ROG drivers

[Shug]

Hi,

Just wondering about working for ROG and what it’s like.

What sort of hours are worked
How far can you plan ahead (do you know when your working and when your rest days are)
Is there a hours limit for the year
Do you do customer negotiation or is it more a customer liaison management role
Do you book on from home
Is there a lot of work where you have to stay away
I take it there are no TOC benefits
What is the pension

Any honest opinions on pros and cons gratefully appreciated

 

[M0csi]

September open day go along ... all times and dates on facebook...

 

[bionic]

My understanding is there are two contracts... one with a very good wage where you dont know your shifts or rest days from one week to the next, and another where you follow a kind of roster but get paid a lot less.

I know someone who was offered a job there but turned it down due to the uncertain nature of it. I guess it would suit some and drive others round the twist. Personally I wouldnt go near it.

 

[Thedispatcher]

Got a mate that does it and he loves it, looks like plenty of variety in routes and work. My mate books on around the Midlands, usually Leicester and drives a lot of class 37s. Hours are probably worse than passenger companies as in less sociable. Pension I don’t know. No, no travel privileges however you do get a duty authority pass and travel on duty isn’t a problem, just no leisure travel. Chap I know really enjoys it and the pay is some of the best around but I imagine there’s a reason for that. Think mobile booking on, telephone or possibly tablet computer, is the norm. Hope this helps

 

[RailExplorer]

Hi, I’m trying to find out more about this company too as a change from commuter passenger work. I understand what they do as a company and it all sounds very exciting / different, but what I can’t find any information about is the drivers work routine. Is it like other TOCs/FOCs - as in a 4 day week? Do you know where your RDs are? Thank you.

 

[Class2ldn]

From what I've heard they do a lot of lodging especially around london .

 

[Red1980]

Doesn't sound like a bad little number.

 

[StaffsPM1]

I asked someone who works for them...

Hi,

Just wondering about working for ROG and what it’s like.

What sort of hours are worked 5 days up to 12 hours per day (sometimes with travel to and from job on top)
How far can you plan ahead (do you know when your working and when your rest days are) You can't. Roster on a Thursday rarely is what you end up doing
Is there a hours limit for the year No
Do you do customer negotiation or is it more a customer liaison management role No not really. You have to be able to solve any issues you come across
Do you book on from home Yes
Is there a lot of work where you have to stay away Yes and no. Depends on the current contracts they are running.
I take it there are no TOC benefits No benefits of any kind except private healthcare after 6 months
What is the pension standard government one they made everyone sign up to

Pay after the last award was a little under £75k - £400 flat rate for rest days or travelling to/from lodge on a rest day
Rest day tends to be every Sunday and the other rest day moves forward one day a week (Mon one week, tues the next) every 6 weeks there is a 5 day weekend (they add 2 extra rest days that week)
Little or no warning of timings as I've been told everything is done on STP and VSTP. My friend has stated that your job can be changed forward or backwards the next day without much warning and you have to get on with it.
On the flip side, drive 37 47 57 as basic traction. According to Rail 93's on order. Depending on the contract you could sign multiple units and other trains. When you are spare you are at home, don't have to report anywhere. Most days he says are much shorter than the 12 they can have you working for.
However, he did say there is NO union. ASLEF from googling don't like this outfit. There are no benefits. No cycle to work, gym discounts, any of the other tit bits you get at a TOC, and there is no travel other than duty.

Any honest opinions on pros and cons gratefully appreciated

 

[tiptoptaff]

Interesting to see. Personally, for me, £75k is a lot, about 13k higher than my TOC will be when harmonisation pay finally takes full effect in May. But I cannot say that £13k is worth losing travel, pension and any degree of certainty about what you'll be working

 

[dctraindriver]

Interesting to see. Personally, for me, £75k is a lot, about 13k higher than my TOC will be when harmonisation pay finally takes full effect in May. But I cannot say that £13k is worth losing travel, pension and any degree of certainty about what you'll be working

Especially as your TOC pays in the region of 13% towards your pension, so add that to your 62k it’s more likely about 7/8k?

