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Whilst I'm not interested in applying for the vacancies, I'm curious how much aggravation/anti social behaviour the Metrolink Drivers have to face on a regular basis.
I imagine it's not very pleasant driving a tram around the City centre after a Football match etc.
Whilst I'm not interested in applying for the vacancies, I'm curious how much aggravation/anti social behaviour the Metrolink Drivers have to face on a regular basis.
I imagine it's not very pleasant driving a tram around the City centre after a Football match etc.
For me the football matches were never the issue. They were loud and damaged the trams from time to time but left the driver alone.
However the kids and what I mean by that is large groups of youths aged from 12 - 16 wearing face coverings that would damage trams, hold doors open, be aggressive to and sometimes assault drivers was what I hated.
I can’t remember the name of the stop but the 2 stops before Rochdale I would always close my window because a few times I had them on the platform trying to spit at me.
Rochdale, bury and wythenshaw lines were common for it.
Normally this would occur on mid to late shifts. When on earlies it was often a quite enjoyable job.
Interesting, thank you AverageJoe.
I'm not from Manchester myself but I have heard alot in the media/social media about groups of teenagers going around the Metrolink network causing trouble like you describe.
For me the football matches were never the issue. They were loud and damaged the trams from time to time but left the driver alone.
However the kids and what I mean by that is large groups of youths aged from 12 - 16 wearing face coverings that would damage trams, hold doors open, be aggressive to and sometimes assault drivers was what I hated.
I can’t remember the name of the stop but the 2 stops before Rochdale I would always close my window because a few times I had them on the platform trying to spit at me.
Rochdale, bury and wythenshaw lines were common for it.
Normally this would occur on mid to late shifts. When on earlies it was often a quite enjoyable job.
Exactly my experience, groups of teenagers are/were the biggest issue I had with Metrolink. Thankfully I handed back my tram keys and pass yesterday at Metrolink and start as a trainee train driver next month.
Exactly my experience, groups of teenagers are/were the biggest issue I had with Metrolink. Thankfully I handed back my tram keys and pass yesterday at Metrolink and start as a trainee train driver next month.
Considering the vacancies only close on 15th February, it is incredibly ambitious to expect to have people possibly start 8 days later, considering the sifting, interviews and offers, let alone any notice periods. I'd suggest even the March dates are ambitious!
They even accept there "may be delays" in the advert and it is an "ongoing recruitment", so not sure where they've conjured those dates from.
Please note: We anticipate a high volume of applications for this position so there may be some delays in getting back to you. This is ongoing recruitment, we ask you for your patienceand we will ensure you receive an update.
I’ve seen some Metrolink drivers comment on here like it’s non existent or just water off a ducks back.
But often it’s instructors or those on permanent early shifts that don’t have to face it as much.
Plus when I was there you route learned in order of alt - bury, Rochdale, airport and so on. As soon as I signed Rochdale it was what I was frequently given and that’s where I had most of my issues.
Control were no help either. I remember a female driver who couldn’t close the doors at the stop near Rochdale train station and she was blocking a single line section that you have to TRTS for, control were going mad at her even though she was being verbally abused and having windows punched by a gang of kids. Control were safely snuggled up at OT depot with no concern about the situation the driver was facing. (She couldn’t close the doors because the youths would hold them open every time she tried to close them.)
And I tell you, it’s intimidating when a group of lads wearing balaclavas clearly show they have no fear of the law or repercussions and start punching your windows.
At Rochdale you could only change ends through the saloon too and a few times they would rush on and put their legs across the aisle from one side to the other and block your way. There is very little you could do but ask them politely to move and they just stare at you know they outnumber you but also that they are adolescents and untouchable.
So glad to be away from that job.
It wasn’t every day of course but often enough. If I was turning up to work on a late and I know I had Rochdales I would be stressed even before arriving.
Whilst I'm not interested in applying for the vacancies, I'm curious how much aggravation/anti social behaviour the Metrolink Drivers have to face on a regular basis.
I imagine it's not very pleasant driving a tram around the City centre after a Football match etc.
When I worked there anti-social behaviour wasn't a constant problem but if it ever happened don't expect control to help you, especially if you're on routes far out like Rochdale, airport, Ashton.
I mostly just got told if it got too much to just phone the police and wait for them to arrive.
