Trainee driver wage drop

[philly1001]

Hello all

Im just wondering how people have coped with the lower starting trainee driver wage. Im in a reasonably well paid operations earning just a little under driver money. I`e always wanted to go driving and now ive got an opportunity to do so but the 30k plus drop in wages for what could potentially be up to 2 years (worst case) would seriously derail my current financial commitment. How did you guys manage this?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Have you applied and passed all the assessments and interview? Are you awaiting a start date?

You manage by clearing all of your debts, eg credit cards and serious budgeting

 

[Numbskull100]

Only way is to plan! Get finances straight, sell assets of needed, change lifestyle. I'm not sure what other answer there is?!

 

[Flange Squeal]

It’s just case of having to adapt if you want the job enough. Things like accepting you’ll probably not have a “proper” holiday for a year or two and sticking to a budget (plan it to be sustainable beyond just the usual training period length as back up for unexpected delays). There is of course also no guarantee of passing the course just because you get on it, so the entire process is one you should only really undertake if you are prepared to commit yourself to it 100%.

 

[warwickshire]

100 per cent commitment.
Even as train driver trainee even before qualified always work and budget off your basic. Never off any overtime or extra.
Never ever go beyond your means because it might not be there.
Yes overtime is available. But one day it might not iff your Depot goes overcomplement. When qualified.
However always budget off your basic salary. Never anything above. Anything above iff available is a bonus.

 

[philly1001]

Have you applied and passed all the assessments and interview? Are you awaiting a start date?

You manage by clearing all of your debts, eg credit cards and serious budgeting

Yes and a place on a course has been offered fairly soon. Realistically i cant clear off all debt and manage the mortgage etc in the time-frame before the course starts.
Does anyone know wether you can defer the course or are they just likely to go with someone already prepared to start?

 

[TheGoldfish]

Yes and a place on a course has been offered fairly soon. Realistically i cant clear off all debt and manage the mortgage etc in the time-frame before the course starts.
Does anyone know wether you can defer the course or are they just likely to go with someone already prepared to start?

Given the numbers waiting for these positions is pretty high .. deferring your start is risky as you may not get another shot … that said it’s tough going tbh. I’m in similar position having left a job and took a 50% pay cut to do the training. For me it’s a bit worse as covid has got in the way of things, something I didn’t plan for … although I did have a 6 month contingency, but that’s all used up now.

that said I left a job I didn’t care for for one I really like and it’s become easier to live with within my current means as time has gone on.

 

[dk1]

Deferring is not often recommended. I recall a successful trainee driver refusing the original start date just because they had an upcoming family holiday to Disneyland. They where never asked again.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Yes and a place on a course has been offered fairly soon. Realistically i cant clear off all debt and manage the mortgage etc in the time-frame before the course starts.
Does anyone know wether you can defer the course or are they just likely to go with someone already prepared to start?

So you're going to have to make some tough decisions depending on how "badly" you want the trainee job.

Do an affordability check, see what debts you can clear/consolidate, look at lifestyle changes and where you can cut non-essential spending. Often, where there is a will, there is a way...

As others have said, you may not get a second chance...

 

[Simon11]

Hello all

Im just wondering how people have coped with the lower starting trainee driver wage. Im in a reasonably well paid operations earning just a little under driver money. I`e always wanted to go driving and now ive got an opportunity to do so but the 30k plus drop in wages for what could potentially be up to 2 years (worst case) would seriously derail my current financial commitment. How did you guys manage this?

Is the driving role with your existing firm? If it was, I would have a chat with the hiring manager and see if they could offer a higher training salary.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Is the driving role with your existing firm? If it was, I would have a chat with the hiring manager and see if they could offer a higher training salary.

Hmmm, but then everyone else will want a higher training salary. Where's the fairness in that? Why should the OP be considered for preferential treatment?

 

[Simon11]

Hmmm, but then everyone else will want a higher training salary. Where's the fairness in that? Why should the OP be considered for preferential treatment?

No harm in asking. Outside of the rail industry, people get paid different amounts for doing the same job.
Worth a company paying more to have the best candidates as recruitment, training and hiring isn't cheap.

 

[wobman]

No harm in asking. Outside of the rail industry, people get paid different amounts for doing the same job.
Worth a company paying more to have the best candidates as recruitment, training and hiring isn't cheap.

With the huge talent pools at tocs nowadays for vacancies, the hr dept will just offer the role to another applicant in there pool. They can't offer different conditions for each external applicant, at some tocs there's 1000s of applicants per vacancy.

