Don't be stupid - New GTR Drivers

[sarahj]

There is a rumour coming through that a large group of new trainees have been let go from GTR/TL. It seems that due to shortages there is a lack of driver instructors and long waits for one. New drivers were supposed to go out and just travel around and learn routes. From what I hear some just decided to pop off home instead. They were caught out and let go. I cannot confirm if this is true, but I do know of another group of new starters in another position on GTR again thought that people were not checking and were going home after signing on and were caught and let go. So a warning to all you new starters, Dont take the mick, someone is always watching. Do your job, then go home, not before.

 

[rwalk365]

Wow, as someone who is waiting to get on to a course with GTR TL having passed everything this year, gets me annoyed. What an opportunity to pass up.

 

[fabs]

Sound advice Sarah. Although i hear it’s not necessarily a case of ‘someone always watching’ but more ‘being stupid, going too far and making it obvious’.
It’s a highly sought after job with responsibility don’t **** waste it.

 

[JetStream]

This happened a while back with Arriva too; a few trainee conductors decided to go shopping in London whilst route learning. Unsurprisingly, they were sacked. After all the effort to get a job, pass the rules, instead of just enjoying arguably the easiest part of training, they got lazy.

Thankfully, this was found out before they passed out. Kick in the teeth to those who only just missed out on the role during the interview stage.

 

[Mag_seven]

Must be heartbreaking for those who have just missed out on a place to see some of those who did abusing this opportunity. Hopefully the company will contact those who just missed out and offer them the positions vacated.

 

[Donhamer]

How stupid can people be? This is a dream job for so many people and yet some throw it away through stupidity and laziness.

Hopefully those who passed interview but missed out on jobs will now get the chance.

 

[Class2ldn]

Unfortunately I think the excitement and the positivity people have dwindles when you have been waiting so long for a DI.
I'm a DI and the way it's been organised is shoddy at best. Most trainees are doing nearly 400 driving hours before being assessed as there is a lack of managers to do it, that's after waiting god knows how long for a DI.
Obviously people take advantage, route learning can be boring especially after long periods bit seems some people took it too far.
Just be clever.

 

[GMT]

Well, let's be honest, some people apply just for the 50k+, they don't have much of interest and motivation for the job, and sooner or later they may be caught out for their being slack. In this case it happened sooner than later.

 

[Economist]

That's precisely why whenever I'm on a route learning ticket I do actually spend a full day route learning.

Also, in the early days it can be useful for learning stop mark/monitor locations, tunnels, PSRs etc.

Personally, I'm surprised they didn't assign them a specific driver to shadow, it's a good way to get people used to the shifts as well as making sure that they turn up.

 

[Gathursty]

New drivers were supposed to go out and just travel around and learn routes.

I cannot confirm if this is true, but I do know of another group of new starters in another position on GTR again thought that people were not checking and were going home after signing on and were caught and let go.

1) Do you mean sit in a train like a passenger or knock on the driver at the start of their trip and ride in with them?
2) Obviously, there are idiots who will get caught out on social media or will chat in earshot of colleagues but if these people are so savvy, how do GTR check up on people route learning given you typed 'to go out and just travel around and learn routes'?

 

[Bromley boy]

Best advice is be sensible and don’t take the p*ss. Spend a few hours doing routes and go home, don’t bust a gut, but don’t take liberties.

Route learners probably get the sense (quite rightly) that they’re essentially doing nothing between finishing rules and starting with a DI and inevitably people find that it’s a bit of an aimless existence.

At my place they eliminated this problem by assigning route learners to shadow a particular driver. This was quite useful and when I started driving I found I’d picked up quite a bit from my “shadow driver”.

 

[Class2ldn]

They did try this but and some do but they found a lot of drivers didn't want to do it without any extra money so some are doing it and others are left to their own devices

 

[RJ]

The last thing the railways need is more entitled people who want to get away with not doing their job by duping their employers. Guess this is what the probation period is for!

Good riddance.

 

[Bromley boy]

They did try this but and some do but they found a lot of drivers didn't want to do it without any extra money so some are doing it and others are left to their own devices

And who can blame them. All that extra distraction and risk for no reward.

If only TOCs would get their ducks in a row, by investing in giving DIs proper training and rewarding them properly, there would no longer be a DI shortage and the issue wouldn’t arise.

 

[ComUtoR]

I'm a DI and the way it's been organised is shoddy at best.

That's an understatement F'!£$!"£$"!£ disgraceful is what I'm leaning towards. That said, there is a shocking disparity amongst your Trainees. I've had a few who were quite interested and still upbeat about their training and were annoyed but accepting of their situation. But then there have been others who frankly didn't care. One even checked his mobile whilst we were driving.

I did hear that some were being told that there is simply no job available anymore and they would be released from their contracts. Not had any confirmation of this so its more rumor than anything. Whats happened to Ashford depot is again, a total disgrace. I think with all the issues. its very easy to get rid of any Trainees who make the smallest mistake. Not a great position to be in for the GTR Trainees but if you don't value your job then asta la vista.

 

[baz962]

That's an understatement F'!£$!"£$"!£ disgraceful is what I'm leaning towards. That said, there is a shocking disparity amongst your Trainees. I've had a few who were quite interested and still upbeat about their training and were annoyed but accepting of their situation. But then there have been others who frankly didn't care. One even checked his mobile whilst we were driving.