As far as aggravation you'll get what you seek, by the end I wasn't that bothered, but you'll have drivers that constantly confront people even for the most basics of problems like smoking, playing loud music etc but then would complain they get a lot of ASBO.
Also 12 weeks is by no means long enough for you to confidently learn everything you need to know and be comfortable with it, it used to be 24 weeks and even that didn't seem long enough and they reduced it. This means quite a few new drivers were involved in incidents quite early into sole operating.
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I can’t remember the name of the stop but the 2 stops before Rochdale I would always close my window because a few times I had them on the platform trying to spit at me.
When I worked there anti-social behaviour wasn't a constant problem but if it ever happened don't expect control to help you, especially if you're on routes far out like Rochdale, airport, Ashton.
I mostly just got told if it got too much to just phone the police and wait for them to arrive.
As far as aggravation you'll get what you seek, by the end I wasn't that bothered, but you'll have drivers that constantly confront people even for the most basics of problems like smoking, playing loud music etc but then would complain they get a lot of ASBO.
Also 12 weeks is by no means long enough for you to confidently learn everything you need to know and be comfortable with it, it used to be 24 months and even that didn't seem long enough and they reduced it. This means quite a few new drivers were involved in incidents quite early into sole operating.
This is a job I would love to do, however the issue of anti social behaviour in Manchester really does put me off. Reading some of the comments above would put the fear of god into you, and no amount of money is worth the abuse you would have to suffer to do that job.
I work in a different industry and can also vouch for training being too short. It keeps getting cut, and then when people inevitably have incidents, the blame is always firmly in one direction. So it's safe to say that isn't just an issue on the Trams, it affects other areas of the transport industry too.
When I worked there anti-social behaviour wasn't a constant problem but if it ever happened don't expect control to help you, especially if you're on routes far out like Rochdale, airport, Ashton.
I mostly just got told if it got too much to just phone the police and wait for them to arrive.
As far as aggravation you'll get what you seek, by the end I wasn't that bothered, but you'll have drivers that constantly confront people even for the most basics of problems like smoking, playing loud music etc but then would complain they get a lot of ASBO.
Also 12 weeks is by no means long enough for you to confidently learn everything you need to know and be comfortable with it, it used to be 24 weeks and even that didn't seem long enough and they reduced it. This means quite a few new drivers were involved in incidents quite early into sole operating.
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Newbold is the worst station on the network even including Benchill
It’s probably true that the ones that were physically attacked were confronting the trouble causers. I didn’t do that, however for those that did I wouldn’t knock them for it, you should be able to uphold the standards expected on the tram without being attacked.
However for me, it wasn’t what happened to my physically that made me hate it, it was just the constant holding of doors and other anti social things they would do. It would make my blood boil because I wanted to react even though I was smart enough not to.
Control were terrible too. Say someone is smoking they would want us to make idle threads like if you don’t get off the tram is staying put until the police arrive. So you make the threat infront of everyone and seconds later control back down and tell you to continue and you look like a mug.
I can’t remember how long my training was, I didn’t make any mistakes but when I look back now it’s no surprise it does occur.
I mean yes the training is short but also no one tram in a section at any one time, every signal is a stop signal with no prior warning to what it may be, people trackside regularly.
I remember when I was out with my instructor on the trains and there was a trespasser on the line. My instructor was panicking and telling me to get the brake in but I’d been so conditioned to seeing it daily on the trams I was a bit blasé about it
This is a job I would love to do, however the issue of anti social behaviour in Manchester really does put me off. Reading some of the comments above would put the fear of god into you, and no amount of money is worth the abuse you would have to suffer to do that job.
I work in a different industry and can also vouch for training being too short. It keeps getting cut, and then when people inevitably have incidents, the blame is always firmly in one direction. So it's safe to say that isn't just an issue on the Trams, it affects other areas of the transport industry too.
Honestly Rochdale is THE worst line for anti-social behaviour but the kids were more troublesome than abusive, they'd hold doors, punch and hit the tram but you've got to let it not affect you because they're looking for a reaction.
I used to either put my feet up on the dash and play on my phone, or kick everyone off and say it's out of service then put it back into service at the train station.
Once you're moving from a terminal station it wasn't that big of an issue and if they held doors I'd just sit there and wait because you wouldn't get help.
