Have I made the right decision moving TOC?

DA1 · 7 Apr 2026

Hi all,

I’m a qualified driver. Recently I moved to a different TOC.
My last TOC, which I was at for a number of years, was at the lower end of the pay scale and was metro work but was a 15/20mins drive away.
My new TOC is more longer distance regional work, more laidback, slightly more pay (for now) and slightly better working conditions but the commute is now just over an hour by public transport.
I’m yet to finish my training but I now keep having second thoughts as to whether I’ve made the right decision to move away from my local TOC. Has anyone felt like that when they moved to a different TOC? What did you do or how did you overcome that feeling?

Thanks for your input.

RailUK Forums

driver9000 · 7 Apr 2026

It's a big step to move depot and company especially when the work is different to what you've been used to and I had a similar phase after I moved TOC. The training phase of moving as a qualified Driver is a weird no man's land of feeling like a total newbie despite having a licence but I found once I was back out on my own and in the swing of life at my new depot I settled down. It's personal preference but I don't miss the "all stops" work of my previous depot and as much as I enjoy the depot I'm at now, I still miss the people I worked with at my last depot but I don't regret making the move. I've been at my current depot for longer than I was at my original depot.

martin2345uk · 7 Apr 2026

I've had lots of these second thoughts since I moved from a FOC to a TOC... but I had to really stick it out and give it a fair chance and now I think on balance I made the right decision. I would say it's far too early to tell while you're still in training...

whoosh · 7 Apr 2026

I would ask, is you being a bit fed up of the commute down to having to some of the training being at 'office hours' when the trains to and from work are busier?

Loadhaul60059 · 7 Apr 2026

I don’t work in the industry, but it strikes me that anyone who has changed jobs would have had similar feelings. When I last moved jobs, I spent the first few months feeling really out of my depth and I questioned whether I’d made the right call. I stuck with it though, and with time and experience things improved.

It’s commendable that you took the step to move somewhere new. I doubt you will have taken that decision lightly, and there must have been some reasons for ultimately deciding to move, so what was it that drove you to move in the first place? Do those factors still exist now?

From reading your post there seem to be lots of benefits associated with the new role now, but I’d also think about your future career and where you’d like to end up. For example, if some short term ‘pain’ in the form of a longer commute at your new TOC opens you up to greater opportunities in the future then it might be worth sticking it out for now.

357 · 7 Apr 2026

I went from a micro managed commuter TOC to an intercity TOC. Took a pay cut in the process but was relocating to a much nicer part of the country with much lower living costs.

No company is perfect, but I'm happy where I am now.

Generally treated like an adult, no micromanagement of silly things, I just turn up, do my job, and go home.

Management are available if I need them but rarely see or communicate with them, apart from the weekly update from the head of drivers.

For me the move was a great success and I've currently got no plans of moving on. Been at this TOC for a little over 3 years, it would be nice to sign some more routes at some point but I can live without that.

I'd like to tell you that the move from an "entry toc" into one that takes on qualified drivers will be a positive one, but that really depends on you and the management. I'd like to think that with time the working environment will far outweigh the commute.

I enjoy nothing more than relaxing with sunglasses at 125mph and remembering that I do as many station stops in a month now as I used to do in a shift.

Another pro is not carrying a huge bottle of water in your bag - water/tea/coffee available on the train. During delays food can be available too (within reason). The flip side is during delays you can be a long long way from home and finish many hours late.

DA1 · 8 Apr 2026

Thanks for all your posts, appreciate it.

whoosh said:
I would ask, is you being a bit fed up of the commute down to having to some of the training being at 'office hours' when the trains to and from work are busier?

I don’t think so because I’m choosing my hours until I’m in the roster however my commute has gone from 15/20 mins to hour and 20 mins and coming home it’s often longer than that.

I feel like it’s made me appreciate that location is worth money in itself.

Horizon22 · 9 Apr 2026

DA1 said:
Thanks for all your posts, appreciate it.

I don’t think so because I’m choosing my hours until I’m in the roster however my commute has gone from 15/20 mins to hour and 20 mins and coming home it’s often longer than that.

I feel like it’s made me appreciate that location is worth money in itself.

I know the advice on here for those (lucky few!) people who have more than 1 trainee offer with little to pick from in terms of money and T&Cs is to pick the closest depot, and the reasons for that are often evident as you may now be realising. There's much to be said for a short commute, especially when you are already doing shift work.

Twotwo · 9 Apr 2026

If you're having doubts then I'm not too sure you have the made right choice but only time will tell. Most people leave tocs to reduce their commute time not the opposite....

baz962 · 9 Apr 2026

As @357 said I also now do a lot less stops. From 132 on the worst diagrams at my old place to around 24/26 on the worst diagrams now and going along at 125 as opposed to 45 . Toilets on trains and getting a cuppa on some are to me also a huge benefit. I took a paycut , although I got a better commute and I save money as I travel on my own toc and get free parking. I started as a trainee at 48 and was worried about learning routes again at 51,especially as im not going across London anymore and had a longish route to learn . So so much better now and im so glad I moved over.

ainsworth74 · 9 Apr 2026

DA1 said:
I don’t think so because I’m choosing my hours until I’m in the roster however my commute has gone from 15/20 mins to hour and 20 mins and coming home it’s often longer than that.

