45 minute travel time limit

[NSEWonderer]

It is a farce. There are loads of driver at my company who have moved well outside the hour travel window they were given when they signed up.
The company are well aware of where they have moved to, as these ppl still manage to get taxis in.
It shouldn't be allowed but the company have never enforced the travel envelope once you're employed.

I don't see why a qualified driver with the company that has past probation (In which they've shown a good degree of timeliness and fit for duty) should be restricted to a requirement set for trainee drivers.

If you find a house for a better price in a good area and still can make it to work without relying on public transport and on time then most employers won't give a toss if you've moved from the location you first resided in. It only becomes an issue when you start picking up lateness or fatigue issues become noticeable.

The rule makes a lot of sense for new trainee drivers for the various reasons of fatigue both mentally and physically in their driving development. In my TOC it was highlighted even more after an incident with a trainee.

 

[ComUtoR]

It is a farce

It's put in place to protect employees. Fatigue is a genuine risk.

It shouldn't be allowed but the company have never enforced the travel envelope once you're employed.

Because it wouldn't be legal.

 

[Gemz91]

I don't see why a qualified driver with the company that has past probation (In which they've shown a good degree of timeliness and fit for duty) should be restricted to a requirement set for trainee drivers.

If you find a house for a better price in a good area and still can make it to work without relying on public transport and on time then most employers won't give a toss if you've moved from the location you first resided in. It only becomes an issue when you start picking up lateness or fatigue issues become noticeable.

The rule makes a lot of sense for new trainee drivers for the various reasons of fatigue both mentally and physically in their driving development. In my TOC it was highlighted even more after an incident with a trainee.

I never realised the requirement was set for trainees, always assumed it was a fatigue element for qualified drivers.

Do you know anywhere online where the standard can be read?

Adverts for qualified drivers often state the 45/60 min requirement, is that just a company standard rather than an industry standard in that case?

Working for a TOC in the north of England, I reckon less than 10% of the drivers at my depot live 50-60 minutes away, Around half our depot live under 40 minutes away. I guess the number of drivers living further away from their depots is much higher in London?

 

[Samsanbor]

It's put in place to protect employees. Fatigue is a genuine risk.

If this was true, then TOCs would have make you to sign your T&C agreement that you are not allowed to move further away 45'/60' commute time once employed and for the entire length of the employment.
This so called "rule", only applies on a pre-employment stage, so you are not an employee yet.
By the time you get employed there is nothing stopping you to move away where you like and it is also completely legal.
So where the employee protection regarding this aspect actually is??

Focusing on fatigue, I understand someone wants to move away for financial aspects such savings or affordability, however a part that, doesn't seems to be a such smart idea to me.
Increasing the length of time to get to and from work can only increase fatigue levels and as you will get older your body will cope less and less better with fatigue, you get tired quicker, you won't have the same reaction times etc.
Fatigue is a well known risk and it should be managed accordingly especially for safety critical workers.
In my view, despite this practice it's allowed and legal, it is a kind of a contradiction in an industry which claims to put everybody's safety first.

 

[NSEWonderer]

I never realised the requirement was set for trainees, always assumed it was a fatigue element for qualified drivers.

Do you know anywhere online where the standard can be read?

Adverts for qualified drivers often state the 45/60 min requirement, is that just a company standard rather than an industry standard in that case?

Working for a TOC in the north of England, I reckon less than 10% of the drivers at my depot live 50-60 minutes away, Around half our depot live under 40 minutes away. I guess the number of drivers living further away from their depots is much higher in London?

A qualified driver moving to a new TOC does technically become a trainee for a small part initially. After you've passed out again and gone through probation without much issue then I doubt moving about again causes an issue.

London is very expensive to live within the depot requirements for many depots. You'll definitely get applicants who meet this requirement, pass out and after some solid work and savings decide to move out for affordable housing.

Aslong as they can get to and from work undisturbed and accept and manage the increased fatigue risk of living out the 45-60min bubble, they'd not be bothered.

I believe there isn't a specfic national standard but TOCs base the rule from an RSSB / ORR recommendation. The Document below has been linked(ORR 2012 Fatigue Document) and is quite thick. I've picked out a few areas and attached the screenshots from it below.

ORR 2012 Fatigue Document