In all seriousness it wasn't the anti social behaviour that made me move on because I just brushed everything off so they weren't bothered. It was the shifts and work conditions (why they've just nearly had a strike over conditions).
As far as incidents, you just have to be really on the ball. Most drivers there have had an incident over the course of their careers but the newer lot were more susceptible to having them early on.
Honestly Rochdale is THE worst line for anti-social behaviour but the kids were more troublesome than abusive, they'd hold doors, punch and hit the tram but you've got to let it not affect you because they're looking for a reaction.
I used to either put my feet up on the dash and play on my phone, or kick everyone off and say it's out of service then put it back into service at the train station.
Once you're moving from a terminal station it wasn't that big of an issue and if they held doors I'd just sit there and wait because you wouldn't get help.
In all seriousness it wasn't the anti social behaviour that made me move on because I just brushed everything off so they weren't bothered. It was the shifts and work conditions (why they've just nearly had a strike over conditions).
As far as incidents, you just have to be really on the ball. Most drivers there have had an incident over the course of their careers but the newer lot were more susceptible to having them early on.
It sounds like you were there a few years.
I think a lot of new ones including myself didn’t have to confidence to just put our feet up and ride it out.
Control would make you feel under pressure to keep things moving and then as a newish driver you are then concerned about what happens next like if you run late maybe you have to do a TB I’ve never done so then you have to find that damn code to operate the points. I found all that a bit stressful at first because as you say the training was over in no time and then you are thrown out there and control expect the new drivers to be able to react to change as quick as the experienced ones.
When I compare it to the trains it is so different, by the time I passed out I know my route and rules like the back of my hand. I had my own printed maps full of notes for TB’s and shunts and if anything out of the ordinary happens everyone reacts calmly and the last thing anyone pushes is to rush.
It sounds like you were there a few years.
I think a lot of new ones including myself didn’t have to confidence to just put our feet up and ride it out.
Control would make you feel under pressure to keep things moving and then as a newish driver you are then concerned about what happens next like if you run late maybe you have to do a TB I’ve never done so then you have to find that damn code to operate the points. I found all that a bit stressful at first because as you say the training was over in no time and then you are thrown out there and control expect the new drivers to be able to react to change as quick as the experienced ones.
When I compare it to the trains it is so different, by the time I passed out I know my route and rules like the back of my hand. I had my own printed maps full of notes for TB’s and shunts and if anything out of the ordinary happens everyone reacts calmly and the last thing anyone pushes is to rush.
Yeah, I was there about 7-8 years? I think we may have overlapped a bit as I only left a year or so ago.
Yeah, it takes a bit of time to realise there's really nothing control could do if you said you felt unsafe (not that I ever did), that you felt it was unsafe to carry on driving etc they'd just accept the lateness. You'd get a manager talk to you about it but it never really went any further.
Training is diabolic, mine was 6 months and when they cut it down to 3 everyone pretty much complained that it wasn't enough time but they simply had to do that because they needed and were losing drivers faster than they could train them up. I think the course that started not long after I left only had 1-2 people still there out of about 8 of them.
Tbh, I think control knew they could pressure newer drivers into stuff compared to senior drivers because I rarely ever got told to do anything I didn't feel like I should because they knew I'd more than likely just say no.
Yeah, I'm on trains now and it's completely different, not only do you feel backed up, the training wasn't over until YOU felt safe and confident enough to do the job.
Yeah, I was there about 7-8 years? I think we may have overlapped a bit as I only left a year or so ago.
Yeah, it takes a bit of time to realise there's really nothing control could do if you said you felt unsafe (not that I ever did), that you felt it was unsafe to carry on driving etc they'd just accept the lateness. You'd get a manager talk to you about it but it never really went any further.
Training is diabolic, mine was 6 months and when they cut it down to 3 everyone pretty much complained that it wasn't enough time but they simply had to do that because they needed and were losing drivers faster than they could train them up. I think the course that started not long after I left only had 1-2 people still there out of about 8 of them.
Tbh, I think control knew they could pressure newer drivers into stuff compared to senior drivers because I rarely ever got told to do anything I didn't feel like I should because they knew I'd more than likely just say no.
Yeah, I'm on trains now and it's completely different, not only do you feel backed up, the training wasn't over until YOU felt safe and confident enough to do the job.
