Scotrail Trainee Drivers (Ongoing)

[LoogaBarooga]

It depends on the depot. Our earliest start is 03.35 and the latest back shift finish is 01.40. And everything in between. The shifts can be brutal at times.

Aye pretty much this, our start and finish times are slightly less horrific though.

 

[Jeffers89]

Anyone recently got contractual information.

I’ve been asked for another 2 references and another disclosure.

Just wondering if this is the norm?

 

[DavidAtkin]

email them back saying you’ve done it mate. I was the same had to do an imposter check that was all.

And believe me we aren’t the only people that would have got this lol.

Anyone recently got contractual information.

I’ve been asked for another 2 references and another disclosure.

Just wondering if this is the norm?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Nov 2025 ==

For anyone looking into the trainee jobs.

Supposedly internal applications are live so external must be coming soon. Keep an eye out.

 

[HornbyJunction]

I've heard people saying that it's wise to visit your depot and talk to potential colleagues before the mmi... has anyone done this!?

 

[Chris96]

I've heard people saying that it's wise to visit your depot and talk to potential colleagues before the mmi... has anyone done this!?

hi mate thats more for the DMI, the MMI is more about you and the examples you wrote about on the part 2 of your computer assessment, it doesn’t hurt to visit the depot but i don't think it would be beneficial for this part. others may say different

 

[j17smith]

I've heard people saying that it's wise to visit your depot and talk to potential colleagues before the mmi... has anyone done this!?

Hello. I spoke to a manager at a depot and he said they don’t do they before the MMI anymore. Will only do it if you get to the DMI stage. No requirement.

 

[Pablo 45]

I got the email today to say I passed the MMI! I haven't stopped pacing around the house in disbelief. Hoping it's not too long to wait for an email for the medical and provisional start date

Hi Pedro, congrats on your pass!! Can you share some tips and how is the MMI overall?
Thank you
Regards, Pablo

 

[weeman]

Out of curiosity does anyone know roughly how many links are in place at Glasgow central? And is that separate depot to queen street?

 

[RiverDon]

Out of curiosity does anyone know roughly how many links are in place at Glasgow central? And is that separate depot to queen street?

I don't know about the links but Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street are seperate depots. You can see what they both cover in the second post on this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/different-driver-depot-route-and-traction-cards.205085/ , just click on Scotrail.

 

[afloattoast]

Confirmation this morning that I passed my MMI, just DMI to go now

 

[Kar1]

Congrats, well done!

 

[j17smith]

Confirmation this morning that I passed my MMI, just DMI to go now

When did you sit the MMi?

 

[afloattoast]

Congrats, well done!

Cheers! Finish line almost in sight!

When did you sit the MMi?

Weds 5th

 

[RM_12]

I have my MMI on Wednesday but for the life of me I can't remember what I wrote as answers on my pre questionnaire; do they remind you what you wrote or do they just probe you from it without you knowing if you cant remember? Thanks in advance.

 

[j17smith]

Cheers! Finish line almost in sight!

Weds 5th

Nice one. I was there Thursday 6th and got my email today as well. Well done

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Nov 2025 ==

I have my MMI on Wednesday but for the life of me I can't remember what I wrote as answers on my pre questionnaire; do they remind you what you wrote or do they just probe you from it without you knowing if you cant remember? Thanks in advance.

They read out the question and they read out your answer and ask you to elaborate. Certainly that’s what they did with me last week.

 

[RM_12]

Nice one. I was there Thursday 6th and got my email today as well. Well done

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Nov 2025 ==


They read out the question and they read out your answer and ask you to elaborate. Certainly that’s what they did with me last week.

Cheers for the reply mate, appreciated.

 

[KelvinM]

email them back saying you’ve done it mate. I was the same had to do an imposter check that was all.

And believe me we aren’t the only people that would have got this lol.


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Nov 2025 ==

For anyone looking into the trainee jobs.

Supposedly internal applications are live so external must be coming soon. Keep an eye out.

No internal adverts out for trainee driver jobs.

I actually believe that they are going to end up recruiting way too many folk, than the school and more so the depots can handle.

There is a shortage of DI's across the board.

The recruitment is being pushed by Scot Gov, as they want to include Sundays in the working week, in order to do that, they need more drivers, plus retirals.

But they don't seem to have the logistics and training for vast numbers of new starts.

 

[Doonhamer96]

No internal adverts out for trainee driver jobs.

I actually believe that they are going to end up recruiting way too many folk, than the school and more so the depots can handle.

There is a shortage of DI's across the board.

The recruitment is being pushed by Scot Gov, as they want to include Sundays in the working week, in order to do that, they need more drivers, plus retirals.

But they don't seem to have the logistics and training for vast numbers of new starts.

There definitely is internal jobs , go on the internal vacancy list on your tablet and you will see them. Only for a select few depots

 

[DavidAtkin]

No internal adverts out for trainee driver jobs.

I actually believe that they are going to end up recruiting way too many folk, than the school and more so the depots can handle.

There is a shortage of DI's across the board.

The recruitment is being pushed by Scot Gov, as they want to include Sundays in the working week, in order to do that, they need more drivers, plus retirals.

