Quite a few heavy haul drivers have went out to oz the last few years, all qualified drivers tho, seem to be all enjoying it. I have forgot the name of the company they work for. Initially they was an ad up for freightliner drivers to go out there and work for freightliner oz for a few month then permanent if they fancied it, so if that's your goal, get your ticket over here, keep your head down,do a few years to get some experience then get on the plane for a new life!
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Trainee drivers Freighliner HH
- Thread starter Legzr1
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Quite a few heavy haul drivers have went out to oz the last few years, all qualified drivers tho, seem to be all enjoying it. I have forgot the name of the company they work for. Initially they was an ad up for freightliner drivers to go out there and work for freightliner oz for a few month then permanent if they fancied it, so if that's your goal, get your ticket over here, keep your head down,do a few years to get some experience then get on the plane for a new life!
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With the amount of applicants and the practice material available you will be very lucky to get any TOC/FOC accepting a borderline pass.
MCW
Member
I didn't hear anything... was worth a shot I suppose......
MCW
Member
i thought at the end of my test that it said they would let me know by the 22nd,... i might be wrong then, there is still some hope in that case
i thought at the end of my test that it said they would let me know by the 22nd,... i might be wrong then, there is still some hope in that case
Yes it did say by the 22nd, i have been hoping to get an email all day. Hopefully they just haven't informed anyone yet.
MCW
Member
ahh ok then I won't give up just yet in that case...
plus i suppose, If they had loads more applications than they anticipated then it could take them ore time to decide of course
plus i suppose, If they had loads more applications than they anticipated then it could take them ore time to decide of course
Anyone?
Geargrinder
Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2012
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- 144
Its all on this site if you search. My understanding is approx 4 months initial learning followed by at least another 6 months with a mentor during which you need to do 200+ hours driving, tests along the way etc. So you will be training for 1 to 2 years.
Sorry to be blunt JC however it is better the facts and truth than quoting BS like so many others do on here!
Beveridges
Established Member
Means you're out of it until January next year even though you applied in March, suddenly the 6 month rule becomes a 10 month one!
Internal applicants don't have to wait at all, so if you want a Drivers role in Northern, get a job as Station Staff or Guard first then apply away unlimited times as an Internal.
I haven't been following this thread but how did this discussion get to Northern when the title is FHH ?
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waiting to be contacted for the next step sometime after 22nd like a few others on here i think , though i have just bought a house in birmingham and only just moved in so unless its close (i believe there is a depot in brum)
anyone heard about next step yet? i have'nt :/
anyone heard about next step yet? i have'nt :/
I had an assessment day with Northern that I got a borderline pass on the reaction test - which for Northern is a fail. I had also already applied for FHH so asked if they accepted borderlines
-Beveridges, I might just do that and apply for anything with Northern now, as an 'in' - hate current job so much
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I like most on here check the websites almost daily and in my experience it's quite rare that much comes up in the way of station staff, I'd go in to that tomorrow given the chance and if the drivers job ever came off from there then great, but if not I'd be happy enough to work for a TOC.
I am fully aware of the search facility thanks and have used it many times. The answer to how long the initial training for Freightliner has not been answered previously on either this thread or any of the other generic becoming a train driver threads. You don't actually seem sure yourself.
There also seems to be some discussion as top how long it takes to become a fully qualified driver, somewhere between 150 and 250 hours it seems. Like many others, I'm sure, I am trying to establish how long I would be on the £18K salary for.
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Spoke to a trainee the other week, says he is now doing his 66 handling hours. Says it will take forever, he only had around 30 hours in and been on a few weeks already. It's when your wheels are turning remember and you are actually in the seat,so sat in a loop for 2 hours im afraid doesnt count. so a 10 hr diagram for instance, you could only may be get 3 hrs handling,so how long it takes probably depends on your minder and what work that depot does, local, or long hikes up and down country.
Whatever company you are going for, work on the assumption that your training will take 10, more like 12 months.
The hours debate, only relates to one aspect of it, ie train handling with an instructor.