My DTM, he was a top bloke and allowed me to leave without any notice as the TOC I was joining wanted me to start the following month.
I left there 5 years ago so we will have met likely.
I’m surprised you said you are on the trains as you mentioned you left Metrolink because of the shifts.
The only thing I think that is worse on the trains is the shifts, literally working all hours and while the trams are stabled away. You would have had a decent roster I presume to with your length of time there?
My DTM, he was a top bloke and allowed me to leave without any notice as the TOC I was joining wanted me to start the following month.
I left there 5 years ago so we will have met likely.
I’m surprised you said you are on the trains as you mentioned you left Metrolink because of the shifts.
The only thing I think that is worse on the trains is the shifts, literally working all hours and while the trams are stabled away. You would have had a decent roster I presume to with your length of time there?
The shifts on Metrolink were far worse than the shifts I'm on now.
The fact I was on a mixed roster working 6 days a week going from earlies to lates, having 2 days off if that sometimes to then come back in to a completely different shift type was just pure stress.
My depot also doesn't do all hours, it's pretty much the same between 4am and 2am (rarely ever finish even close to 2) and the change in shift types isn't as volatile as it was.
Actually no, I applied every year for all 6-7 years and only year 7 did I actually get the roster I wanted that wasn't another mixed roster and I knew I was leaving by then so I declined it and let someone else have it.
The shifts I'm doing now are far better, and the fact I'm getting 30 minutes if not hours between driving and not 12 minutes as a maximum makes the shifts so much better.
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Don't quote me but I think it's an hour. But once you're in there, so long as you arrive on time they didn't care. Some drivers were living MILES out but they always turned up on time.
Most drivers want an early roster, including me. The chances of that happening are zero unless you've been there for over 10 years and even then it's a very slim chance at that. I just hated middle and late shifts, waking up in the morning and just thinking all day that I have to leave for work around 4 - 5pm during rush hour as everyone else is going home. I always tried to swap it with others but the Facebook group for swaps was always full of people trying to get rid of their late shifts.
There were 6 of us in my training group which started in May 2023, after I left today there is only 1 person left from that group still working for Metrolink and even he is trying to leave. A lot of people use the trams to get onto the trains and some people just can't handle all the things that go wrong during a shift. Whether that's the Anti social behaviour of passengers, the many many speed restrictions around the network causing you to always be late and stressed, or the constant breaking down of trams (I'm looking at you sandpipes). Also the stupid people who walk around the city centre with headphones on or their eyes glued to their phones and not looking that a 28 tonne massive yellow vehicle is coming at them! We literally save lives when we go through the city centre because we could easily hit and seriously injure many people who are not looking where they are going. I have spoken to train drivers who say that they could not do what the tram drivers do, driving through Manchester city centre.
These are the main reasons I've left trams for the trains (and obviously the money), I just hope most of these things I won't have to deal with when I become a train driver.
Most drivers want an early roster, including me. The chances of that happening are zero unless you've been there for over 10 years and even then it's a very slim chance at that. I just hated middle and late shifts, waking up in the morning and just thinking all day that I have to leave for work around 4 - 5pm during rush hour as everyone else is going home. I always tried to swap it with others but the Facebook group for swaps was always full of people trying to get rid of their late shifts.
There were 6 of us in my training group which started in May 2023, after I left today there is only 1 person left from that group still working for Metrolink and even he is trying to leave. A lot of people use the trams to get onto the trains and some people just can't handle all the things that go wrong during a shift. Whether that's the Anti social behaviour of passengers, the many many speed restrictions around the network causing you to always be late and stressed, or the constant breaking down of trams (I'm looking at you sandpipes). Also the stupid people who walk around the city centre with headphones on or their eyes glued to their phones and not looking that a 28 tonne massive yellow vehicle is coming at them! We literally save lives when we go through the city centre because we could easily hit and seriously injure many people who are not looking where they are going. I have spoken to train drivers who say that they could not do what the tram drivers do, driving through Manchester city centre.
These are the main reasons I've left trams for the trains (and obviously the money), I just hope most of these things I won't have to deal with when I become a train driver.
Interesting insight into the job. What does the normal roster fall into. Is it set days off with regular lates or earlys or can it be a mix? As far as I was aware it's of course a safety critical role so 12 hours between shifts.