But they don't seem to have the logistics and training for vast numbers of new starts.

100% is internal trainee jobs available. My mate who’s a driver told me this the other day he got the email.

 

[GBM72]

This may sound a daft question but at the MMI do they allow you to take anything in with you to use as prompts at all for answering the Q's ?

I ask as I've heard for some other companies who do 'competency' type interviews they will allow this ?

 

[TootTootToot]

There definitely is internal jobs , go on the internal vacancy list on your tablet and you will see them. Only for a select few depots

Out of curiosity, which depots are they?

 

[RiverDon]

Out of curiosity, which depots are they?

Airdrie, Bathgate, Dundee, Edinburgh, Inverness, Stranraer, Tweedbank & Yoker. Internal vacancies close on the 19th of November.

 

[SL2008]

No internal adverts out for trainee driver jobs.

I actually believe that they are going to end up recruiting way too many folk, than the school and more so the depots can handle.

There is a shortage of DI's across the board.

The recruitment is being pushed by Scot Gov, as they want to include Sundays in the working week, in order to do that, they need more drivers, plus retirals.

But they don't seem to have the logistics and training for vast numbers of new starts.

I’ve had the feeling that is the main issue. I’m currently waiting for a medical having passed the interviews and testing. I fear I’m going to sit for a longer period that the April 2026 date I was told. Might be wrong though…

If the Scottish government are so desperate to change the working week to include Sundays, then they will surely just need to get their hands in their pockets and pay ScotRail the money to develop their infrastructure and also make being a DI more attractive I.e more money to offered for the responsibility of the role.

Are they wanting to implement the Sunday working for April 2026? Or is it more that they want to eventually move onto that?

 

[Krisd88]

I’ve had the feeling that is the main issue. I’m currently waiting for a medical having passed the interviews and testing. I fear I’m going to sit for a longer period that the April 2026 date I was told. Might be wrong though…

If the Scottish government are so desperate to change the working week to include Sundays, then they will surely just need to get their hands in their pockets and pay ScotRail the money to develop their infrastructure and also make being a DI more attractive I.e more money to offered for the responsibility of the role.

Are they wanting to implement the Sunday working for April 2026? Or is it more that they want to eventually move onto that?

Easy to say but I think most public sector services: NHS, teaching, local authority, emergency services etc are all on their knees and in need of extra funding!

 

[scotraildriver]

Of course bringing Sundays into the working week removes all the overtime payments currently made for Sundays. It'll need more staff but the overtime bill will reduce massively. Swings and roundabouts. Unfortunately alot of DIs have quit, myself included, due to the poor attitude of some trainees. I'm not willing to risk my licence due to a know it all trainee. (Mainly ex cops and military in my experience). It's not always about money.

 

[Chris96]

I’ve had the feeling that is the main issue. I’m currently waiting for a medical having passed the interviews and testing. I fear I’m going to sit for a longer period that the April 2026 date I was told. Might be wrong though…

If the Scottish government are so desperate to change the working week to include Sundays, then they will surely just need to get their hands in their pockets and pay ScotRail the money to develop their infrastructure and also make being a DI more attractive I.e more money to offered for the responsibility of the role.

Are they wanting to implement the Sunday working for April 2026? Or is it more that they want to eventually move onto that?

theres an article online their looking at 2027 but the unions have laughed it out the door saying they’re still years away from it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Nov 2025 ==

Of course bringing Sundays into the working week removes all the overtime payments currently made for Sundays. It'll need more staff but the overtime bill will reduce massively. Swings and roundabouts. Unfortunately alot of DIs have quit, myself included, due to the poor attitude of some trainees. I'm not willing to risk my licence due to a know it all trainee. (Mainly ex cops and military in my experience). It's not always about money.

how does that work in terms of your licence what could trainees do to jeopardise it, surely thats down to trainees and they get pulled up for it

 

[StewartB85]

Nice one. I was there Thursday 6th and got my email today as well. Well done

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Nov 2025 ==


They read out the question and they read out your answer and ask you to elaborate. Certainly that’s what they did with me

Confirmation this morning that I passed my MMI, just DMI to go now

was it just the 6 questions from the pre interview form or was there ones asking to tell them about yourself and why you want to become a train driver etc? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[afloattoast]

It’s just the 6 questions that will be discussed. The DMI will be more your standard interview “tell us about yourself”, “why do you want to be a train driver?” Etc

 

[scotraildriver]

theres an article online their looking at 2027 but the unions have laughed it out the door saying they’re still years away from it

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Nov 2025 ==


how does that work in terms of your licence what could trainees do to jeopardise it, surely thats down to trainees and they get pulled up for it

Unfortunately if a trainee messes up and has an incident like a SPAD or overshoot it goes on the instructors licence, and it's them who get a corrective action plan, not the trainee. If a trainee won't listen or do as you ask you have very little control as a DI, it's not easy to jump across the cab and grab the brake.

 

[landrover2025]

I sent you a DM bud

Hi there xPedro, I also have my MMI coming up shortly, and am in full prep mode. would you be able to send me a DM with this information as well? Thanks so much