Accepted as a Trainee driver

[myboysam]

Hi everyone, Ive used these forums for many months now and got some great info but have never posted. I went for the first assessment for Scotrail at the beginning of May and all went well as did the quick reaction test etc. I got the call last week saying I had been accepted and yesterday my contract came throught the post for Edinburgh Waverley. I've got a start date at the beginning of Sept so I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for unknowingly giving me advice and helping me on my way to my dream job. I'd also like to hear if anyone else has the same start date.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

Congratulations.

Now prepare for glazed looks of boredom from your wife/mother/brother (etc) as you make them test you on questions in the rulebook.

 

[driver9000]

Fantastic news, welcome to the industry! The hard work starts in September.....you'll love it!

 

[wessex]

Good luck with the training, it is well worth it when you get out there on your own, and the money doubles

 

[caliwag]

Excellent news, congratulations. Enjoy every day!

 

[Minilad]

Welcome to our world !

 

[strange6]

Whatever tickles your boat! Well done

 

[iceman0303]

congratulations well done, when you applied 2nd time did you keep application form exact same?

 

[apestyler]

Many many congrats to you

Currently in the recruitment process myself for a Glasgow based trainee driver position.

 

[iceman0303]

Were you at assessment centre yesterday mate

 

[apestyler]

No I was the week before, just got my manager interview date through.

 

[iceman0303]

No I was the week before, just got my manager interview date through.

Ah ok, well best of luck my friend, remember research the t.o.c , good luck

 

[myboysam]

Ah ok, well best of luck my friend, remember research the t.o.c , good luck

On my driver manager interview or indeed the structured one, I wasn't asked a single question about Scotrail at all. The one thing I would definately advise is a trip to the station you have applied for and badger the drivers and drop a couple of names into the dmi. It shows you have bothered your backside. I think that helped me by the way.

 

[tirphil]

Hi everyone, Ive used these forums for many months now and got some great info but have never posted. I went for the first assessment for Scotrail at the beginning of May and all went well as did the quick reaction test etc. I got the call last week saying I had been accepted and yesterday my contract came throught the post for Edinburgh Waverley. I've got a start date at the beginning of Sept so I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for unknowingly giving me advice and helping me on my way to my dream job. I'd also like to hear if anyone else has the same start date.

Welcome aboard. Its the best job in the world.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Welcome to a whole new way if life!

This job can turn round and bite you at any time, so never, ever get complacent.

Now relax, and enjoy your training, and get ready to discover times of the day that you never knew existed!

 

[ee el oh]

well done mate i've been trying for two years now but havent givin up,
dont ever forget how lucky and privelaged you are to land this position as
what i've heard many old school drivers get very complacent and believe
its their god given right to have this job and treat it with distain and often
abuse their position, and dont realise how goddam lucky they are at the present
climate to have such a well paid and relatively easy job.
all said good luck for the future.

 

[CarterUSM]

well done mate i've been trying for two years now but havent givin up,
dont ever forget how lucky and privelaged you are to land this position as
what i've heard many old school drivers get very complacent and believe
its their god given right to have this job and treat it with distain and often
abuse their position, and dont realise how goddam lucky they are at the present
climate to have such a well paid and relatively easy job.
all said good luck for the future.

You could've fooled me.

 

[notadriver]

You could've fooled me.

Yes congratulations. Fantastic news. Thing is about the old timers - they came into the job when it was a lot harder than it is now (more hours) and a pay was a lot less (not much more than bus drivers) so maybe from their point of view people have seen the salary and jumped on the money train ?(pardon the pun)

 

[ee el oh]

Yes congratulations. Fantastic news. Thing is about the old timers - they came into the job when it was a lot harder than it is now (more hours) and a pay was a lot less (not much more than bus drivers) so maybe from their point of view people have seen the salary and jumped on the money train ?(pardon the pun)

I know what your talking about but more hours and less money is not hard, working six days a week on building sites up to your armpits in mud and ****
in all weather and and all times of year sometimes freezing for months on end,
leaving home at 7 am returning at 7 pm if your lucky hardly being able to afford time off never mind a holiday, Thats hard work and thats beeing a time served builder, times have changed and all im saying is drivers should remember how
lucky they are.

 

[Rugd1022]

Congratulations and well done, welcome to the footplate! I take it you've had / passed your medical?

We all moan about the job from time to time but I can gaurentee you that one day, you'll be pootling along somewhere and all of a sudden you'll think to yourself ''blimey, I can't believe I'm actually doing this, it's wonderful''. Had several 'moments' like that down the years and despite the ups and downs I'm still having them.