I can imagine it being a very challenging job for the reasons you have stated but I'm still a little surprised to hear of how many people seem to leave. Is retention generally quite poor with recruitment being an ongoing thing?
Do rail staff ever move over to trams ny any chance? Generally seems rail is more appealing but if somone is in station work of a non safety critical nature would it be seen as more advantageous to get experience in a safety critical role and potentially move back whether that be to guard/train driver?
Interesting insight into the job. What does the normal roster fall into. Is it set days off with regular lates or earlys or can it be a mix? As far as I was aware it's of course a safety critical role so 12 hours between shifts.
I can imagine it being a very challenging job for the reasons you have stated but I'm still a little surprised to hear of how many people seem to leave. Is retention generally quite poor with recruitment being an ongoing thing?
Do rail staff ever move over to trams ny any chance? Generally seems rail is more appealing but if somone is in station work of a non safety critical nature would it be seen as more advantageous to get experience in a safety critical role and potentially move back whether that be to guard/train driver?
The rosters are each 12 weeks long and then they repeat. The weeks don't run Monday to Sunday, but instead rest day to rest day. Most weeks are 2 days off and a few 3 days off. Each week mostly has earlies or lates for the whole week but you can't work past midnight the day before your rest days so that they you are normally given a middle shift which all end at 11pm at the latest. There are some weeks where you have a mixture of early and day shifts and other weeks mixture of middle and late shifts. Yes you must have 12 hours between one shift finishing and another shift starting.
Metrolink are recruiting all the time, drivers are leaving all the time. In fact most years they lose more drivers than they can recruit. There are a lot of reasons people leave, some can't handle the shift work pattern, some are stressed easily by passengers and what to do when something goes wrong. Some use the trams as a stepping stone for trains. I remember hearing from someone that around 20% of drivers are currently oon sick leave due to stress! I'm maybe built a bit different, I've been involved twice (1 on national news) where a person has died (not my fault at all), I was back at work 3 or days later.
I don't remember seeing or hearing about anyone who's gone from trains to tram. There have been tram drivers who have gone to trains and done other sorts of jobs like being a guard just to get their foot in the company and then apply for train driver roles from within. When I went for the trainee train driver assessment day at Northern last year there were 2 other applicants there who already worked for Northern, one was an engineer/train mechanic and the other a cleaner. In fact I was speaking to one of the managers and he said he started as a cleaner at Northern and worked his way up. So in fact it seems it's easier to get these roles if you are already at the company no matter in what capacity.
The rosters are each 12 weeks long and then they repeat. The weeks don't run Monday to Sunday, but instead rest day to rest day. Most weeks are 2 days off and a few 3 days off. Each week mostly has earlies or lates for the whole week but you can't work past midnight the day before your rest days so that they you are normally given a middle shift which all end at 11pm at the latest. There are some weeks where you have a mixture of early and day shifts and other weeks mixture of middle and late shifts. Yes you must have 12 hours between one shift finishing and another shift starting.
Metrolink are recruiting all the time, drivers are leaving all the time. In fact most years they lose more drivers than they can recruit. There are a lot of reasons people leave, some can't handle the shift work pattern, some are stressed easily by passengers and what to do when something goes wrong. Some use the trams as a stepping stone for trains. I remember hearing from someone that around 20% of drivers are currently oon sick leave due to stress! I'm maybe built a bit different, I've been involved twice (1 on national news) where a person has died (not my fault at all), I was back at work 3 or days later.
I don't remember seeing or hearing about anyone who's gone from trains to tram. There have been tram drivers who have gone to trains and done other sorts of jobs like being a guard just to get their foot in the company and then apply for train driver roles from within. When I went for the trainee train driver assessment day at Northern last year there were 2 other applicants there who already worked for Northern, one was an engineer/train mechanic and the other a cleaner. In fact I was speaking to one of the managers and he said he started as a cleaner at Northern and worked his way up. So in fact it seems it's easier to get these roles if you are already at the company no matter in what capacity.
The rostering seems reasonable enough at least although all shift work is only reasonable to a point I suppose. I currently have split days off and falls in a cycle of having the 3 off together every 6 weeks but can be a mix of earlys and lates across a week.