I feel like it’s made me appreciate that location is worth money in itself.

Don't work in the industry but I suspect that this might the issue rather than change of TOC itself. I wonder if it's worth beginning to think about moving so you're closer to your new depot. Not necessarily right on the doorstep but at least to cut the commute down to something a little more reasonable. An 1hr20m each way on-top of a working day is a recipe for being unhappy (and knackered!) I would suggest even if once you're back out and working on the rails doing the job that you (presumably otherwise!) enjoy. I'd be cautioning anyone in any industry if they were eyeing up a commute of that length.

Horizon22 · 9 Apr 2026

ainsworth74 said:
Don't work in the industry but I suspect that this might the issue rather than change of TOC itself. I wonder if it's worth beginning to think about moving so you're closer to your new depot. Not necessarily right on the doorstep but at least to cut the commute down to something a little more reasonable. An 1hr20m each way on-top of a working day is a recipe for being unhappy (and knackered!) I would suggest even if once you're back out and working on the rails doing the job that you (presumably otherwise!) enjoy. I'd be cautioning anyone in any industry if they were eyeing up a commute of that length.

Indeed. Personally anything above an hour is an issue for me. Of course not everyone has that luxury.

That being said I am surprised the OP was offered the job with such a long commute time, such are the fatigue and distance requirements for drivers these days.

DA1 · 9 Apr 2026

Horizon22 said:
Indeed. Personally anything above an hour is an issue for me. Of course not everyone has that luxury.

That being said I am surprised the OP was offered the job with such a long commute time, such are the fatigue and distance requirements for drivers these days.

I was offered this because it’s an hour according to maps but that’s different to reality. I have done it in 55 mins before but that’s reliant on public transport being spot on.

sherman216 · 6 Jun 2026

Find myself in a similar position now, potentially moving TOCs and doubling my commute to around an hour plus. Interested to hear how things have worked out for yourself?

Harpo · 7 Jun 2026

sherman216 said:
Find myself in a similar position now, potentially moving TOCs and doubling my commute to around an hour plus.

I’d consider the quality of the commute too. Is it a single relaxing train journey or is it a drive, and maybe not a straightforward one? I found a relaxing train commute with no trouble getting a seat, preferable to the few years I had of leaving work and being straight into the kids’ mayhem 10 minutes later.

sherman216 · 7 Jun 2026

That’s a fair point, sitting on a train for an hour as opposed to 30 minutes in traffic would be much less stressful. Weighing up the pros and cons at the moment, and also leaving the comfort of what I used to for something new.

Horizon22 · 7 Jun 2026

Harpo said:
I’d consider the quality of the commute too. Is it a single relaxing train journey or is it a drive, and maybe not a straightforward one? I found a relaxing train commute with no trouble getting a seat, preferable to the few years I had of leaving work and being straight into the kids’ mayhem 10 minutes later.

Bear in mind if they’re a train driver there’s almost certainly going to be some driving due to the nature of the shifts, but those should be at hours where traffic is very light.

Crazyb · 8 Jun 2026

Not now as I'm at a different depot, but I travelled around 1hr 15 to my depot when I had a depot within a mile of my house. I done that for years, but I rather that and being less stressed than at a metro depot stopping every minute. Yep sometimes when it goes wrong it's a pain, but you do get used to travelling. I have had some high blood pressure moments running for trains though..lol.

DA1 · 12 Jun 2026

sherman216 said:
Find myself in a similar position now, potentially moving TOCs and doubling my commute to around an hour plus. Interested to hear how things have worked out for yourself?

Enjoy it here but the commute is too time consuming and tiring so I’ll be moving to a TOC closer to home end of this year which greatly reduces my commute by over an hour.

sherman216 · 12 Jun 2026

DA1 said:
Enjoy it here but the commute is too time consuming and tiring so I’ll be moving to a TOC closer to home end of this year which greatly reduces my commute by over an hour.

Interesting to hear, how long was your commute? Was it by public transport or driving?

DA1 · 12 Jun 2026

sherman216 said:
Interesting to hear, how long was your commute? Was it by public transport or driving?

On a good run 1hr 10mins door to door and on a bad run has taken me over 2 hours to get home before all by public transport.

Will now be about 15/20mins drive.

sherman216 · 12 Jun 2026

At least you gave it a try, and was lucky enough to be able to move to another depot soon enough.

Find myself in a similar position giving up a 20/30 minute drive for an 1:15 public transport commute. Some good for thought.

Have I made the right decision moving TOC?

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