Drunk train driver

[Smudger105e]

Sadly not isolated. I know at least 3 drivers and 3 guards booted through drink.

The winner has to an RRNE trolley steward who during the grand reopening of Darlington station in 1997ish all the railway top brass were wandering around the station and there he was, in the station bar asleep on a stool with five empty pint glasses and his drinks trolley parked next to him - Legend!

So let's get this in proportion then. 3 drivers booted through drink/ I know of none.

let's assume there were 3 country wide, ASLEF have (according to their website) 18,500+ members, and this does not include RMT, TSSA or other TU members. so that's 0.162%, and we don't know over which period this was taken, and as has previously been said, the safety critical alcohol paramenters are far stricter than those for road vehicle drivers.

This is a tiny amount, and indicates, to me at least, that drinking by safety critical staff is not a huge issue.

At my depot there have been two dismissals since I have been there (over 10 years) one for canabis use found on a random screening, and one for drinking where alcohol was smelled on his breath. I both cases their service was under a year before their dismissal. Neither were operations staff.

And I have no symathy for anyone that breaches these rules, we all know the standard, and also all know the penalty for failing a screening.

 

[TDK]

I beleive the main reason for the current limit, is to allow for residual alcohol, after all, who knows when they are below the limit after drinking. It would be hard to work out without some science

No one knows but you MUST make sure you are not so you personally need to manage your alcohol intake

 

[reb0118]

Can someone confirm whether it's just DB Schenker Drivers that have to take a Breath Test when they sign on duty?

Do other operators carry out the same procedure?

Although I don't work on the Railways, I would have thought that it was total incompetence of the Managers at Cumbernauld to let that Driver continue his shift. Surely, it should be both a criminal & sackable offence for the Managers to allow the Driver to continue working in such a state?

Didn't they think an accident could occur?

No managers on duty at Cumbernauld. There could however be random checks anywhere on the network for various things.

Falling asleep is not a crime however.