Vacancies - GA Trainee Depot Drivers

[OneLowban]

https://apply.greateranglia.co.uk/vacancies/4460

 

[sweatybeaver]

Very tempted to apply. The salary though is lower than my current job as it states £24,448 - £29,195 (Depending on Location)...

Is this purely whilst training? Is there any chance of becoming a mainline driver at all and if so would it go up?

Thanks

 

[Gooner18]

Very tempted to apply. The salary though is lower than my current job as it states £24,448 - £29,195 (Depending on Location)...

Is this purely whilst training? Is there any chance of becoming a mainline driver at all and if so would it go up?

Thanks

The wage stays the same once qualified, although it will be topped up by working your rostered Sunday’s ( these are classed as OT ) and a few other benefits you get , I would estimate if you’re getting the 29k a realistic wage would be closer to 32-33k and again you could top that up working a few days off.
There is no right to progress to mainline, you would have to apply the same as anyone else

 

[OneLowban]

Very tempted to apply. The salary though is lower than my current job as it states £24,448 - £29,195 (Depending on Location)...

Is this purely whilst training? Is there any chance of becoming a mainline driver at all and if so would it go up?

Thanks

I think the £24k wage is for Norwich drivers, as the couple of Norwich mainline on my course are on about the same whilst training I believe.

From the ex Ilford depot driver on my course, the wage is £30k + Sunday’s so yeah around £33k with plenty of overtime to bump it up.

As for going mainline, you would need to apply as normal however the depot experience before applying for mainline can only be a benefit.

The training for a depot driver I believe is only 8/9 weeks so it wouldn’t be a lower salary for as long as mainline. Then you can get the Sunday’s and overtime in if you like.

 

[Teddyward]

With Sundays, bank holidays and attendance allowance I would say £34/35k is a reasonable expectation before overtime. Pay after training is 30117.

 

[sweatybeaver]

With Sundays, bank holidays and attendance allowance I would say £34/35k is a reasonable expectation before overtime. Pay after training is 30117.

I think the £24k wage is for Norwich drivers, as the couple of Norwich mainline on my course are on about the same whilst training I believe.

From the ex Ilford depot driver on my course, the wage is £30k + Sunday’s so yeah around £33k with plenty of overtime to bump it up.

As for going mainline, you would need to apply as normal however the depot experience before applying for mainline can only be a benefit.

The training for a depot driver I believe is only 8/9 weeks so it wouldn’t be a lower salary for as long as mainline. Then you can get the Sunday’s and overtime in if you like.

The wage stays the same once qualified, although it will be topped up by working your rostered Sunday’s ( these are classed as OT ) and a few other benefits you get , I would estimate if you’re getting the 29k a realistic wage would be closer to 32-33k and again you could top that up working a few days off.
There is no right to progress to mainline, you would have to apply the same as anyone else

Thank you all for the info, really appreciate it.

Still very tempted, as said being a depot driver can only benefit towards becoming a mainline driver. My other worry is job security. Is this generally quite securely or are you easily able to swap over to different train operators if anything was to happen?

Thanks

 

[OneLowban]

Thank you all for the info, really appreciate it.

Still very tempted, as said being a depot driver can only benefit towards becoming a mainline driver. My other worry is job security. Is this generally quite securely or are you easily able to swap over to different train operators if anything was to happen?

Thanks

I wouldn’t worry about job security at all.

 

[Omar]

Hello everyone,

I applied yesterday for this position, have been invited to online assessments today. Anyone have any ideas, what these assessments are? Can the assessments be done on my phone?

 

[HLE]

Ask our fellow forum member TheEdge about whether getting a depot driving job can lead to a mainline ticket.....

 

[Gooner18]

Hello everyone,

I applied yesterday for this position, have been invited to online assessments today. Anyone have any ideas, what these assessments are? Can the assessments be done on my phone?

I think they have to be done on a lap top , either way it certainly is a better idea to do them on one rather than your phone.

Ask our fellow forum member TheEdge about whether getting a depot driving job can lead to a mainline ticket.....

There is no right to progress to mainline with GA , you have to apply via the same external route as everyone else.

 

[Omar]

I think they have to be done on a lap top , either way it certainly is a better idea to do them on one rather than your phone.

Thanks... Do you know how many test it consists of? Or is it just a SJT?

 

[Gooner18]

From what I remember one is SJT.

 

[Omar]

Cheers mate, the emails makes it seem like it's a few tests.

”This email is to let you know that we have invited you to complete a range of online assessments”

 

[Jaytrains]

Cheers mate, the emails makes it seem like it's a few tests.

”This email is to let you know that we have invited you to complete a range of online assessments”

Its only one assessment should take u about 20mins to complete nothing extreme

 

[HLE]

I think they have to be done on a lap top , either way it certainly is a better idea to do them on one rather than your phone.



There is no right to progress to mainline with GA , you have to apply via the same external route as everyone else.

No longer a right but by heck it'd stand in your favour and increase the chance if the OP was a depo driver from the same company applied.

 

[mad1976cam]

Very tempted to apply. The salary though is lower than my current job as it states £24,448 - £29,195 (Depending on Location)...

Is this purely whilst training? Is there any chance of becoming a mainline driver at all and if so would it go up?

