The 45 minutes to a depot rule.

Quantumspotter · 25 Jul 2016

Hello all.

Just wondering who or how TOC's workout the 45 minutes rule? I can do 4 of Northerns depots within 45 minutes, with the exception of the 07:30-09:00 & 16:00-17:30 rush hour period. However, as I say for an early turn I can do them easily in the 45 minutes. Did they nit have a 60 minutes rule in BR days? I know of a few drivers both local and Intercity drivers who live more than an hour away.

Kind regards.

Quantum.

RailUK Forums

Nkay11 · 25 Jul 2016

Quantumspotter said:
Hello all.

Just wondering who or how TOC's workout the 45 minutes rule? I can do 4 of Northerns depots within 45 minutes, with the exception of the 07:30-09:00 & 16:00-17:30 rush hour period. However, as I say for an early turn I can do them easily in the 45 minutes. Did they nit have a 60 minutes rule in BR days? I know of a few drivers both local and Intercity drivers who live more than an hour away.

Kind regards.

Quantum.

Hi mate,

All TOC's have different requirements. I have applied to a few different TOC's... One wanting me to live within 45 minutes and the other 60. I've even seen one that was 30 minutes once although these seem to be more rare nowadays.

As long as you can get to the depot within the allocated time, it is not an issue even if it takes you longer during rush hour. If they do measure how far you live, it's done on a map but they can usually guage how long it will take you based on where you live.

Andy-mc · 25 Jul 2016

as has been said its different company to company but ultimately they want you to be as close as possible, some even just set a mileage radius.
I would have thought (depending on individual depot shift patterns) they would include rush hour if there was a possibility of you starting in that time frame. The fatigue index is fairly important for both you and the company and with a lot of companies going down to a 4 day week you could easily be looking at a 12+ hour day which sometimes you can get through fine but other times you do feel the strain on the drive home

Gemz91 · 25 Jul 2016

And of course they all assume you are commuting by car!

LETHLFH · 25 Jul 2016

I have heard certain tocs just use AA route planner to measure, unsure if this is true, however if the shortest route on there says less than 45 minutes it supports your case that you live close enough.

Louby · 25 Jul 2016

google maps is another one they use

Kevied · 26 Jul 2016

I work for NR and I live about 57 minutes away from my depot. I drive from Darlington to Heaton (Newcastle) and I'm positive it's the same country-wide for Northern depots- within an hours commute

Louby · 26 Jul 2016

Kevied said:
I work for NR and I live about 57 minutes away from my depot. I drive from Darlington to Heaton (Newcastle) and I'm positive it's the same country-wide for Northern depots- within an hours commute

Used to be, they changed it to 45 mins about 18 months ( ish) ago

Aivilo · 26 Jul 2016

Most it's 45 minutes, and with they are firm. Real world it takes me about 30 miuntes on a motorcycle to get to a said depot. Google Maps states 47 minutes so I cannot apply.

Arriva group seem to allow 60 minutes and I believe London Midland are going on a mileage of 25 miles (unsure how true that is)

kelv · 28 Jul 2016

Having this problem with a few lately, Blackburn 47mins, Blackpool was 50.

I always find that Google Maps gives slightly longer times which in these cases rules me out based on a couple of minutes.

I got to Manc Piccadilly in just over 20 minutes last week but then it took me 1 1/2 hours recently in morning rush hour.

30 common · 28 Jul 2016

Once you're in they can't dictate where you move to. I lived 5 mins/2 miles from my depot when I applied. When training was done and I could afford to buy a house I did. 60 mins/27 miles away

TheVicLine · 28 Jul 2016

It can get pretty tiring working shifts. I would say you would want to live as close as you can, you don't want to be spending hours driving to and from work every day.

plastictaffy · 31 Jul 2016

Aivilo said:
Arriva group seem to allow 60 minutes and I believe London Midland are going on a mileage of 25 miles (unsure how true that is)

It is true, but it depends on who you are as to whether it's applied. It is not rigidly enforced. I got turned down due to being 28 miles away from the depot they themselves actually gave me a job at in the first place, yet a guy who lives 39 miles away was accepted.

richw · 31 Jul 2016

kelv said:
I always find that Google Maps gives slightly longer times which in these cases rules me out based on a couple of minutes.

Google maps gives "live" travel time taking account of current traffic reports.
Do a route planner at say 1700 and it will say much longer than doing it at say 10pm.

Quantumspotter · 1 Aug 2016

Hello there,

Thank you to everyone who replied to this thread. It appears to be, as with a lot of things railway related, mixed standards depending on TOC's etc. However, the Arriva information was useful as they are now my local train operator now

. Hope they work as well as they did last time round. Only time will tell I guess.

Kind regards.

Quantum.

185 · 1 Aug 2016

For LM:

I've driven to the depot in 20 minutes.
The train takes 26 minutes.

And yet, they turned me down for "not living in a 25 mile radius".
...mileage is miles by road (25.8 = too far), not the 24.4 miles by rail!! :P

plastictaffy · 2 Aug 2016

185 said:
For LM:

I've driven to the depot in 20 minutes.
The train takes 26 minutes.

And yet, they turned me down for "not living in a 25 mile radius".
...mileage is miles by road (25.8 = too far), not the 24.4 miles by rail!! :P

Yet again, another example of LM using their own rules to suit when they want to.

To do 25.8 miles in 20 minutes must mean there's some liberal interpetation of the speed limits...... :lol:

The 45 minutes to a depot rule.

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