I would seriously look and apply elsewhere. I honestly can't see Freightliner recruiting trainees for the foreseeable future. The freight industry is on its knees at the minute and doesn't look good. There are lots of things that need to be addressed with the drivers at HH.... Hence trainees will be the last thing on there mind.
-
Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Freightliner Intermodal after trainee drivers across UK
- Thread starter 387star
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-35301865
Anyone know if this might help the situation slightly?
Anyone know if this might help the situation slightly?
I've heard from a reliable source that THEY ARE going to run a graduate course this year, but said also that everything is still up in the air at this time. They are also still hoping to open a depot at Doncaster in the first half of this year. Promising noises from within but until I hear it officially then we are still no nearer knowing number of jobs, timescales etc etc. Even if they are running this intake, we've still gotta get offered a place. Hope this helps people.
Interesting, thanks for the update. Let's hope we receive another e-mail soon with some further information.
Like I said before they need drivers in Scotland for sure. However they could maybe relocate some if they agreed but certain people on here seem to forget that Scotland exists and they will be along shortly to say your talking rubbish
Yes the over all picture ain't good as a whole but there is a reason they ain't told the guys it's not running
Not sure about any new graduate courses this year, but there is definitely talk of asking some drivers if they would like to move to other depots to save on possible redundancies. Word is there will be a big meeting in March to sort it all out.
Doncaster depot will get 2 Drivers from Leeds, both live nearer to Donny, the rest will come from HH.
I very much doubt that there will be any Grad courses this year as there is no need, any vacancy could be filled with a HH driver that often will have the required route/ traction knowledge.
That said this is Freightliner we are talking about and they generally make it up as they go along!
If there is a glimmer of hope it would be for the southern depots of Ipswich or Eastleigh.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Again not sure about grads in Scotland, Colas have/ are taking over the cement traffic out of Owellmains from HH, the Drivers there might get TUPE'd over to Colas, but there might be a surplus that could transfer over to Mossend( which is the only Intermodal depot in Scotland) Add the fact that Longanett power station closes at the end of March, there will be a surplus of Freight Drivers from DBS.
I very much doubt that there will be any Grad courses this year as there is no need, any vacancy could be filled with a HH driver that often will have the required route/ traction knowledge.
That said this is Freightliner we are talking about and they generally make it up as they go along!
If there is a glimmer of hope it would be for the southern depots of Ipswich or Eastleigh.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Again not sure about grads in Scotland, Colas have/ are taking over the cement traffic out of Owellmains from HH, the Drivers there might get TUPE'd over to Colas, but there might be a surplus that could transfer over to Mossend( which is the only Intermodal depot in Scotland) Add the fact that Longanett power station closes at the end of March, there will be a surplus of Freight Drivers from DBS.
Last edited:
There's nothing for the trainees in the South. London Gateway as not taken off. Southampton will not be taking on, and us at Ipswich have enough drivers.
Personally I don't think they will take on in the near future, and if so, maybe Crewe.
Not sure what the guy was on about Scotland, but I don't think Intermodal at Mossend will be taking on either. They just took a driver not so long ago under a transfer and also another, i think....but not to sure.
I think most Intermodals depots are over with drivers than under.
The other way to look at it. Once the Americans have sorted out Freightliner as a whole, they will not be able to recruit qualified drivers, this is because of the industry being so unstable. I don't think in a million years would a driver transfer from a TOC to a FOC. This is not just Freightliner, this would be all the FOC's. So you may have a chance in the future there.
With the current climate, I don't think Freightliner on both sides will be taking trainees, also the Americans now have 99% control and i bet your life they will not want to spend money training new drivers up..
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It was mentioned at a branch that Intermodal drivers could not put in for transfers to Donny. It was said that HH drivers will be given first choice, then Intermodal drivers.
The rest of the HH drivers will go to Ferrybridge.
Personally I don't think they will take on in the near future, and if so, maybe Crewe.
Not sure what the guy was on about Scotland, but I don't think Intermodal at Mossend will be taking on either. They just took a driver not so long ago under a transfer and also another, i think....but not to sure.
I think most Intermodals depots are over with drivers than under.
The other way to look at it. Once the Americans have sorted out Freightliner as a whole, they will not be able to recruit qualified drivers, this is because of the industry being so unstable. I don't think in a million years would a driver transfer from a TOC to a FOC. This is not just Freightliner, this would be all the FOC's. So you may have a chance in the future there.
With the current climate, I don't think Freightliner on both sides will be taking trainees, also the Americans now have 99% control and i bet your life they will not want to spend money training new drivers up..
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
It was mentioned at a branch that Intermodal drivers could not put in for transfers to Donny. It was said that HH drivers will be given first choice, then Intermodal drivers.