I did hear that some were being told that there is simply no job available anymore and they would be released from their contracts. Not had any confirmation of this so its more rumor than anything. Whats happened to Ashford depot is again, a total disgrace. I think with all the issues. its very easy to get rid of any Trainees who make the smallest mistake. Not a great position to be in for the GTR Trainees but if you don't value your job then asta la vista.

+
Hi com I hope that rumour is not true , does not bode well for current trainee's and even less for those of us waiting for our six month's to re apply.

 

[GMT]

Talking about GTR, when going back home from work every day, I take the TL service to Sevenoaks (I don't live there though, I couldn't afford it, I just take a connection in Bromley) from the Elephant & Castle. I have noticed that for about the last couple of months the drivers have been wearing the Southeastern uniform, does anybody know why? Is Southeastern lending drivers to TL?

 

[ComUtoR]

SE have been driving TL services for more than a few years now. (Sevenoaks - Bedford routes)

 

[Atishyou]

They were expecting trainee drivers to go out and route learn after zero hours of train handling and mentoring?

I agree with Economist and they should have assigned them to particular drivers to follow shifts until a mentor became available.

 

[mitch.swiggins]

when I was a trainee, way back in 2004, my DM sent myself and 3 other trainees out to a station manager to gain “railway experience” - he put us to work tidying the station grounds. we were each assigned to a different station and were told to report there, mon - fri/9 -5, until DI’s became available. we would’ve MUCH preferred to do route learning than changing the bin bags on platforms and cleaning out store rooms.

 

[neilb62]

As far as I'm aware (and certainly in my day) you can't route-learn until you have passed for Driving, because until you have passed you aren't qualified to route-learn!

 

[cin88]

Northern are sending their trainees out shadowing at the moment at both of their Manchester depots, apparently there's a large shortage of DIs. I've heard quite a lot of negative comments regarding the situation lately. The most common complaint being about having nothing to do because drivers don't always want them in there so they end up sitting around in the mess all day.

 

[mitch.swiggins]

so they end up sitting around in the mess all day.

this is exactly why my DM sent us out to do busy work - he hated seeing us sitting around, collecting our wages for doing nothing.

 

[RJ]

They were expecting trainee drivers to go out and route learn after zero hours of train handling and mentoring?

I agree with Economist and they should have assigned them to particular drivers to follow shifts until a mentor became available.

Personally I hate sitting around and doing nothing, even on paid time. Sending people out route learning when drivers are reasonably well within their rights to refuse probably isn't the best plan, but going AWOL is unacceptable - either get permission to go home or seek something else to do.

 

[james123]

A side issue to this whole situation is being stuck as a trainee, on a trainee wage. For me, like many, the trainee wage is a massive pay cut and I will struggle on it. Clearly if you aren't learning or developing you're not making progress to full salary and are stuck for longer on trainee wages.

 

[mateenez]

Wow that's crazy I got through to the last stage which is driver manager interview before rendered unsuccessful, imagine how painful that was only to find out some people are taking the piss smh

 

[Bromley boy]

when I was a trainee, way back in 2004, my DM sent myself and 3 other trainees out to a station manager to gain “railway experience” - he put us to work tidying the station grounds. we were each assigned to a different station and were told to report there, mon - fri/9 -5, until DI’s became available. we would’ve MUCH preferred to do route learning than changing the bin bags on platforms and cleaning out store rooms.

That would be unacceptable to a many people. If you’re employed as a train driver (trainee or qualified) no one has any business asking you to empty bins and clean store rooms.

I think shadowing drivers is the best solution. Failing that, route learning with a cab pass.

 

[lammergeier]

It's often said that it's one of the hardest jobs to get but the easiest to lose!

What's happened at Ashford as alluded to further up the thread?

As far as I'm aware (and certainly in my day) you can't route-learn until you have passed for Driving, because until you have passed you aren't qualified to route-learn!

Sounds like front ending as opposed to route learning.

 

[mitch.swiggins]

That would be unacceptable to a many people. If you’re employed as a train driver (trainee or qualified) no one has any business asking you to empty bins and clean store rooms.

and yet it happens, even with qualified drivers. in my situation, I went to see my DM the next day instead of reporting to the station I'd been assigned to, thinking that he didn't know what we were being made to do. he assured me that he was aware, had no problem with it, and that he wasn't there to babysit trainees.

 

[rwalk365]

That's an understatement F'!£$!"£$"!£ disgraceful is what I'm leaning towards. That said, there is a shocking disparity amongst your Trainees. I've had a few who were quite interested and still upbeat about their training and were annoyed but accepting of their situation. But then there have been others who frankly didn't care. One even checked his mobile whilst we were driving.

I did hear that some were being told that there is simply no job available anymore and they would be released from their contracts. Not had any confirmation of this so its more rumor than anything. Whats happened to Ashford depot is again, a total disgrace. I think with all the issues. its very easy to get rid of any Trainees who make the smallest mistake. Not a great position to be in for the GTR Trainees but if you don't value your job then asta la vista.

What’s happened to the ashford depot?! I’m currently waiting for next years intake for thameslink, is it all off?!