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Distance from home to depot for new trainee drivers (GTR)

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Jz2307

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Does anyone know what the permitted time/distance from home to depot with GTR is. I can drive in 43 minutes minimum but have been refused and a female who I believe is over an hour has been permitted to join a course for trainee driver.
Also are drivers who have passed out allowed to live over an hour whereas mew drivers have to be within the hour?
 
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Qualified Drivers can move anywhere provided they turn up to work on time however if it affects your safety record it won't look good

Women are being prioritised for Driver jobs however I'm not sure if you have passed the selection process?
 

Joliver

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I don't know about GTR specifically, but most TOCS you'll have to live within 45-60 minutes.

Perhaps you didn't do as well as you thought and the female candidate outscored you in the interview? (Guessing you made it to interview as you say she has been selected for a course).
 

Jz2307

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I’d passed assessments and driver manager interview and mmi and was just waiting on a course.
 

Joliver

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Well done.

They'll hopefully offer you a place soon. Bear in mind though, higher scoring candidates will be used first. It's not done on who lives closest to the depot.

Good luck.
 

Jz2307

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I was next in the pool but I’ve been refused a position as they say I’m over distance even though I’ve shown I’m under the hour. A female who lives an hour and 15 minutes away was put on the course instead
 

CyrusWuff

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Most TOCs base travelling time on what Google Maps says for various times of day, so as to be consistent.

For example, from my house to work for a dead early turn, Google Maps estimates 25 to 40 minutes. At the height of the morning peak, however, that increases to 45 to 85 minutes, and for our latest start it's back down to 35 to 70 minutes.

That range is actually fairly accurate in my experience, though it has been known for it to take nearly 2 hours on a really bad day.
 

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You'd think TOCS would look at which Qualifieds live near one of their depots and if there's a space put them in the most suitable depot with out upsetting those wanting to transfer of course.

It seems funny to in some cases pay for taxis to a depot far away from where you live when there's one right on your door step which probably has drivers commuting the same distance!
 

dctraindriver

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I was next in the pool but I’ve been refused a position as they say I’m over distance even though I’ve shown I’m under the hour. A female who lives an hour and 15 minutes away was put on the course instead
Suck it up fella. I have a suspicion ‘she’ may have scored higher than you in all circumstances. I don’t think this is positive discrimination but I would say that as I’m doing the job you want to do. And well done her.

Keep plugging away, as annoying this is you’ve done well to get to where you have which hopefully will carry you across the line....

Does anyone know what the permitted time/distance from home to depot with GTR is. I can drive in 43 minutes minimum but have been refused and a female who I believe is over an hour has been permitted to join a course for trainee driver.
Also are drivers who have passed out allowed to live over an hour whereas mew drivers have to be within the hour?
And your travel is a MINIMUM of 43 mins and you BELIEVE hers is over an hour?
 

LCC106

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I agree with all the above except to say that the term used is not potentially positive discrimination. (Sorry to nitpick but this could be relevant.) Instead, positive ACTION may legitimately be used to encourage more diversity within the workplace. In any case you have both passed all the assessments and interviews. You say you have shown them evidence of the length of your commute. Could there be something else going on here? In another post it looks like you’re currently being managed for attendance. If you feel aggrieved you could raise a grievance but that could set you out to look like a troublemaker. If you are a member of a union, may be worth a chat to your rep. Alternatively you could send an email to the head of drivers ascertaining that you are definitely next in the queue. If there are any issues they may then raise them with you.
 

Jz2307

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Suck it up fella. I have a suspicion ‘she’ may have scored higher than you in all circumstances. I don’t think this is positive discrimination but I would say that as I’m doing the job you want to do. And well done her.

Keep plugging away, as annoying this is you’ve done well to get to where you have which hopefully will carry you across the line....


And your travel is a MINIMUM of 43 mins and you BELIEVE hers is over an hour?
Yes the criteria is can you get to your depot within an hour. Yes I’ve proved I can, however I know she is an hour away by train and still has to get to the station and doesn’t drive.
 

Jacob Didcote

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So I'm currently applying for a Trainee TC role, I haven't moved yet due to lockdown so should i put my new address which is 20 mins from the depot? and I need to leave my current job before moving. Or should I email them and inform them of my situation?
TYIA!
 
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vikingdriver

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Yes the criteria is can you get to your depot within an hour. Yes I’ve proved I can, however I know she is an hour away by train and still has to get to the station and doesn’t drive.

Maybe she is going to move nearer.
 

Jz2307

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They only take the address given before you take the role not where you might or might not live. If that was the case I could have said I’m looking at moving and it wouldn’t be an issue
 

TheAnswer89

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Yes the criteria is can you get to your depot within an hour. Yes I’ve proved I can, however I know she is an hour away by train and still has to get to the station and doesn’t drive.
Maybe she relocated. There is plenty of possible explanations.
 

