Trainee drivers Freighliner HH

[E&W Lucas]

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...

Interesting topic. No one is going to be signed off, unless they are competent. 150 hours isn't much; I suspect that there is very little route involved. Train handling is always difficult to organise, for the reasons mentioned above.

I'm not sure that freight lends itself to training very easily. As and when work, plus all the out of course stuff that they get involved with. Not ideal, if you've just passed out.

I detect the hand of the Regulator at work. Virgin, EC, Freightliner, DBS all suddenly training?

Not my solution; I would centre training on the unit operators, where the people are used to doing it, from recruitment through to train handling, and where the intensive, regular work, makes organisation far easier. I would not be without the post - qualification experience I have from that work either. Three hours at a time, looking at fifty shades of yellow, is a much better way of consolidating skill, than spending three hours looking at greens, as I am about to do. If a driver gets poached, then a premium should be payable. Much simpler.

 

[mac]

Just been going though this thread and reading about minders going out with new drivers. Who are these minders and do they decide when a trainee is up to standard to drive on there own. I live near Hull and Northern and always training new drivers so do they have full time minders where freightliner maybe don't.

 

[flhh66555]

Freightliner do have dedicated minders. drivers with experience who basically just watch over the trainee and offer a degree of advice and training. as for passing out and being deemed competent, that is left to the discretion of the Production Manager. it is he after all who signs his name against the candidates ability. I am sure however that minders and production managers will converse regarding the progress of a trainee.

 

[Legzr1]

Freightliner do have dedicated minders. drivers with experience who basically just watch over the trainee and offer a degree of advice and training. as for passing out and being deemed competent, that is left to the discretion of the Production Manager. it is he after all who signs his name against the candidates ability. I am sure however that minders and production managers will converse regarding the progress of a trainee.

Spot on.

It's up to the Minder to look for small things of concern and catch them before they develop into large problems - It's up to the PM / Line Manager to devise the required training plan.

 

[Dave1987]

I'm confused as to why the ability of freightliner to train people has become such a topic of conversation. Even qualified drivers have to have regular assessments, a summary assessment/biannual on rules and traction knowledge. Plus ride outs and downloads. Freightliner will definitely have driver instructors and managers in place who are qualified to carry out these assessments so I don't see why people are concerned in their ability to train new drivers. If the RSSB and ORR are happy with freightliner then nobody should have any doubts about them. If you don't feel the training they will give you will be adequate then its simple, don't apply!!

No one is allowed to drive any train unsupervised until the relevant managers feel they are competent to do so.

 

[flhh66555]

I'm confused as to why the ability of freightliner to train people has become such a topic of conversation. Even qualified drivers have to have regular assessments, a summary assessment/biannual on rules and traction knowledge. Plus ride outs and downloads. Freightliner will definitely have driver instructors and managers in place who are qualified to carry out these assessments so I don't see why people are concerned in their ability to train new drivers. If the RSSB and ORR are happy with freightliner then nobody should have any doubts about them. If you don't feel the training they will give you will be adequate then its simple, don't apply!!

No one is allowed to drive any train unsupervised until the relevant managers feel they are competent to do so.

very valid point. well said sir

 

[Temple Meads]

Posted in error, please delete!

 

[TDK]

Freightliner do have dedicated minders. drivers with experience who basically just watch over the trainee and offer a degree of advice and training. as for passing out and being deemed competent, that is left to the discretion of the Production Manager. it is he after all who signs his name against the candidates ability. I am sure however that minders and production managers will converse regarding the progress of a trainee.

Some companies have a more structured training program with the trainee having a pack that includes a daily write up, a weekly write up and a 4 weekly writes up by both the instructor and the trainee this is monitored by the DM on a bi weekly basis. Many companies do not have minders anymore they have fully qualified instructors that need qualifications to be able to instruct.

 

[flhh66555]

Some companies have a more structured training program with the trainee having a pack that includes a daily write up, a weekly write up and a 4 weekly writes up by both the instructor and the trainee this is monitored by the DM on a bi weekly basis. Many companies do not have minders anymore they have fully qualified instructors that need qualifications to be able to instruct.

Whilst I accept some rail companies may have other training priorities or systems in place I can see nothing wrong with the standard Freightliner offer. Remember in the Yorkshire area its all about coal. so on day one I write how I set the slow speed control to 0.5 for loading. I drove and encountered no unusual circumstances. I set the slow speed control for 0.5 for discharge. After 4 weeks me thinks that would be most tedious to read and even more so to write. its just my opinion. I am lucky I have worked for both TOC and FOC. and the training is and always will be different.

 

[Scaramanga]

Anyone heard back yet?