That seems quite surprising that they may lose more than they recruit but I suppose for the reasons you have stated I do understand why that may be the case. Although the pay has gone up it still seems it should be more especially as it seems to take a while to get the full rate. You do sound like you are build different for what you have put up with, with most people more than likely having a few months off which is reasonable but I guess it's just how people respond to situations.
I didn't think it would be as likely for people to go from trains to trams, alot of recruitment is done in house with a lot of tocs. I just thought maybe some cleaning roles/stations jobs might have considered it a step up still. I do know of people who have gone from cleaners to driver sometimes in a short time so anything is possible.
The job definitely seems like a challenge and something I would definitely like to do but seems like a lot to consider. By the sounds of it there will never not be recruitment for these roles, especially if metorlink always has plans to expand.
Interesting insight into the job. What does the normal roster fall into. Is it set days off with regular lates or earlys or can it be a mix? As far as I was aware it's of course a safety critical role so 12 hours between shifts.
I can imagine it being a very challenging job for the reasons you have stated but I'm still a little surprised to hear of how many people seem to leave. Is retention generally quite poor with recruitment being an ongoing thing?
Do rail staff ever move over to trams ny any chance? Generally seems rail is more appealing but if somone is in station work of a non safety critical nature would it be seen as more advantageous to get experience in a safety critical role and potentially move back whether that be to guard/train driver?
The pattern isn't the problem, it's the fact it's rest day to rest day, so you could start your week on an early and end your week on a middle that finishes at 10-11pm or vice versa and you'll have been 2--4 days off in a week depending on roster and which line on the roster you're on.
And yes it's 12 hours between shifts but don't be surprised when that time between shifts is exactly 12 hours because it does happen more than you'd think it does.
People leave for many reasons as others have stated, no one really goes down from rail to light rail, they'll mostly go up. Metrolink seems to be an easy stepping stone from the street to having railway experience. There's been people who trained, did a few months solo then went up to trains.
Other reasons people leave are they don't like the shifts, there's shift work and then there's badly organised railway shift work which can lead to stress which is why quite a chunk of drivers are usually off sick because it's an invisibly demanding job especially running through the city center.
Don't feel like this is anyway trying to put you off, if you go for it I'm merely trying to tell you what it's actually like from someone who was there nearly 10 years.
I’ve seen some Metrolink drivers comment on here like it’s non existent or just water off a ducks back.
But often it’s instructors or those on permanent early shifts that don’t have to face it as much.
Plus when I was there you route learned in order of alt - bury, Rochdale, airport and so on. As soon as I signed Rochdale it was what I was frequently given and that’s where I had most of my issues.
Control were no help either. I remember a female driver who couldn’t close the doors at the stop near Rochdale train station and she was blocking a single line section that you have to TRTS for, control were going mad at her even though she was being verbally abused and having windows punched by a gang of kids. Control were safely snuggled up at OT depot with no concern about the situation the driver was facing. (She couldn’t close the doors because the youths would hold them open every time she tried to close them.)
And I tell you, it’s intimidating when a group of lads wearing balaclavas clearly show they have no fear of the law or repercussions and start punching your windows.
At Rochdale you could only change ends through the saloon too and a few times they would rush on and put their legs across the aisle from one side to the other and block your way. There is very little you could do but ask them politely to move and they just stare at you know they outnumber you but also that they are adolescents and untouchable.
So glad to be away from that job.
It wasn’t every day of course but often enough. If I was turning up to work on a late and I know I had Rochdales I would be stressed even before arriving.
Is that company procedure to change through the saloon? If so, that'd make very little sense.
Drivers come to Rochdale, secure the cab then go to the toilet at the interchange. After that they go to the other end of the tram and carry on their journey without going through the saloon at all?
Is that company procedure to change through the saloon? If so, that'd make very little sense.
Drivers come to Rochdale, secure the cab then go to the toilet at the interchange. After that they go to the other end of the tram and carry on their journey without going through the saloon at all?
That only works if everyone went to the toilet after getting to Rochdale which they don't, and securing the cab doesn't allow to exit through the exterior door. You have to exit through the saloon though drivers do use the side door at places like Victoria.
Considering the vacancies only close on 15th February, it is incredibly ambitious to expect to have people possibly start 8 days later, considering the sifting, interviews and offers, let alone any notice periods. I'd suggest even the March dates are ambitious!