Thanks

£24k is for Norwich
£29k will be Ilford, Colchester, Southend & clacton

Training will last approx 6 months, first part at Stratford, second part at a depot (often Southend)
Then you will do 25 days at your depot learning the job specific to your depot.

You will be assessed weekly while training and do many test, that said the trainers are great and you only need to ask and you will get help if your struggling to understand anything !!

Wage does go up after training but it’s not a lot (about £1000 per year)

On standard tax rates Take home wage while training 4 weekly £1700 or £1800 (the higher wage includes a attendance allowance given every 8 weeks)

Once qualified you will get some the extra £1k per year + Sunday payments and a few hours overtime here and there, I’d say about £2200-2400 take home

Currently they are pretty over staffed in many locations.... so mainline promotion will likely be years rather than months!

At my depot You work on an 8 week shift rotation, then you get 2 weeks off.
Shifts vary between mornings/afternoons/evenings/nights
Shifts average 8 hours
You get 1 day off a week (but this may be the Monday of one week and the Friday of the next week so you can work sometimes 12 days straight!!
you also work 4 of the 8 Sunday’s in your rotation but this is paid on top of your salary.... it’s about £170 ish before tax.
Shifts can be hard as you often have to swap from early morning to night shift or vice-versa, and you end up using your day off to sort your sleep patterns out!!
The 35hrs per week they quote is averaged over the 8 week shift rotation and your 2 weeks off, so you actual work about 42 hours a week plus the 4 sundays

Mainline are on about £43k for first year
Then goes up to about £50k once experienced

 

[Gooner18]

£24k is for Norwich
£29k will be Ilford, Colchester, Southend & clacton

Training will last approx 6 months, first part at Stratford, second part at a depot (often Southend)
Then you will do 25 days at your depot learning the job specific to your depot.

You will be assessed weekly while training and do many test, that said the trainers are great and you only need to ask and you will get help if your struggling to understand anything !!

Wage does go up after training but it’s not a lot (about £1000 per year)

On standard tax rates Take home wage while training 4 weekly £1700 or £1800 (the higher wage includes a attendance allowance given every 8 weeks)

Once qualified you will get some the extra £1k per year + Sunday payments and a few hours overtime here and there, I’d say about £2200-2400 take home

Currently they are pretty over staffed in many locations.... so mainline promotion will likely be years rather than months!

At my depot You work on an 8 week shift rotation, then you get 2 weeks off.
Shifts vary between mornings/afternoons/evenings/nights
Shifts average 8 hours
You get 1 day off a week (but this may be the Monday of one week and the Friday of the next week so you can work sometimes 12 days straight!!
you also work 4 of the 8 Sunday’s in your rotation but this is paid on top of your salary.... it’s about £170 ish before tax.
Shifts can be hard as you often have to swap from early morning to night shift or vice-versa, and you end up using your day off to sort your sleep patterns out!!
The 35hrs per week they quote is averaged over the 8 week shift rotation and your 2 weeks off, so you actual work about 42 hours a week plus the 4 sundays

Mainline are on about £43k for first year
Then goes up to about £50k once experienced

Blimey that sounds a bit of a rough shift pattern , I wonder if GA have shot themslves in the foot a bit with the “ no right to progress to mainline “ stance they now have , especially as the money is not as good as other TOC’s depot drivers get.

 

[Breize block]

Blimey that sounds a bit of a rough shift pattern , I wonder if GA have shot themslves in the foot a bit with the “ no right to progress to mainline “ stance they now have , especially as the money is not as good as other TOC’s depot drivers get.

Rough! Thats a walk in the park - Apply to a FOC then you'll find out what a rough shift pattern is!

 

[Gooner18]

Rough! Thats a walk in the park - Apply to a FOC then you'll find out what a rough shift pattern is!

That’s very True , but they would be on 20k or so more.

 

[datguyden]

£24k is for Norwich
£29k will be Ilford, Colchester, Southend & clacton

Training will last approx 6 months, first part at Stratford, second part at a depot (often Southend)
Then you will do 25 days at your depot learning the job specific to your depot.

You will be assessed weekly while training and do many test, that said the trainers are great and you only need to ask and you will get help if your struggling to understand anything !!

Wage does go up after training but it’s not a lot (about £1000 per year)

On standard tax rates Take home wage while training 4 weekly £1700 or £1800 (the higher wage includes a attendance allowance given every 8 weeks)

Once qualified you will get some the extra £1k per year + Sunday payments and a few hours overtime here and there, I’d say about £2200-2400 take home

Currently they are pretty over staffed in many locations.... so mainline promotion will likely be years rather than months!

At my depot You work on an 8 week shift rotation, then you get 2 weeks off.
Shifts vary between mornings/afternoons/evenings/nights
Shifts average 8 hours
You get 1 day off a week (but this may be the Monday of one week and the Friday of the next week so you can work sometimes 12 days straight!!
you also work 4 of the 8 Sunday’s in your rotation but this is paid on top of your salary.... it’s about £170 ish before tax.
Shifts can be hard as you often have to swap from early morning to night shift or vice-versa, and you end up using your day off to sort your sleep patterns out!!
The 35hrs per week they quote is averaged over the 8 week shift rotation and your 2 weeks off, so you actual work about 42 hours a week plus the 4 sundays

Mainline are on about £43k for first year
Then goes up to about £50k once experienced

So do you work for GA?