 

[FrankOwen]

46 weeks x 60 hours = 2760 hours per year. 1192 more than my contract.
If I were to work 1192 at overtime it'd be an extra £45k or roughly £100k gross pa.
Then there's the lack of the RPS.

 

[tiptoptaff]

It's not all about money! But I can understand why some freight guys have gone across from locations where redundancy was threatened

 

[C001]

Think I’m being a bit thick here but who is ROG lol

 

[tiptoptaff]

Rail Operations Group - they do a lot of stock moves and drags. Delivery and testing of various new and refurbed stock

 

[C001]

Rail Operations Group - they do a lot of stock moves and drags. Delivery and testing of various new and refurbed stock

Yes I did know that so we can confirm I had a thick moment lol met a few of there drivers before travelling pass on trains I’ve worked.

 

[Red1980]

There are a few "negatives" depending on what your motivation and flexibility is obviously. Gotta say though their drivers that I've met whilst at work have nothing but positive things to say about the place.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Think I’m being a bit thick here but who is ROG lol

Bingo drivers, no terms, high pay to reflect the lack of anything else essentially.

If/when contracts finish you’ll be the door, no union so when you balls up your at the mercy of management.

Stick with a FOC or better still a TOC!

 

[whoosh]

I asked someone who works for them...

....What is the pension standard government one they made everyone sign up to...

Government pension scheme??

 

[tiptoptaff]

Government pension scheme??

Guessing they mean the big standard workplace pension scheme the government introduced a couple of years ago

 

[Gemz91]

Seems a bit like a single mans game to me. Although £75k is a lot of money, its not worth it for the split rest days in my opinion.

How ever, there's plenty of people out there who's only aim in life is money. Each to their own and all that.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Plenty of people who will bend over backwards with all the risks to drive crappy old locos around the country for the “glory”.

 

[whoosh]

Guessing they mean the big standard workplace pension scheme the government introduced a couple of years ago

Ah yes, I'd forgotten about that!

Yes, it's a lot of flexibility working at companies like this. I don't think people would stick it out for an entire career. I know someone who worked for DCR where similar flexibility was required. They enjoyed their time doing varied work, but went back to the TOC they left after about two years. Settling down and having a family were factors. That's probably why the unions don't like set ups like this, as they undercut companies with more stable rosters where there are tighter parameters on drivers (and their families) being messed about.

 

[HLE]

Plenty of people who will bend over backwards with all the risks to drive crappy old locos around the country for the “glory”.

Nail on the head.

 

[Shug]

Thanks for all the replies, very interesting and it really does depend on your motivation, I think the pension is a big consideration on this topic

 

[Tom Quinne]

The final salary RPS pension is worth it’s weight in gold twice over, they aren’t in it....

No union support when it goes pear shaped, you’d need every penny of that £75,000 for your defence brief if you kill anyone.

 

[PhilTimo]

As far as pensions go - At ROG they actually pay 8% into a private pension fund.
The drivers pay an additional 1% out of their pockets.

 

[4F89]

Bingo drivers, no terms, high pay to reflect the lack of anything else essentially.

If/when contracts finish you’ll be the door, no union so when you balls up your at the mercy of management.

Stick with a FOC or better still a TOC!

Why is a TOC better than a FOC?

 

[tsr]

Nail on the head.

Some of the ROG drivers do work a fair few bog standard multiple units, though (transferring stock between depots).

 

[DoubleO]

Why is a TOC better than a FOC?

More job security, better roster/shift information, better perks

 

[Stigy]

I think both have their benefits. No stop/start with FOCs. No passengers to worry about. No platforms to stop at (to pick up/set down at least). Seeing more of the country from your office window. I’m glad I’m working for a TOC because of the perks and pension etc, but I can see why FOCs appeal to some. If I was offered a trainee position with a FOC I’d have taken it of course, because it’s a way in to driving, but TOC was more ideal due to the nature of the work and the better work/life balance.