They even accept there "may be delays" in the advert and it is an "ongoing recruitment", so not sure where they've conjured those dates from.
It won't come as a surprise that Metrolink closed their applications 15 days early cause they got way too much interest. From what I hear, over 3000 applicants for 100 positions. Would I say I am surprised? Of course not, there's many 'qualified individuals' without a job and that's without mentioning those unqualified individuals who want a decent paid/secure job. So to answer your question, yes they can get 100 new employees within a month as they started doing tests from 3 days into the ad going live. In fact there's some starting in February as they are without a job and able to start immediately. Metrolink have already interviewed 100's with a potential of some of them also joining the February course. The courses listed will be filled without a doubt. I believe they have stopped expecting 'too much' for a job as a tram driver, which is easier than driving a car (just like trains), hence why they've lowered expectations and accepted that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to become a tram driver or a train driver so the minimum ages have also been reduced.
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That only works if everyone went to the toilet after getting to Rochdale which they don't, and securing the cab doesn't allow to exit through the exterior door. You have to exit through the saloon though drivers do use the side door at places like Victoria.
It won't come as a surprise that Metrolink closed their applications 15 days early cause they got way too much interest. From what I hear, over 3000 applicants for 100 positions. Would I say I am surprised? Of course not, there's many 'qualified individuals' without a job and that's without mentioning those unqualified individuals who want a decent paid/secure job. So to answer your question, yes they can get 100 new employees within a month as they started doing tests from 3 days into the ad going live. In fact there's some starting in February as they are without a job and able to start immediately. Metrolink have already interviewed 100's with a potential of some of them also joining the February course. The courses listed will be filled without a doubt. I believe they have stopped expecting 'too much' for a job as a tram driver, which is easier than driving a car (just like trains), hence why they've lowered expectations and accepted that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to become a tram driver or a train driver so the minimum ages have also been reduced.
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I get you now, you mean the internal door, Gotcha. I thought they had to walk through the tram 'all the way' to the other end.
There is 4 or 5 rows of seats you have to pass before you can exit the passenger door. This is where I found they would rush and try to block my way at times.
Also securing the tram isn’t easy, you have to open the doors to let people off at the terminus and if those undesirables rush on at that point there isn’t much you can do to get them off again.
They know what they are doing, they know they can’t be touched and a lot of them are more than happy to gang up on you if necessary so you just have to stay quiet and get on with it.
This would be more tolerable for me if travel safe officers frequented the trouble trips more often, but from my time there you would most likely find them sat in cafe neros. And as already said, control didn’t give damn.
What you said about travel safe is 100% true, either in cafes, on their phones or in the chicken shops. I've always said they are a waste of tax payer's £££.
One thing I've noticed about the teens is when you react or ignore, they tend to do it more? Whenever I've walked past teens I'd just nod my head and say 'Alright lads?', they always responded positively. I can't say everyone's experience is the same obviously. I seem to have more problems with women, the clumsy ones on their phones.
My younger brother drove trams for a year and the only thing he hated was the commute, other than that he said it was easy but not his cup of tea.
I'm guessing you're driving trains now? At least you don't have to deal with anti social behaviour now
believe they have stopped expecting 'too much' for a job as a tram driver, which is easier than driving a car (just like trains), hence why they've lowered expectations and accepted that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to become a tram driver or a train driver so the minimum ages have also been reduc
As someone who drives cars, has worked for Metrolink and now drives trains.
Car driving is by FAR the easiest vehicle to drive.
The reason it's so "easy" for people to join Metrolink because it requires the bare minimum qualifications and to have driven a car for a couple of years.
Also as far as the tests, there's probably only a couple hundred people out of the 3000 applicants because only a couple of applicants actually make it all the way through the assessments so for at the end there was probably 2 or 3 people for each position instead of the 100-200 people per position to start with.
At my assessment there was at least 10 people on my assessment and there were multiple assessments the same day and the rest of the week.
Only me and another person made it through, that's 2 out of 10+ people and the odds are even worse for train recruitment.
The actual "driving" of the vehicle is supposed to be easy so you can concentrate on the harder bits especially driving around the city centre on event days.
Then as others have mentioned anti social behaviour is hit and miss for each person. I ignored the vast majority of kids and never really had any aggression, others have done the same if not even tried to talk to them and been punched, spat at etc.
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