DRS Driver - London

[S19]

Just saw this and thought it might be of interest to those who maybe work on the railway but want to progress on to driving?

Looks like it is open to trainees too

http://www.directrailservices.com/Content/Document.aspx?id=58

 

[O L Leigh]

DRS is not a company I would recommend. It's not for nothing that they are known as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Be aware that they are not a true FOC but part of BNFL, so you would be getting a BNFL pension rather than a railway pension and no travel privileges. Vacancies are coming up as a result of natural wasteage due to the number of drivers leaving the company due to the management attitude towards their staff. It is not a happy little ship.

By all means consider it as a route into the industry, but there are ways in other than this one. Take the warning and then decide for yourself.

O L Leigh

 

[ELR-Guard]

The reply try it for yourself springs to mind.

Even if you only stay with them to get trained etc you can go onto another TOC then.

Good luck career hunting.

 

[31A]

I couldn't agree more with O L Leigh.
When we were hired to DRS at a former company to work their trains, they were terrible to deal with.
However, if you want to drive some heritage traction for a while, it could be worth it.

A point to note is that not many DRS drivers leave for other companies - normally the other companies do not want them!!

 

[strawberryhill]

Whilst there have been some people who have not liked being at DRS, you find me a company with 100% people who like being where they are! It is the nature of the beast in our industry that you can never please everyone and I can tell you now there are people who are happy at DRS. People who have left have left for Virgin, London Midland and Chiltern to name but a few so the training must be ok! As for the plum who states that 'it's not a proper FOC' let me say this: we run trains (just like other companies), our trains have pathways (just like other companies), we compete for contracts (just like other companies), what is different with us is unlike many other companies we run charter, goods and maintainence trains, so for you to say we are not a proper company is stupid. And to cap it all let me say this, I am a lot happier with the variety that DRS offer me than sitting on a train with a 'find a platform, stop the train job' that most of the passenger companies offer. So if the only difference is the pension (which by the way is not bad) then I'll put up with it. Experience it first before slagging it off!!!

P.s. Crewing the Northern Belle is an experience.

 

[Legzr1]

What he said.


People need to be careful when advising newcomers to the industry - "Avoid at all costs" might mean something to someone with 30 years in the footplate currently working for a cushy little bus company operating a 5 year TOC franchise - it means nothing to someone looking for their first step up.


I've heard horror stories (from the horses' mouth) about Freightliner,FLHH,GBrF,DBS AND DRS (EWS was bad,DBS are even worse apparently) - the point is,they're all as bad or as good as each other.

 

[GB]

What horror stories have you heard about GBRF?

 

[Legzr1]

Not for public fora

Maybe things are better with First now out


My point remains - why single out DRS as a 'must avoid' FOC?

If it's because of their PT&R procedures then I suggest telling this to the many,many recent ex-employees of DBS.

 

[9K43]

Are DRS as bad as EWS/DB?
If so this outfit must be terrible.

 

[Redviper]

No one has specfically given any reason why DRS is a bad company.

Give me a company in any industry that can please 100% of its employess, and as for not getting perks - you have got a job as a train driver, is that not good enough?!

If not give it to me Ill have it.

 

[Legzr1]

From what I can make out,the 'terms and conditions' at DRS are slightly 'variable' at times with mad rostering and agreements not worth the paper they're written on.

This,of course,could be simple hearsay and have no basis in fact...