 

[Lincoln_biker]

The website has been updated to say that they will reply by post and successful applicants will hear by the 18th August. LB

 

[Rocombe11]

Just had a reply, tests in Crewe on the 28 August.

 

[benno79]

well done, guess if we don't hear anything shortly it's thanks but no thanks

 

[Daniel84]

Just had a reply, tests in Crewe on the 28 August.

Well done mate, could I just ask if you specified a depot or live particularly close to one and how have you received your response? Good luck.

 

[NinjaJihad]

Congrats Rocombe11, did you find out via e-mail?

 

[Lincoln_biker]

I got a reply through the post today too! My first test centre invite Good luck to all, hope to put a few faces to the names on the 28th. LB

 

[Rocombe11]

Through the post, didn't specify a depot and I live in Devon.

 

[NinjaJihad]

Just had the post. Have my assessment on 30th Aug.

I didn't specify depot either, I don't recall being asked during the online application to be honest.

 

[Lincoln_biker]

I didn't specify depot either, I don't recall being asked during the online application to be honest.

You're right, there wasn't any opportunity on the application to specify a depot. As my nearest is Doncaster I was hoping to apply there. My aim is to get through the aptitude testing first, then I'll worry about location . LB

 

[at60]

Just got home to find my invitation in the post ! To say I'm chuffed would be a major understatement !

 

[willy100]

Has anyone who has previously passed their assessment and applied for this vacancy heard anything?

 

[Pudsey]

I've got mine on the 30th
Good luck everyone

 

[Quickthorn]

I've been invited to assessment on 28th.

I don't think they asked for depot preference on the form, but I did find a chance to drop a hint by mentioning how long it would take me to drive to my nearest depot.

One of the packs i received is marked "Additional tests". There is a list of four tests with tick boxes next to each, and they say that I may be asked to sit those tests that are ticked, and that I will not have to complete unticked tests as part of the train driver assessment process. On my copy, none of the tests are ticked, so that would imply that I won't have to sit any of these additional tests, but I can't help thinking that at least one of these tests should be ticked! Did anyone else receive this item, and were any of the tests ticked?

 

[Lincoln_biker]

One of the packs i received is marked "Additional tests". There is a list of four tests with tick boxes next to each, and they say that I may be asked to sit those tests that are ticked, and that I will not have to complete unticked tests as part of the train driver assessment process. On my copy, none of the tests are ticked, so that would imply that I won't have to sit any of these additional tests, but I can't help thinking that at least one of these tests should be ticked! Did anyone else receive this item, and were any of the tests ticked?

I received them both and none of the boxes were ticked on the second booklet. I'm going to have a go at them anyway. Can't help to be prepared right!? My biggest concern was the group bourdon test. The booklet seems to suggest it will be more like the SCAAT test with alphanumerics, but my understanding from these forum pages was that GBT was the industry standard. Perhaps I should brush up on both just to be sure.... 5 P's and all that. LB

 

[Bubba]

29th of August at Crewe for me.

 

[benno79]

Disappointed I haven't heard anything but good luck with the assessments to all who did

 

[Quickthorn]

I received them both and none of the boxes were ticked on the second booklet. I'm going to have a go at them anyway. Can't help to be prepared right!? My biggest concern was the group bourdon test. The booklet seems to suggest it will be more like the SCAAT test with alphanumerics, but my understanding from these forum pages was that GBT was the industry standard. Perhaps I should brush up on both just to be sure.... 5 P's and all that. LB

Looking at p27 of the booklet, it says that the test will involve putting lines through groups of 4 dots, so that would mean Group bourdon. They don't say whether it's the paper or computer test. I do know that the practice material is pretty much identical to stuff I received for assessments with another TOC, and we ended up doing the paper group bourdon.

I've passed a lot of these tests with another company within the last 6 months. I'm going to check this with them anyway, but does anyone know whether you have to retake tests you've recently passed elsewhere, and what happens if you resit and get a different (worse!) result?

 

[SND150]

Disappointed I haven't heard anything but good luck with the assessments to all who did

I haven't heard anything either But good luck to those who have!!

 

[Prism333]

Nothing for me either, hopefully it may be in tomorrows post! Good luck guys on your assessments.

 

[DunfordBridge]

I too have been invited for assessments for the morning session on the 29th. Obviously my attempt at the online aptitude test was not as feeble as previously imagined.

Although I had been thinking about the content of today's posts before I opened my front door, it still came as a surprise to discover a sizable, discreet brown package waiting for me. The only giveaway was the Crewe post mark.

Regarding the saga of the unticked check boxes for the additional tests, I discovered that these were also unticked in my case. Personally, I would say it is not an overwhelming concern because there is only so much they can cram into two hours. This is stage one after all but nonetheless, it does require clarification.

Bonne chance, as the French would say!