The rest of the HH drivers will go to Ferrybridge.
Last edited:
Just received this from Corinne in HR. Also heard there maybe redundancies on the HH side. Oh well!
Hi
Thank you for your continued patience. Unfortunately I dont have much of an update for you.
From a Group prospective we are undergoing big changes. This, as you can appreciate is a lengthy process and I wont have any further news for you for another 2-3 months.
Im sure it is frustrating and I hope to be able to give you positive news next time I contact you.
Thank you again for your patience.
Regards
Corinne
Hi
Thank you for your continued patience. Unfortunately I dont have much of an update for you.
From a Group prospective we are undergoing big changes. This, as you can appreciate is a lengthy process and I wont have any further news for you for another 2-3 months.
Im sure it is frustrating and I hope to be able to give you positive news next time I contact you.
Thank you again for your patience.
Regards
Corinne
Yes, I heard that too regarding redundancies - can't see them recruiting for a long while - but got to look at the positives, those of us in this situation got down to the last 40 or so from 6000 applicants and have now experienced every part of the selection process (bar the medical), so frustrating as it is, I guess it's a worthwhile experience even if it comes to nothing in the end
G136GREYHOUND
Member
- Joined
- 29 Mar 2014
- Messages
- 239
I wouldn't hold out any hopes for any jobs with Freightliner in the near future from what ASLEF have said recently
True. I have recently applied for a Trainee Depot Drivers job with East Midlands Trains. I got through the sift, had to resit Group Bourdon, as EMT require a very high score, for Stage 1 of which I passed. Then I had and was successful at my DMI. I had already sat and passed all of Stage 2 through my Freightliner application and I was then accepted into their Talent Pool, hopefully awaiting an intake in April. So yes it is very disappointing the situation with these, but just let it be a stepping stone to your next application. Good luck everyone with their future endeavours.
Steve,
Congratulations on your progress. How would I find out how I did during the FL tests? All I know is that I reached the required level but have no idea how well I actually did? How did you establish that you had to resit the GBT?
Cheers
Hi
You never get to know your scores. Once you apply to another TOC, providing you get through the initial sift, then the whole process is the same as we did for Freightliner. Sometimes DMI is before Stage 2 depends on their preference. When applying they will ask if you have ever sat Driver Psychometric Testing before and then they will check with the OPC and if you meet their required scores then you skip that process. I hadn't met the GBT score required by EMT so I had to resit that only. I passed my DMI and then progressed onto Stage 2 testing but I had previously gained a high enough pass in all tests to skip that as well. I was then offered a place in their Talent Pool. Each individual TOC sets their own pass marks, so what is good enough for one might not be for another. Hope this helps.
Steve
I had a whole day dedicated to being talked through my scores when I started at my TOC.
@Up The Cherries
So if you get a job the TOC may go through them with as stated by SPADTRAP. But with regards to the OPC and if you fail any then you'd be hard pressed to find out as they don't divulge that info.
Last edited:
Cheers Steve that's helpful. Good luck with the talent pool.
Thanks. Good luck to you too.
Daz9284
Member
I can't see the course still happening, with the news that FL are making circa 105 drivers redundant, which equates to about 25% of the drivers.
regards,
darryl
regards,
darryl
125 is the number.
train_lover
Member
- Joined
- 2 Nov 2007
- Messages
- 409
I went through the process with them in 2014. After passing all of the relevant tests at the OPC in Watford and passing the medical I was still left without a job. These guys didn't reply to any email or calls! My advice with anyone waiting to hear back from FL is look else were. I was left devastated to be offered a conditional contract but yet no job. Also I'd like to point out that FL are in the process of paying off fully qualified drivers so it is highly unlikely that any money will be spent training new drivers.
Start with EMT on the 11th April as a Depot Driver. Absolutely made up and can only think that the bad news with Freightliner was a blessing as it means that I wouldn't have to relocate if I had been successful. Good luck to everyone else on your future endeavours.
Yeah, every cloud and all that! Wishing you all the best for the future. Kind regards Steve.
I think the last email said up to 3 months which we haven't reached yet.
I have recently been given the news that I was successful as a trainee depot driver with a toc, I don't think I could have achieved this without the experience that freightliner gave me.
Good luck to all with this.
I have recently been given the news that I was successful as a trainee depot driver with a toc, I don't think I could have achieved this without the experience that freightliner gave me.
Good luck to all with this.
Think you all need to bare in mind that a lot of qualified drivers were made redundant on Saturday. The company are having a fairly decent shake up and dealongneith slot of internal stuff. Whilst I agree you should not be kept in the dark it well documented what's been going on and that recruitment would mostly likely fall by the way side
- Status