 

[DoubleO]

I had this issue when changing jobs a few years ago. Luckily it was only for a few months, but the difference in pay was going to be hard, I asked the new company if they had any options and they offered to pay me the full salary immediately as long as I then agreed to repay it gradually following completion of my training, obviously I could then work overtime etc to cover the repayments.

 

[Atishyou]

Which TOC have you been offered a job with?

 

[skyhigh]

Hmmm, but then everyone else will want a higher training salary. Where's the fairness in that? Why should the OP be considered for preferential treatment?

It's not unusual for internal movers to keep their original salary during the training period if the interim salary would be lower.

 

[RJ]

Start a side hustle. There are many ways to decent money for the fraction of the time commitment of a full time job once up and running.

 

[scotraildriver]

My mortgage company allowed me to pay interest only for a year when I was training. I just had to provide evidence that it was a temporary drop in salary.

 

[43066]

My mortgage company allowed me to pay interest only for a year when I was training. I just had to provide evidence that it was a temporary drop in salary.

That’s a very good piece of advice.

Generally I can only echo the above. There are no easy solutions to a large paycut but I’d advise making it work as you might not get the opportunity again. It’s also worth noting that some TOCs (eg GTR) will move you to full money after a certain period of time has elapsed irrespective of whether you’ve passed out. That could be a big help if yours happens to be one of them.

 

[Horizon22]

As others have said, budget and plan accordingly. You may have to adjust your lifestyle for a short while. If you really want the role then this is what you will need to manage and understand that this is short-term pain for long-term reward.

 

[ComUtoR]

It's not unusual for internal movers to keep their original salary during the training period if the interim salary would be lower.

Exactly what my TOC does. Plenty of times we have had internals transfer on higher salaries. I'd check terms and conditions for any internal transfer.

 

[notadriver]

Start a side hustle. There are many ways to decent money for the fraction of the time commitment of a full time job once up and running.

What side hustles would you recommend ?

 

[RJ]

What side hustles would you recommend ?

Nothing specific without knowing who I’m recommending to. Some things work for some and not for others.

One way is to find some way to monetise your hobby - then you earn on something you enjoy doing anyway in your spare time.

Some people do well on social media. Brands pay them to promote their products. Look at the bloke who was enthusiastic over the 73 - almost a million followers - companies will pay good money if they see value in reaching your target audience.

If you like buses you can start a bus company and take on jobs paying £1k-£3k a day.

Some people do tutoring for an hour or two a day - if you’re good and word gets around it can be lucrative.

Any industry where there are billions of pounds flying around daily, there are opportunities to take some of that with the right knowledge. Crypto for example and I’m not talking about blind gambling on the price of Bitcoin.

A lot of people are sitting on property which could be making them money - lots of dark horses out there.

One of my personal favourites is reducing expenditure by finding ways other than cash money to pay for things, zeroing the cost of almost everything.

Pyramid, ponzi, MLM and get rich quick schemes - run a mile. Be suspicious of anyone who comes to you offering an “easy” method of making big bucks through something you’re not an expert on yourself.

There are many more that can be done with relative ease once set up.

 

[iwasyoungonce]

All TOC's and FOC's I have dealt with do not allow secondary employment of any type and include this in writing in the contract so tread carefully

 

[RJ]

All TOC's and FOC's I have dealt with do not allow secondary employment of any type and include this in writing in the contract so tread carefully

Not all ways of making an income necessarily count as employment.

 

[TheGoldfish]

Not all ways of making an income necessarily count as employment.

Any sort of ‘business interest‘ would be considered same On the contract

 

[notadriver]

All TOC's and FOC's I have dealt with do not allow secondary employment of any type and include this in writing in the contract so tread carefullyhis rule only for trainee drivers ?

This rule is only for trainee drivers - you are one right ?

 

[Busyboy89]

So are we saying that owning buy to let mortgages or having any sort of portfolio would count against you?

Nothing was said to me or raised when I talked about my properties. I started my course last October. Each company could be different though but I can’t see if you tell them why there’d be a problem. There was a driver at my depot that had a small events company (partially owned with another family member I think) but I couldn’t tell you if he started it after or before his course. All I know he was only just passed out when I started my handling April time.

 

[Emmsie]

I'm not sure suggesting taking on another job while training is particuarly good advice given how intense the course is. It wouldn't really do you any favours to end up being booted off because you haven't committed enough time to actually pass. Basically you need to go through all your expenditure and see where you can make savings. It's not forever, a payment break on your mortgage, minimum payment on your credit cards or if you don't have any credit cards get one with a 0% interest for a few months, balance transfers, maybe a bank loan.

 

[GemGem]

What side hustles would you recommend ?

Only fans?