DriverEight

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I agree with all the above except to say that the term used is not potentially positive discrimination. (Sorry to nitpick but this could be relevant.) Instead, positive ACTION may legitimately be used to encourage more diversity within the workplace. In any case you have both passed all the assessments and interviews. You say you have shown them evidence of the length of your commute. Could there be something else going on here? In another post it looks like you’re currently being managed for attendance. If you feel aggrieved you could raise a grievance but that could set you out to look like a troublemaker. If you are a member of a union, may be worth a chat to your rep. Alternatively you could send an email to the head of drivers ascertaining that you are definitely next in the queue. If there are any issues they may then raise them with you.
To add to this, positive action can only be used in the early stage of the recruitment process, to encourage diversity in applications ("we particularly welcome applications from women and ethnic minorities"). Once applications have closed and the selection process begins, any discrimination (even "positive" discrimination) is illegal under the Equality act (2010). Indeed, some companies will ask you not to put anything in your applicstion that could identify your age, gender, race, sexual orientation and religion in order to help them keep the process neutral. Some don't even ask if you're Mr, Mrs, Miss etc. anymore

There are, of course, exceptions but these have to be for specific reasons, not just for quota filling.
 
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Jacob Didcote

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They only take the address given before you take the role not where you might or might not live. If that was the case I could have said I’m looking at moving and it wouldn’t be an issue
Ah brilliant! I think I will email them as well just to inform them of my current situation as I don't want to say I'm living at address x when I'm living at address y. I'm sure they've got a way to find out! :lol: As they say, honesty is the best policy.
 
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TheAnswer89

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Ah brilliant! I think I will email them as well just to inform them of my current situation as I don't want to say I'm living at address x when I'm living at address y. I'm sure they've got a way to find out! :lol: As they say, honesty is the best policy.


No they dont. Railway industry is not some magical place that do not have to obey law. Law states your personal information is legally protected and cannot be obtained from other sources than yourself.
 

JH9

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No they dont. Railway industry is not some magical place that do not have to obey law. Law states your personal information is legally protected and cannot be obtained from other sources than yourself.

If they do a credit check it would show addresses would it not? I have seen others mention you have to present them with proof of address i.e. bills or bank statement etc. So I guess you just need to be careful there and if you can prove the address you put down.
 

Jacob Didcote

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No they dont. Railway industry is not some magical place that do not have to obey law. Law states your personal information is legally protected and cannot be obtained from other sources than yourself.
Well i think it's still probably the best option to let them know my situation. Or maybe just leave it but then it could backfire...?

If they do a credit check it would show addresses would it not? I have seen others mention you have to present them with proof of address i.e. bills or bank statement etc. So I guess you just need to be careful there and if you can prove the address you put down.
This is what i mean, if they ask for ID or something and i show my drivers license, it'll have the address of my current address not the new one then they can instantly paint a picture of me saying he's lying about where he live but then informing them may remove that risk.
 

lammergeier

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Yes the criteria is can you get to your depot within an hour. Yes I’ve proved I can, however I know she is an hour away by train and still has to get to the station and doesn’t drive.
If you're internal, which I assume you are as you believe you know details about another candidate, then taking what you've said at face value I would speak to your rep and start a grievance. Whilst I doubt the other candidate would have their place cancelled, it may be that some compromise is reached and you are assured of a place on the next course.
 

Jz2307

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It’s not about me trying to lose anyone a job it’s about fairness and consistency and treating all circumstances the same.
If you're internal, which I assume you are as you believe you know details about another candidate, then taking what you've said at face value I would speak to your rep and start a grievance. Whilst I doubt the other candidate would have their place cancelled, it may be that some compromise is reached and you are assured of a place on the next cou
 

DriverEight

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Is it possible that she's going to be operating from a different depot, a depot closer to her home, upon completion of the training?
 

TheAnswer89

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There always is a possibility that she was just spectacular on psychometrics and MMI/DMIs. Therefore they proposed her a position, but expect her to move closer and she agreed to that requirement. As simple as that.
 

lammergeier

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It’s not about me trying to lose anyone a job it’s about fairness and consistency and treating all circumstances the same.
If you read my post you'll see I didn't suggest you were trying to make anyone lose their job. If as you say you live within the travelling time and then you may be able to gain a place on the next course.
 

craigybagel

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Having read your other thread would it be down to your stage 2/3?

This seems to be the case and the other person was second on the list. It has nothing to do with travel time.
I think it would be worthwhile if the mods could merge the two threads as you only get the full story if you read both. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of travel distance from depot, I'm sure being on a stage 2 or especially 3 MFA is going to have a very negative effect on their chances of getting a job.

That said, I would also recommend the OP take a step back, a deep breath, and then delete these threads and contact their reps. It's hard to see how any good will come of it these threads - but its easy to say how anyone at GTR HR could put two and two together and work out who exactly is being discussed here, and that is definitely going to have a negative effect on their chances of getting a job.
 
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