Qualified Drivers - Recruitment

[Kadot]

How often do TOCs recruit qualified drivers?

Can anyone share their experience and whether it's worth moving, taking into consideration salary, management and terms and conditions?

 

[Sorcerer]

How often do TOCs recruit qualified drivers?

Depends on the TOC. Generally InterCity operators like Avanti and LNER will recruit qualified drivers more often than regional operators like Northern (and at the time of posting Avanti are currently taking on qualified drivers for Preston and Wolverhampton depots). Usually to fill a small amount of vacancies that might need to be filled as soon as possible compared to proper trainee recruitment campaigns.

Can anyone share their experience and whether it's worth moving, taking into consideration salary, management and terms and conditions?

Whether it's worth the move depends on your TOC and depot. I'll have to leave this to the people who've actually been through the process to help you out on this one.

 

[357]

I moved TOCs to one that worked better for me, better conditions, better diagrams, better roster and better work content.

This TOC only takes on qualified drivers and as a result I find I'm generally treated like an adult and generally don't have comments on assessments such as "held couple button for 4.8 seconds instead of 5 seconds"

 

[43066]

How often do TOCs recruit qualified drivers?

Can anyone share their experience and whether it's worth moving, taking into consideration salary, management and terms and conditions?

I’ve moved twice. Both times for a significant improvement in work and pay, so I would wholeheartedly recommend it (albeit the second move is still very recent and will be a long while until I’m qualified to drive on my own again). I’m also in London so have probably the largest range of operators to choose from, and no need to relocate.

Nobody can really tell you what’s best for you and your situation, and equally TOCs don’t always recruit predictably. Try and keep a clean safety record, or as close to it as possible. Also try not to fall out with too many people, or get a reputation for being “difficult”, as it’s a small world. As with trainee drivers it’a good to keep your ear to the ground, set up job alerts, also consider networking via contacts/LinkedIn. Occasionally speculative CVs can also work.

If you’re in York you presumably have a reasonable choice of depots within reach - so potentially easier for you to move than someone based in Scotland or the far West Country, for example.

This TOC only takes on qualified drivers and as a result I find I'm generally treated like an adult and generally don't have comments on assessments such as "held couple button for 4.8 seconds instead of 5 seconds

Agreed. Places that aren’t traditional “starter TOCs” seem much better in this regard.

 

[baz962]

Depends on the TOC. Generally InterCity operators like Avanti and LNER will recruit qualified drivers more often than regional operators like Northern (and at the time of posting Avanti are currently taking on qualified drivers for Preston and Wolverhampton depots). Usually to fill a small amount of vacancies that might need to be filled as soon as possible compared to proper trainee recruitment campaigns.


Whether it's worth the move depends on your TOC and depot. I'll have to leave this to the people who've actually been through the process to help you out on this one.

Not quite. Lner did recruit recently up North somewhere but that’s rare. Avanti do a couple times a year , but Lner haven't really recruited for qualified for quite a few years.

 

[43066]

Not quite. Lner did recruit recently up North somewhere but that’s rare. Avanti do a couple times a year , but Lner haven't really recruited for qualified for quite a few years.

I expect your place will be opening up again soon after some of the recent “exits”.

 

[Stigy]

I’m in the process of moving TOCs (in fact, I start at my new one on 1st Sept). The process for me was simple and relatively quick, however I didn’t apply to a vacancy I saw, but asked about qualified recruitment, during some feedback from a DM interview. I was then put on a list, and received an email out of the blue 6 months later, with an application link attached with a brief outline of when a course was planned for should I wish to apply.

Prior to this I did ask if they took speculative emails, but the person I asked didn’t seem to know what I was on about

 

[Sorcerer]

Not quite. Lner did recruit recently up North somewhere but that’s rare. Avanti do a couple times a year , but Lner haven't really recruited for qualified for quite a few years.

I think this is in part because of LNER being able to continue training drivers during the pandemic while Avanti took a pause which lead to them starting two major recruitment campaigns for trainees, and more recently for qualified drivers to catch up on the backlog for a few years basically playing catch up. Maybe LNER were also able to take advantage of a younger trainee workforce that came about with the introduction of the 800/801 fleet but I don't know the actual age demographics. I probably should've also mentioned TPE since they sometimes recruit qualified drivers as well, more so than LNER it seems!

 

[20atthemagnet]

I moved TOCs to one that worked better for me, better conditions, better diagrams, better roster and better work content.

This TOC only takes on qualified drivers and as a result I find I'm generally treated like an adult and generally don't have comments on assessments such as "held couple button for 4.8 seconds instead of 5 seconds"

This made me chuckle as that’s exactly what my toc is doing at the moment

 

[PlexiDriver]

How often do TOCs recruit qualified drivers?

Can anyone share their experience and whether it's worth moving, taking into consideration salary, management and terms and conditions?

Generally it's more about what you want from the move.

Definitely weigh up, salary, roster pattern, swaps, OT, area and then the operations side too (Routes, Traction etc.)