Moving to new TOC as a Trainee Driver

[trts123]

Hi all,
I just need some advice and opinions about moving to a new TOC as Trainee Driver.

I’m a few months into training (I can’t give specific details of TOC) as a Driver at the moment, but I have also received an offer from another TOC which I also applied for before I started with my current TOC, and they have given me a start date.
The offer I received from the TOC with start date would benefit me because of commuting.
But I feel that the offer from the new TOC would be more convenient as they only have 1 traction to sign for and route knowledge is easier.
My current TOC we sign for a few tractions and route knowledge is fine.
I also want to know the opinions on how a trainee driver currently in training leaving for another TOC would look to the new employer?

 

[NorthernTech]

Things to perhaps consider:
Are they both government franchise train operators or is one an Open Access Operator? If so, Open Access is the more risky option of the two I believe.

Pension options, if one is RPS and the other is not, that may be also a risk.

You may incur penalty charges by leaving if you signed a learning agreement with your current employer. You will no doubt blow any chances of working at your current employer again if you leave at this point and the railway seems to have a large network whereby word travels around, if you get my drift.

 

[NSEWonderer]

Everyone's got to do what they need to do specifically for themselves but I'd honestly question why you took the role your currently in if you knew you'd highly consider leaving it midway through training? Could have deferred the start date and let someone else take up the opportunity.

Having many routes and traction in my opinion is more of a plus than a negative, the commuting yes is usually a bigger factor as to why a qualified driver would make the swap later down the road.

I'd assume you're within the commuting distance for your current TOC, seeing as you've got the Job for them and we're managing to get in to work.

My advice would be personally, qualify with your existing TOC and see if a year or two in you like work over there, if not then you can apply for a qualified move. Up to you at the end of the day.

 

[AverageJoe]

You will have probably burned a bridge with your current toc.

There is also a risk that if the new toc gets wind of it they may not like it.

It’s a risk i personally wouldn’t take.

 

[whoosh]

I had someone Private Message me during 2020 (at the height of COVID) saying they had applied for Greater Anglia and Thameslink/Great Northern. They had started with Greater Anglia, but then received an offer from Thameslink/Great Northern.
In the end, after much deliberation weighing up pros and cons, they took a position at Great Northern. Later, longer term, they would've been looking at an internal transfer at GN to a depot closer to where they lived.

Given when qualified vacancies come up at Great Northern at Cambridge, and almost the entire GA depot applies, everyone was understanding when they resigned from GA!

In that case there was a large difference in pay (it's around £1k per month gross now).

It doesn't happen very often, but isn't unheard of for someone to swap TOCs as a Trainee.
I suppose you have to look at what's best for you long term.

 

[TheVicLine]

Fewer routes and only one traction may sound appealing to a trainee but once you pass out and you are driving one route in the same train day, after day, it will soon become a bit boring and repetitive.
There may be financial penalties with your current TOC if you bail out half way through training, especially if it to go to another TOC as a trainee, you need to check that out first.
I've never heard of anyone doing this, however there is no reason that you cannot do it, you've got to do what is right for you.

*I applied for and was offered trainee driver positions at two different TOCs and just chose which one I wanted to accept, both were ok with this but I hadn't already started the course with one of them so it's a bit different for you. This was also quite a long time ago.

 

[train_lover]

Hi all,
I just need some advice and opinions about moving to a new TOC as Trainee Driver.

I’m a few months into training (I can’t give specific details of TOC) as a Driver at the moment, but I have also received an offer from another TOC which I also applied for before I started with my current TOC, and they have given me a start date.
The offer I received from the TOC with start date would benefit me because of commuting.
But I feel that the offer from the new TOC would be more convenient as they only have 1 traction to sign for and route knowledge is easier.
My current TOC we sign for a few tractions and route knowledge is fine.
I also want to know the opinions on how a trainee driver currently in training leaving for another TOC would look to the new employer?

A huge risk and one that's not worth taking. It's worth pointing out that as a trainee driver you have very little security until you get your TD licence.

Stick with your current TOC, keep your nose clean and move in a few years time. The gamble is not worth it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Oct 2025 ==

Hi all,
I just need some advice and opinions about moving to a new TOC as Trainee Driver.

I’m a few months into training (I can’t give specific details of TOC) as a Driver at the moment, but I have also received an offer from another TOC which I also applied for before I started with my current TOC, and they have given me a start date.
The offer I received from the TOC with start date would benefit me because of commuting.
But I feel that the offer from the new TOC would be more convenient as they only have 1 traction to sign for and route knowledge is easier.
My current TOC we sign for a few tractions and route knowledge is fine.
I also want to know the opinions on how a trainee driver currently in training leaving for another TOC would look to the new employer?

I should also add. The railways is a very small place. P#@sing off the wrong person now, could come back to haunt you

 

[whoosh]

I dont think they care that much that they'll take it personally. "Best of luck... Right, who's next?!"

I'd be weighing up pay, terms and conditions myself:

What's the basic pay?
What's rest day work rate?
Are Sundays part of the working week, or not part of the working week? If they aren't, who gets the hassle of finding cover, me (committed Sundays) or the roster clerk (voluntary Sundays)?
What is the movement of shifts off spare?
What annual leave do I get?
How are bank holidays treated, are they a normal day and the equivalent wrapped up in my annual leave allocation, or do I get a day in lieu?
More variety = more interest, but some TOCs have more of a mix of train lengths, more routes, more traction - all of which can mean more risk of making a mistake, so that needs to be a consideration.
But... will i get bored of just one route? Or will it be 'steady work'? - Boredom is a risk!
What are routes like?
What is the work like?
What does the roster look like?
Is there any DOO work?

I'd want as full a picture as possible. And I'd want that fullest of pictures if I was to look at moving later on when qualified too.

As an example, the West Anglia part of Greater Anglia has night shifts, but no AM job starts before 0500, and no PM job finishes after 0100, which is a pretty good condition to have.
Thameslink / Great Northern do not have this condition and can book on and off at any time on AM or PM shifts, and have night shifts as well. The person I refer to in post #5 did have a full picture, and did take all this information into account when they made their choice - in their case between those TOCs.

 

[jaybon92]

I understand its abit annoying. For instance ive applied for a toc thats nearly an hour away, knowing that a toc thats 15 minutes away will be advertising in the new year some point. But as this is something i really want to do and a conplete career change sacrifices have to be made. I have plenty of time in life to change to another toc once ive got the license and a few years experience

 

[baz962]

Just my experience. When I was on the first assessment day with a toc , there was a guy in the room in another toc uniform he was currently training with and the opc told him that he had to do the assessments and if he failed it would affect his current employment. This was in 2018 so I don't know if anything has changed or if he had to do the assessments because of extra tests or if a higher pass was needed. He walked out.