A Question for Drivers.....

[Ammodog1]

Ugh!

I was feeling quite positive after some of the early posts, but the more of you that post, the harder it sounds.
Not to say that I'm not grateful for all the comments, thanking you!

Hopefully I would be one of the people who adapt ok. Once I'd given up my job to start the training it would be a bit late to back out, bills to pay and all that!

 

[Beveridges]

Some people adapt straight away and really well, others (like myself) never adapt to either early or night shifts, or both. Dont forget on night shift it takes some people some time to wind down after the shift, pushing the time it takes to fall asleep even later. As for early shifts I've seen rosters where they come straight after nights so your getting up for earlies hours *before* the time you were going to bed when you came off nights a couple of days ago, this I would find impossible though some people have no problem! Quite a lot are more than capable of coping as they work loads of Rest Days (which you wouldnt if the standard week was tiring you out) and many even "swap" for more the extreme shifts so they have more time off in the day, so its clear that many can adapt easily and can sleep at unusual times. But some can't, and theres probably no way of finding out until you get into the training. I think its one of those things that you can either do from the start, or you can never do.

Someone mentioned Jet lag - I think early or night shifts are actually even worse as the fatigue and headaches get far worse when you do several of them in a row if you cant sleep properly for them.

 

[387star]

I work permanent nights and find getting to sleep easy. However I only have two days off every 6 weeks which isn't so good. I have one or two nights off a week but never back to back and obviously it cuts into your day

 

[TDK]

Sorry to harp on, and I know it sounds like I'm obsessing now, but how easy is it to have a SPAD or some other safety critical incident. Does it happen to many drivers and do many end up losing their career over them?

I can't think of any reason that it may potentially happen to me, it just seems that you would be working your whole career on a knife edge, worrying that you would make that one mistake and then be out of a job.

Tell me if I'm thinking too much into this, I'm just a worrier I guess

Sorry to be blunt but by your postings on here I really do not feel you would be the right candidate for a drivers job and to be honest this will show in interview

 

[Beveridges]

I think they are good questions. Surely anyone should find out how easy it is to lose a job by making a mistake before going into it. Look at how many ex-Drivers there are who have been taken off & downgraded due to a mistake and are now stuck in jobs like platform staff or revenue protection until retirement.

The question about shift work causing sleep deprivation is also a good one as it is a serious problem for some people who cant "adapt" to certain types of shifts.

Not a good idea to go into an Interview asking those questions BUT they are questions you need answers for before you apply for the job.

 

[O L Leigh]

Sorry to say this, if you have a spad with my TOC you can expect to be taken off driving duties for upto 12 months and be expected to jump through hoops to get back driving (spending time with an outside body of physco analysts they check your lifestyle and concentration levels with alsorts of tests and to cap it off, if they say NO that's it you won't be driving anymore!)
Expect this treatment with a tpws activation even after you have reported yourself and carried out all the correct rules and regs!
Have a second spad in your driving career and I dare say that is it with my TOC, just hope there's a guards vac at the depot!

And which TOC is that...?

As a qualified driver I have to say that I recognise NOTHING in what you say. In fact I'd go so far as to say that it's scaremongering horsesh*t.

No driver I know of has been off for anything like 12 months following a SPAD and, while the post-incident action plan may require that you attend a one day Arcadia course amongst other things, the emphasis is to get you back out there driving again using all the tools available to ensure no repeat incidents. If a driver has a lot of incidents in a short period of time there may be questions asked about that driver's long term suitability in the post, but in most instances an action plan will be instituted quickly and the driver will be out again in a few weeks.

Or are you yet another fantasist...?

But to answer the original question about shift work, if it doesn't suit you perhaps you should be asking yourself whether or not this is really the career for you. It isn't hard to have an incident and it can take just a moment's lapse of concentration which can be easily brought about by fatigue. If that is going to be a problem for you then you need to think long and hard about your choices. Yes you can swap with other drivers to get onto a more favourable shift, but this won't always possible.

O L Leigh

 

[Zerothebrake!]

Why are you worrying over something that may or may not happen?

As you go through your driving career you'll gain the experience and knowledge to be able to deal with anything that's thrown at you.

SPAD's and station overruns have always occured -and they always will because as a race,we are failable.

Some people seem to have forgotten this.

I know of someone who had a SPAD within 200 yards on his first train and I also know of a guy who had his first one after 48 years service.

There is no rhyme or reason to it.

The difference these days is that we live in a blame culture where any minor indiscretion is taken to 'the worst case scenario' and punished accordingly.

This is also done to intimidate others.

I had three 2am alarm calls last week - and I'm just about getting over it now..so the shifts have always been a struggle but like the SPAD's etc,they will always be part and parcel of the job.

Bottom line is.. it's a responsible job that's reflected in the pay.

Grasp that nettle and have a rewarding career.

 

[455driver]

If you keep thinking about having a SPAD, you're probably more likely to have one.

I keep think about Kylie Minogue, am I likely to have her?

I hope so.

Oops off topic, sorry.

It is all very well thinking about things as long as you dont obsess or fret over them, as stated use the tools available to you, follow the rules and if not sure about something then ask.

 

[pendolino]

I keep think about Kylie Minogue, am I likely to have her?

No, but keep thinking about her and we'll place bets as to how long it takes for you to have a SPAD. I've heard some bizarre reasons for drivers having SPADs, but 'I was lusting after Kylie Minogue' would be entirely original, I'd like to see the coaching plan resulting from that!

 

[kleb15]

Why are you worrying over something that may or may not happen?

As you go through your driving career you'll gain the experience and knowledge to be able to deal with anything that's thrown at you.

SPAD's and station overruns have always occured -and they always will because as a race,we are failable.

Some people seem to have forgotten this.

I know of someone who had a SPAD within 200 yards on his first train and I also know of a guy who had his first one after 48 years service.

There is no rhyme or reason to it.

The difference these days is that we live in a blame culture where any minor indiscretion is taken to 'the worst case scenario' and punished accordingly.

This is also done to intimidate others.

I had three 2am alarm calls last week - and I'm just about getting over it now..so the shifts have always been a struggle but like the SPAD's etc,they will always be part and parcel of the job.

Bottom line is.. it's a responsible job that's reflected in the pay.

Grasp that nettle and have a rewarding career.

Think this is by far the best comment so far on this post, i'm not actually a driver but as someone who is attempting to get into a trainee drivers position i think this had been the best bit of advice i've read in terms of the job and what could go wrong etc. So thanks for that mate

 

[455driver]

No, but keep thinking about her and we'll place bets as to how long it takes for you to have a SPAD. I've heard some bizarre reasons for drivers having SPADs, but 'I was lusting after Kylie Minogue' would be entirely original, I'd like to see the coaching plan resulting from that!

Got to keep it "original", cant use any of the "normal" excuses, you know, the sun was in my eyes, I was distracted, it was the voices that made me do it etc.

But the main question has to be-
Would NR allow me back on track with my "obsession"with Kylie?

 

[9K43]

The rosters that you work should be agreed so you get 12 plus hours before you sign on for critical shift you work.
The more hours off between booked turns is the better, for you getting adequate rest before taking up your next turn of duty.
If you have a safety crtical incident, the first question you will be asked will be what time did you sign off for your last duty and what time did you sign on for this duty.
With passenger work it is very intensive with many stop go moves with sation stops.
At a freight depot you would work rosters the are ball breakers, but if your turn was 12 hours on a ballast turn, you may not turn a wheel for 10 of those hours so you have all that time to recover on the engine.