What is an ATOC card

[Alistair G.]

Hi all,

I overheard a driver explains to a guard he was travelling using an ATOC card ( He couldn't find it at first but the guard wouldn't budge until he produced something)

The guy worked for freighting according to his hi-vis jacket anyway.

What I don't know is though is what is an ATOC card?, does this give free travel to the employee on all trains all the time?... I thought that had gone out with BR disbanding, but I have never heard this term ATOC before so am puzzled what it allows people to do

 

[RJ]

Sounds like a colloquialism for any of the myriad of staff travel cards that ATOC issue. Possibly a Freight Duty Travel Card, which is valid on any franchised TOC train service available to the general public. It needs to be accompanied with a crew diagram and a Safety Critical Work Identity Card. Without the supporting documentation, there's no right to free duty travel. There's also a specific instruction not to allow free travel on the basis of the traveller wearing a uniform - plenty of people out there only to happy to impersonate railway staff so they can travel without paying!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Staff employed by BR ("Safe-Guarded") continue to receive the benefits of BR in terms of staff travel, until they leave railway employment. Staff who joined the passenger train companies since Privatisation (1st April 1996) receive less generous benefits than the former-BR staff. Staff who work for NR and the freight companies, who are not "safeguarded", get very little.

 

[Llanigraham]

Staff employed by BR ("Safe-Guarded") continue to receive the benefits of BR in terms of staff travel, until they leave railway employment. Staff who joined the passenger train companies since Privatisation (1st April 1996) receive less generous benefits than the former-BR staff. Staff who work for NR and the freight companies, who are not "safeguarded",NOTHING.

Corrected that for you!

 

[carriageline]

Corrected that for you!

Isn't it brilliant, we let them play trains and yet we can't play passenger

 

[Llanigraham]

And they get annoyed when we do stop them playing!!

 

[Marklund]

Corrected that for you!

Except it's not correct...
The SWT/NR deal, has already been mentioned on here...

 

[carriageline]

Yeah but that's a very small proportion of employees who can benefit from it

 

[Marklund]

Well, the stuck record becomes rather wearing.
And so what if it's only a small proportion? It's something that might become the norm, if deep alliancing grows.

 

[carriageline]

Well, the stuck record becomes rather wearing.
And so what if it's only a small proportion? It's something that might become the norm, if deep alliancing grows.

Stuck record? Slight exaggeration, I have seen it mentioned twice in all my time on this forum. And plus, you have to work on the Wessex route to get the free SWT travel. I don't get the free travel as I work elsewhere

Most people I have come across inside network rail don't care (me included as I mostly drive to work) about the lack of travel priv. It's just most people make the assumption that NR employees automatically get free train travel when we don't, which seems bizarre to people outside of the industry (and I for one partly agree)

Even if it became the norm, it won't be as helpful as full unrestricted priv, not to a lot of employees. For example, if east coast gave me free travel on their trains it would not help me get to work from kent.

I think TOC members of staff don't see how lucky they are with regards to free travel, but that's what happens I suppose!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Yeah but that's a very small proportion of employees who can benefit from it

Hence "get very little" :roll:

 

[Marklund]

Hence "get very little" :roll:

Exactly.

Stuck record? Slight exaggeration

And yes, it is a stuck record. When you see a question about ATOC, and staff travel, and you know a certain poster, will comment about the lack of it for NR staff before you open the thread, it is a stuck record.

We get it. Non-Safeguarded staff for NR get zilch*

Perhaps I should start a campaign for post 1960-odd staff to get Caledonian Mcbrayne, and post 1980-odd staff to get Tyne and Wear metro facilities, it's not fair, two tier workforce, blah, blah blah...


*NR/SWT deal apart

 

[Haywain]

Perhaps I should start a campaign for post 1960-odd staff to get Caledonian Mcbrayne, and post 1980-odd staff to get Tyne and Wear metro facilities, it's not fair, two tier workforce, blah, blah blah...

And post-1995 staff...!