC doesn't pay attention to commute now.

When I was moving jobs to where I am now, it was part of a relocation from one end of the country to the other. I was told in the interview (albeit unlikely due to the huge distance involved in my case) that the company policy was that if I couldn't provide an address within their commuting time before the start of my contract they would retract the job offer.

A FOC that I didn't end up going for had a similar arrangement.

As has been said up thread, I doubt there is any company that hasn't been burnt by "relocators".

 

[JWS]

So if employed but a TOC then 5years down the line you move over an hour away, do you have to inform HR who then decide if you can remain employed?!
This is certainly a grey area

 

[StoneRoad]

With fatigue being the important factor in this location / proximity to the depot situation, I have a question, having read the thread.

How would the TOCs react to a member of staff who lives outside this one hour zone but is transported by someone else, such as a family member - or a neighbour - driving a car, or other public transport, or a taxi/uber type arrangement ?

 

[Horizon22]

Yes I know him . Another one in Derby.

They might have been “grandfathered” in to the depot before the fatigue 45/60 commute rules came into place.

Also I’m not sure what happens to people who move after they’ve got the job further away, but the employee would have to tell their employer to update HR records; whether it’s followed up further after that I don’t know.

 

[skyhigh]

With fatigue being the important factor in this location / proximity to the depot situation, I have a question, having read the thread.

How would the TOCs react to a member of staff who lives outside this one hour zone but is transported by someone else, such as a family member - or a neighbour - driving a car, or other public transport, or a taxi/uber type arrangement ?

They'd say no. You might not be driving but you're still travelling.

Why would they bend the rules when there's a plentiful supply of candidates within the required distance?

 

[Archvile]

In which case it appears you 'slipped through the net' and if those in recruitment at your TOC had followed their own criteria and processes properly, you would have been sifted out straight away. Luckily for you they didn't.

Not at all.. the initial sift wasn't carried out by the TOC. There was a huge amount of applicants for the position I was offered, so it would likely have been a computer that did the distance check. I suspect the internal requirement was more lax than the officially advertised one. AFAIK, the 1 hour 'rule' isn't a rule, just accepted industry guidance.

 

[DontPlayBoxing]

With fatigue being the important factor in this location / proximity to the depot situation, I have a question, having read the thread.

How would the TOCs react to a member of staff who lives outside this one hour zone but is transported by someone else, such as a family member - or a neighbour - driving a car, or other public transport, or a taxi/uber type arrangement ?

If I'm the TOC I would be looking at you funny if you are expecting me to believe that you will be chauffeur driven to the depot for your early start every shift.

 

[DucksGoQuack]

Same! Dri

Hi everyone, just want to start off by saying thanks to everyone for the guidance on here, it definitely helped me get through the assessments.

After a bit of guidance and if anyone has experienced this before? I have passed all tests with OPC including MMI but they have sent me an email saying I live too far away. Despite being within an hour of the advertised position (barely I might add) but within an hour none the less.

Been years of applying to no avail and to have finally done the tests and passed feels amazing. But now it feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth.

Thanks again to everyone who has given input to this forum, and thanks in advance for any respons

Hi everyone, just want to start off by saying thanks to everyone for the guidance on here, it definitely helped me get through the assessments.

After a bit of guidance and if anyone has experienced this before? I have passed all tests with OPC including MMI but they have sent me an email saying I live too far away. Despite being within an hour of the advertised position (barely I might add) but within an hour none the less.

Been years of applying to no avail and to have finally done the tests and passed feels amazing. But now it feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth.

Thanks again to everyone who has given input to this forum, and thanks in advance for any response.

Same! Passed the tests.
Got told I’m too far away….
Despite being a 45 min drive away..

 

[T-Karmel]

So if employed but a TOC then 5years down the line you move over an hour away, do you have to inform HR who then decide if you can remain employed?!
This is certainly a grey area

Once you're employed, it doesn't matter. Give an address in Shetlands to HR if you like and it's up to you how you get into work, you may lodge or have a second home down here and only fly up North on your days off.
If you actually live far away and drive 2 hrs each way everyday, and that causes you fatigue, then it'll certainly be looked into during performance checks, or god forbid after accident.

 

[Horizon22]

Not at all.. the initial sift wasn't carried out by the TOC. There was a huge amount of applicants for the position I was offered, so it would likely have been a computer that did the distance check. I suspect the internal requirement was more lax than the officially advertised one. AFAIK, the 1 hour 'rule' isn't a rule, just accepted industry guidance.

When does "accepted industry guidance" become a rule then? If a TOC is implemeting that in the hiring criteria, then it's a rule.

 

[Archvile]

When does "accepted industry guidance" become a rule then? If a TOC is implemeting that in the hiring criteria, then it's a rule.

When it's in the rule book.

I would suggest that unless it's written in the company operating procedures and/or contract, it's not a rule per say.

 

[Horizon22]

When it's in the rule book.

I would suggest that unless it's written in the company operating procedures and/or contract, it's not a rule per say.

The rule book is for the operational railway. There are hundreds of policies and rules at each individual company that are still "rules" and it would be ridiculous to think otherwise.

 

[Archvile]

The rule book is for the operational railway. There are hundreds of policies and rules at each individual company that are still "rules" and it would be ridiculous to think otherwise.

We're onto semantics now. My (original) point was in response to the suggestion of an all-encompassing '1 hour rule' (singular) that some people allude to - it just doesn't exist. Also, the wording of a job advert doesn't necessarily reflect the rules of a company, as my case shows.

 

[Tysoe]

The job advert needs to reflect what they are looking for.
The advert said an hour from depot. I'm 55 minutes away so applied, jumped through the hoops and am now waiting for a decline email due to distance.
They must know they're going to get plenty of applicants 30/40 minutes away so why not just state that in the advert and not waste everyone's time and money?

 

[NSEWonderer]

The job advert needs to reflect what they are looking for.
The advert said an hour from depot. I'm 55 minutes away so applied, jumped through the hoops and am now waiting for a decline email due to distance.
They must know they're going to get plenty of applicants 30/40 minutes away so why not just state that in the advert and not waste everyone's time and money?

Its not about that but more so as these all get many applicants, TOCs will and can sift further thru their Distance requirement for those even closer. Its better believe it or not to sift now before the DMI with the positions more available to successful interviewees than the surplus start receiving interview declines because the TOC had to increase the scoring in that interview to sift applicants or most find out they succeeded but there is no room for them for a while.