West Midlands Trains Driver Terms and conditions

[Quote]

Hello!

Can anyone tell me what the time line/progression is for the trainee driver role with West Midlands Trains? So how long are you on a training rate for, how long until full pay, etc?

As a company, what are the terms and conditions like for a driver, say in comparison to other tocs? I know the franchise has changed at the end of last year and just wonder if Sunday is part of the working week, what the links are like, do they have favorable t and c's?

Any info will be greatly appreciated!

 

[red2005]

Your best bet is to plan around being on a training rate for 12 months and if it’s less then happy days. Not sure how long it takes for full rate. Most Toc’s I’ve seen it seems to average around 2 years from training rate to full rate.

From what I gather Sunday’s are outside the working week but some drivers feel that’s something that may change in the not so distant future.


Terms and conditions are purely horses for courses mate.... for every person that tells you that Toc-A has crap terms and conditions another one will tell you they suit them just fine!

But it looks like you’re looking at trainee jobs so my advice there is don’t worry about the terms and conditions at this stage!....... there isn’t a company in the land that isn’t worth working for to get your qualification even if there is sacrifice involved!

Get the job first and plan your life around worst case scenario..... the terms and conditions and if they’re your cup of tea will take care of themselves at a later date.

 

[Quote]

Thanks for the reply.

Does anyone who works for West Midlands Trains/Abellio have any contribution?

 

[StarCrossed]

Hi, I'm a driver for WMT. Whilst you're training you're on the basic pay rate which is (if I can recall) around 26/27k. Once you've passed your training (should be 9 months, you're lucky if it's that quick) for the first year driving on your own it goes up to around 35k and then after another year it goes up to 52k. Sundays aren't part of the working week currently, they're paid at time and a half. You'll be rostered do to so many a year but you're not currently obliged to do them. As far as I'm concerned, I believe our T&Cs are pretty decent.

 

[Quote]

Hi, I'm a driver for WMT. Whilst you're training you're on the basic pay rate which is (if I can recall) around 26/27k. Once you've passed your training (should be 9 months, you're lucky if it's that quick) for the first year driving on your own it goes up to around 35k and then after another year it goes up to 52k. Sundays aren't part of the working week currently, they're paid at time and a half. You'll be rostered do to so many a year but you're not currently obliged to do them. As far as I'm concerned, I believe our T&Cs are pretty decent.

Thank you for your informative reply.

 

[Marc5203]

Hi,

New to the forum but really good reads!

Because I was in such a rush, I never looked at the application process stages???

I’ve done the online assessment but what stages are next - I’ve looked at other operators but al appear slightly different...

Can anyone advise

Thanks in advance

Marc

 

[StarCrossed]

Hi,

New to the forum but really good reads!

Because I was in such a rush, I never looked at the application process stages???

I’ve done the online assessment but what stages are next - I’ve looked at other operators but al appear slightly different...

Can anyone advise

Thanks in advance

Marc

The process may have changed slightly since I did it but as far as I'm aware is the online assessment/CV part. Then you'll be invited for the first set of Psychometric tests, with possibly a Driver Manager interview on the same day if they can fit it in. After that it's off to do more psychometric tests and another interview with an external company. Success in all of those brings you to the last part, the medical.

(There is a chance its changed since I did it 4/5 years ago, for example, speaking to a friend of mine at work who has done the external tests and interview says he still hasn't had the DM interview and that's now before the medical. So you've got the stages, just might not be in the right order)

 

[Marc5203]

Hi,

Thanks so much for your reply! I realised that as soon as I posted it I’d got the wrong thread .

Once again, thanks for the reply

Marc