All the best

 

[387star]

How did you answer the interview questions? I would be interested to know what experience you touched on

 

[myboysam]

Yeah I passed the medical at the Bupa centre Glasgow. As for the questions, they were generally based around some safety situations I have been in and what would I do if there was a fault on the train and my manager is telling me I had to go etc. There werent any questions about Scotrail at all. I personally believe what helped me was visiting Waverley and speaking to some drivers, I mentioned one particular driver during the interview and told them how he answered all the questions I had. I think they realised at that point I was deadly serious about wanting to work for them.They asked how I would cope with early shifts etc and how I intended getting to work and home at silly O clock. It then became more of a chat, but I was very aware of what I was saying and how I presented myself and my answers.

 

[Juniper Driver]

well done mate i've been trying for two years now but havent givin up,
dont ever forget how lucky and privelaged you are to land this position as
what i've heard many old school drivers get very complacent and believe
its their god given right to have this job and treat it with distain and often
abuse their position, and dont realise how goddam lucky they are at the present
climate to have such a well paid and relatively easy job.
all said good luck for the future.

No,I realise how lucky and privileged I am.I remember one question they asked in an interview.

How would I get to work?

I said by (push) bike.I don't think I even believed my answer at the time.

Thirty years later I am still commuting to Waterloo by (Push) bike.

Good luck to the OP,work hard for it and you will find it well worth it.

 

[387star]

Yeah I passed the medical at the Bupa centre Glasgow. As for the questions, they were generally based around some safety situations I have been in and what would I do if there was a fault on the train and my manager is telling me I had to go etc. There werent any questions about Scotrail at all. I personally believe what helped me was visiting Waverley and speaking to some drivers, I mentioned one particular driver during the interview and told them how he answered all the questions I had. I think they realised at that point I was deadly serious about wanting to work for them.They asked how I would cope with early shifts etc and how I intended getting to work and home at silly O clock. It then became more of a chat, but I was very aware of what I was saying and how I presented myself and my answers.

Interesting... so I assume you would not drive the train with a fault and rectify it? And what questions did you put to the drivers if you rememeber?

 

[TDK]

On my driver manager interview or indeed the structured one, I wasn't asked a single question about Scotrail at all. The one thing I would definately advise is a trip to the station you have applied for and badger the drivers and drop a couple of names into the dmi. It shows you have bothered your backside. I think that helped me by the way.

Name dropping does not help anyone

 

[myboysam]

Name dropping does not help anyone

I think it did to be honest, as anyone could say "I spoke to a few drivers based here", to actually mention the name or names shows that you actually took an interest in who they were and what they had to say. It can also be traced back to the driver who can back up what you said at interview. If you mention a name and the driver says he never spoke to anyone then I think you could possibly lose your chance because of lying at interview. I know it's not everyones way of doing things but I found it helped me.

To the person who asked about what questions I asked the drivers, it was basically all of the usual ones about routes, emergencies, shifts, training, and anything else I could think of.

 

[222007]

Congratulations to you. I hope one day to make it to the comfy seat but im not in any hurry at the min as i have years ahead of me and currently loving the job i do. Although job progression is something i really want

 

[TDK]

I think it did to be honest, as anyone could say "I spoke to a few drivers based here", to actually mention the name or names shows that you actually took an interest in who they were and what they had to say. It can also be traced back to the driver who can back up what you said at interview. If you mention a name and the driver says he never spoke to anyone then I think you could possibly lose your chance because of lying at interview. I know it's not everyones way of doing things but I found it helped me.

To the person who asked about what questions I asked the drivers, it was basically all of the usual ones about routes, emergencies, shifts, training, and anything else I could think of.

It all depends on what drivers' you speak to - I still go with name dropping is not advisable at interview

 

[Cherry_Picker]

I'd agree with TDK. If you actually know a driver then it might be worth mentioning as a throwaway comment but that really is it. If you just found out a name of a driver that works at the depot then I can picture a scenario where something like this might happen after the interview:

DSM: "Cherry_Picker, do you know a guy call Joe Bloggs?"
me: "who?"
DSM: "He had an interview earlier today, said he knew you. I just wondered if you knew what he was like?"
me: "never heard of him guv."

Okay, it might not happen either, but why run the risk? What if the name you drop is of a guy who is an idiot who the manager hates and now you are unwittingly tarring yourself with the same brush?

 

[Rjhsteel]

What if you know the Driver Manager?