Said he also had to sign a 5 year agreement not to jump ship,EWS used to be 3, HH have lost that many that they have now made it 5! I ain't sure how good the training is in the classroom. Remember there is no 66 sim like EWS. Where the problem lies is getting the handling hours, if your minder gets a conducting job for example which is quite common on heavy haul with the rail grinders and such, or if he is on several rest days, or A/L then you are just sat around doing nothing. Said he is been passed back and forth so it ain't good really as you can't settle and get to know your minder.
Quickthorn
Member
- Joined
- 21 Dec 2012
- Messages
- 136
I've put in for this one as well.
To be honest, I'd rather spend 250 hours over a longer training period rather than go out alone not properly prepared after 150 hours, even if it does mean an extra year on the training salary. I suppose that's easy for me to say, because the training salary would be a big pay hike for me, but it would be a shame for anyone if they suffered a career ending incident soon after passing out because they were not fully prepared.
Having said that, I do wonder to what standard the training will be. Am I correct in saying that this would be the first time HH have trained drivers? I may be faced with a choice of trainee driver jobs with HH or a TOC, and if I was choosing solely on what I thought the training would be like, I'd choose the TOC every time.
To be honest, I'd rather spend 250 hours over a longer training period rather than go out alone not properly prepared after 150 hours, even if it does mean an extra year on the training salary. I suppose that's easy for me to say, because the training salary would be a big pay hike for me, but it would be a shame for anyone if they suffered a career ending incident soon after passing out because they were not fully prepared.
Having said that, I do wonder to what standard the training will be. Am I correct in saying that this would be the first time HH have trained drivers? I may be faced with a choice of trainee driver jobs with HH or a TOC, and if I was choosing solely on what I thought the training would be like, I'd choose the TOC every time.
HH, yes.
FL in general, no.
Re: your final sentence.
What a strange thing to say.
I'm sure EW and TDK will agree when I say these things are never taken lightly, there are huge hoops to jump through, the company Safety Case will dictate the training regime and you can guarantee it will be regularly audited and must conform to stringent industry standards.
Sure, choose between TOC and FOC for whatever reason you like but I'd suggest the training regime is a very, very strange reason to choose either way...
You would be more than prepared after 150 hours handling, as for the training well you will have to ask the first HH trainees out there now, and see there thoughts . Intermodal had a few graduate trainee courses and seemed to run ok, the one running now for HH is a first. Time will tell.
Quickthorn
Member
- Joined
- 21 Dec 2012
- Messages
- 136
[...]
Sure, choose between TOC and FOC for whatever reason you like but I'd suggest the training regime is a very, very strange reason to choose either way...
I'm thinking along the lines of the number of external trainees a TOC would process compared to a FOC. I'd have thought the TOCs that do take externals would process far more external trainees than any FOC, and so should have more experience of training drivers from scratch.
Just been back on to the FL jobs page, where this announcement has been posted:
"FREIGHTLINER HEAVY HAUL ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE TRAIN DRIVER GRADUATE SCHEME
Closing date: 31 Jul 2013
TRAIN DRIVER GRAD SCHEME HAS NOW CLOSED
Thank you for your interest. We are no longer accepting applications.
Applications are now being processed and those progressing to the next round will be hearing from us by post before 18th August 2013. If you do not hear from us by this date, then your application has not been successful on this occasion and will not be progressed any further.
Due to high volume of interest we regret that we cannot give individual feedback and we will not be accepting phone calls regarding applications."
"FREIGHTLINER HEAVY HAUL ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE TRAIN DRIVER GRADUATE SCHEME
Closing date: 31 Jul 2013
TRAIN DRIVER GRAD SCHEME HAS NOW CLOSED
Thank you for your interest. We are no longer accepting applications.
Applications are now being processed and those progressing to the next round will be hearing from us by post before 18th August 2013. If you do not hear from us by this date, then your application has not been successful on this occasion and will not be progressed any further.
Due to high volume of interest we regret that we cannot give individual feedback and we will not be accepting phone calls regarding applications."
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