Passed all assessments and interviews for train driver

[Donburchiano]

Hi all, I need some pointers, I recently sat my multi modal interview for a position with GTR, I live in Essex and applied for a thameslink trainee train driver position at Gillingham. Seeing as I passed the application I thought they were happy with my address. I sat and passed all assessments and interviews, finishing with the MMI. Upon completing the MMI I was told I'd find out my results in a week, so three weeks later I'd heard nothing so decided to call. They seemed to have forgotten about me, I was told that I had passed the MMI but all positions at Gillingham were now full and I live too far away to be considered for another position.
Can anyone tell me, if they have experienced the same at all and how I may stand with another TOC in getting a trainee driver position. I'm worried it may look bad to another TOC that I was rejected at such a late stage on factors out of my control. Any advice please.

 

[RedZed]

It took GTR two years to tell me I lived too far away !
Apply for other TOC's. You haven't been rejected - GTR just decided to move the goal posts.

 

[Need2]

Hi all, I need some pointers, I recently sat my multi modal interview for a position with GTR, I live in Essex and applied for a thameslink trainee train driver position at Gillingham. Seeing as I passed the application I thought they were happy with my address. I sat and passed all assessments and interviews, finishing with the MMI. Upon completing the MMI I was told I'd find out my results in a week, so three weeks later I'd heard nothing so decided to call. They seemed to have forgotten about me, I was told that I had passed the MMI but all positions at Gillingham were now full and I live too far away to be considered for another position.
Can anyone tell me, if they have experienced the same at all and how I may stand with another TOC in getting a trainee driver position. I'm worried it may look bad to another TOC that I was rejected at such a late stage on factors out of my control. Any advice please.

Thats a real bummer
I applied for Gillingham, passed the interviews and was told Gillingham full and was offered Ashford. Passed medical yesterday and (luckily for me) have now been given Orpington.
Try ringing them and asking what vacancies they have and if they have any in the pipeline.

 

[Donburchiano]

Congrats Need2, I bet your chuffed, they mentioned Ashford, Orpingto and Kings Cross to me but told me I was still too far away to be considered. I don't really get it, they passed my application knowing my address and that I was applying for Gillingham, Gillingham place were filled, Orpington is actually a little closer to me, yet suddenly I'm too far from there aswel, Ashford I agreed with is too far, but Kings Cross takes me 45 minute to get too by train, yet because it would take me longer to drive there, they won't give it to me. What cracks me up about that is, I've been told by other drivers that there are no parking facilities at kings cross for anyone, everyone has to get public transport in and if they have to start or finish at a time when there are no trains on, transport to and from the depot is provided by the company, so the fact it would take me over an hour to drive there isn't an issue, because I can't drive there.
Anyway the lady I spoke to wasn't even listening and didn't really seem to care if I'm honest. I'll have to look elsewhere.

 

[Donburchiano]

It took GTR two years to tell me I lived too far away !
Apply for other TOC's. You haven't been rejected - GTR just decided to move the goal posts.

2 YEARS!!!! That's shocking, did you go with another TOC in the end?

 

[bILLOO]

How far away are you exactly? Many say it's an hour maximum from home to depot; however I know of trainees that have been offered positions further away than that.

 

[Class2ldn]

Congrats Need2, I bet your chuffed, they mentioned Ashford, Orpingto and Kings Cross to me but told me I was still too far away to be considered. I don't really get it, they passed my application knowing my address and that I was applying for Gillingham, Gillingham place were filled, Orpington is actually a little closer to me, yet suddenly I'm too far from there aswel, Ashford I agreed with is too far, but Kings Cross takes me 45 minute to get too by train, yet because it would take me longer to drive there, they won't give it to me. What cracks me up about that is, I've been told by other drivers that there are no parking facilities at kings cross for anyone, everyone has to get public transport in and if they have to start or finish at a time when there are no trains on, transport to and from the depot is provided by the company, so the fact it would take me over an hour to drive there isn't an issue, because I can't drive there.
Anyway the lady I spoke to wasn't even listening and didn't really seem to care if I'm honest. I'll have to look elsewhere.

If the pay deal goes through you wont be provided with taxis.

 

[RedZed]

2 YEARS!!!! That's shocking, did you go with another TOC in the end?

No mate. I've had three applications with different TOC's all of which have amounted to nothing - despite not actually failing anything.
If anything it just proves that you can pass everything, have all the right attributes etc and still not get the job.
If you read any of my previous posts, you will see that GTR have a distinct apathetic attitude towards their potential employees and TBH, based on my experience of their recruitment campaign, they don't sound like the kind of employer that I would want to work for.
I really can't be arsed anymore.

"Insanity - Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein

 

[Donburchiano]

How far away are you exactly? Many say it's an hour maximum from home to depot; however I know of trainees that have been offered positions further away than that.

I live 45 mins from Gillingham depot door to door, and 41 from Orpington, their application stated that you had to be no more than 45 minutes travel away, hence why I applied, then they moved the goal posts on me.

 

[Donburchiano]

No mate. I've had three applications with different TOC's all of which have amounted to nothing - despite not actually failing anything.
If anything it just proves that you can pass everything, have all the right attributes etc and still not get the job.
If you read any of my previous posts, you will see that GTR have a distinct apathetic attitude towards their potential employees and TBH, based on my experience of their recruitment campaign, they don't sound like the kind of employer that I would want to work for.
I really can't be arsed anymore.

"Insanity - Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein

Can I ask, what other TOCs did you apply for?

 

[Donburchiano]

Can I ask, what other TOCs did you apply for?

Ahh I see, that's probably why they have reduced the distance to being 45 minutes from a depot.

 

[bILLOO]

I live 45 mins from Gillingham depot door to door, and 41 from Orpington, their application stated that you had to be no more than 45 minutes travel away, hence why I applied, then they moved the goal posts on me.

And yet, I know of one Trainee that was offered a GTR depot 1 hour + 20 minutes from their home very recently. I just don't know what to think anymore.

 

[RedZed]

Can I ask, what other TOCs did you apply for?

London Midland

DB Schenker

GTR

 

[Need2]

I live 45 mins from Gillingham depot door to door, and 41 from Orpington, their application stated that you had to be no more than 45 minutes travel away, hence why I applied, then they moved the goal posts on me.

When they (GTR) phoned me to tell me I had passed the DMI they said, Gillingham is closed as it was full but could offer me Ashford. I heard her tapping away at her PC and she said it was 58 minutes so within the hour traveling guideline!

 

[332 > 444]

In reality, they can offer me Gillingham, or places like WGC/St Albans as Google maps can put me within an hour from Leytonstone as I live close to the M11 and A12. Currently the TOC I work for now it's like to 90 mins to get to a shift at the airport!

I was offered KX but I know I'd be sent to Hornsey come 2018. I feel sometimes they change goalposts as they go along.