Drivers daily routine

[theironroad]

Swap office politics for mess room politics and the politics of who gets taken off early/who's job is being covered because of off track or sickness....then theres often bad relations between management and crew to throw in the mix....

Not all TOCs have booking on fee for fdw and may be base rate.

Extreme shifts are by far the worst part of the job in my opinion, as they mess with your body and home/social life a lot.

It's the money and 4 day week that's keeping me driving, not a lot else.

....but still an ok job.

 

[ungreat]

Swap office politics for mess room politics and the politics of who gets taken off early/who's job is being covered because of off track or sickness....then theres often bad relations between management and crew to throw in the mix....

Not all TOCs have booking on fee for fdw and may be base rate.

Extreme shifts are by far the worst part of the job in my opinion, as they mess with your body and home/social life a lot.

It's the money and 4 day week that's keeping me driving, not a lot else.

....but still an ok job.

Yep...sums it up for me too

 

[class 9]

Overtime is available on tap. Book-on fee of £45 and £25/hour for the shift worked. Works out around £250 - £300 per day depending on shift. Best advice on this forum and from drivers at my TOC is DO NOT DO IT for at least the first few months after getting your key, due to fatigue and risk of incidents.

Shift swaps are certainly possible. More difficult around school holidays, half term etc for obvious reasons.

Routes signed will depend on TOC, and can vary hugely within a TOC depending on depot.

Terms and conditions vary enormously between different TOCs and FOCs, for example some companies O/T is at standard rate, not all have booking on allowances, some freight companies have rostered shifts up to 12 hrs, often booking on in the early hours, doing shunting as well as driving etc.
That said it is a cracking job.

 

[GMT]

Good funny thread this one.

Anyway, I think in life one needs to shift from one crap to another, so to speak. Me, I'm done with office politics and hierarchies. I've been ready for a while for a change of career.

I've been working on three options, the railway industry being number one in order of importance. We see how it ends up.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Wake up at god awful time.
Coffee.
Book on by phone
Drive hire car half way across the country stopping off for red bull.
Relieve train
Drive heavy train back half way across the country getting routed in and out of loops until reaching destination.
Receive phone call saying your relief has gone sick and asking if you'll work train further.
Whinge and moan.
Finally get relief somewhere.
Drive hire car home realising that ever bloody main road out of Derbyshire is closed and spend an hour driving in circles trying to find a way out.
Finally get home
Get whinged at by wife
Sleep and repeat.

 

[whoosh]

You can swap shifts, HOWEVER - you both need to sign the routes and traction on the shift you are swapping to, and you both need 12 hours rest since your last shift and before your next shift. Because the shifts aren't all the same length or have the same work content, there are some shifts which you won't be able to get rid of.


The hardest part is definitely working unsociable hours, as unlike a factory or hospital for example, they aren't regular 0600-1400, 1400-2200, 2200-0600, or 0700-1900, 1900-0700 (which whilst long means you can have fixed times for your breakfast and dinner if not your lunch), they can be all over the place. You can start at 04:20 one day with a break at 08:00, and the next day start at 06:30 and have your break at 12:30 the next. If you've a regular digestive system it won't be with this job!

It does affect your home life. If you have to start work at 4 or 5 am the next day then you've really got to be in bed by 9 or 10 pm which means you lose out on time with your partner in the evening. If you are at work in the afternoon, you might not finish until 11pm, midnight, or 1 or even 2am. You won't be spending the evening with your partner then either!

Not just your partner, but any other social occasion. Arranged a meet up with friends or family for a weekend months in advance on your day off? Get a call asking you if it can be changed to the weekend before?
"I can't I'm working."
"What about the weekend after?"
"I can't I'm working."
What about the weekend after that?!"
"I can't I'm working - that's why we'd originally agreed the first date!"

But they might not get that you work two out of three Satudays and that the two Saturdays either side of the one you'd originally arranged the meet up for, you are working.


I saw a freight driver post his week's work on Facebook a while ago. It was something like:

Monday 01:45-12:30
Tuesday 07:35-13.35
Wednesday 01:45-12:30
Thursday 01:45-12:30
Friday 01:45-12:30

In his roster he worked an 'average' four day week so some weeks had more days at work like above. The problem with the above week was the Tuesday was a 'normal day' in terms of sleep, thrown into a week of extremely unsociable nights.

 

[scotland1977]

You can swap shifts, HOWEVER - you both need to sign the routes and traction on the shift you are swapping to, and you both need 12 hours rest since your last shift and before your next shift. Because the shifts aren't all the same length or have the same work content, there are some shifts which you won't be able to get rid of.


The hardest part is definitely working unsociable hours, as unlike a factory or hospital for example, they aren't regular 0600-1400, 1400-2200, 2200-0600, or 0700-1900, 1900-0700 (which whilst long means you can have fixed times for your breakfast and dinner if not your lunch), they can be all over the place. You can start at 04:20 one day with a break at 08:00, and the next day start at 06:30 and have your break at 12:30 the next. If you've a regular digestive system it won't be with this job!

It does affect your home life. If you have to start work at 4 or 5 am the next day then you've really got to be in bed by 9 or 10 pm which means you lose out on time with your partner in the evening. If you are at work in the afternoon, you might not finish until 11pm, midnight, or 1 or even 2am. You won't be spending the evening with your partner then either!

Not just your partner, but any other social occasion. Arranged a meet up with friends or family for a weekend months in advance on your day off? Get a call asking you if it can be changed to the weekend before?
"I can't I'm working."
"What about the weekend after?"
"I can't I'm working."
What about the weekend after that?!"
"I can't I'm working - that's why we'd originally agreed the first date!"

But they might not get that you work two out of three Satudays and that the two Saturdays either side of the one you'd originally arranged the meet up for, you are working.


I saw a freight driver post his week's work on Facebook a while ago. It was something like:

Monday 01:45-12:30
Tuesday 07:35-13.35
Wednesday 01:45-12:30
Thursday 01:45-12:30
Friday 01:45-12:30

In his roster he worked an 'average' four day week so some weeks had more days at work like above. The problem with the above week was the Tuesday was a 'normal day' in terms of sleep, thrown into a week of extremely unsociable nights.

Thanks for the reply bud.
It seems to me that working a 4 day week in some cases (not all) is just a myth as some companies have an agreement to work enforced Sunday overtime.
Doing this means you would need to work seven days on the bounce.
Yes it's split over the second week and if you look at the 3 week Rota this would be done every 3rd week.
I've always considered the start of my working week as when my first shift back takes place regaurding which day of the week it is.
Just for the pure Saftey aspect of the job and the fitigue for the driver I'm very surprised the unions and the company's allow this.
If you are a bus driver you can't work more than 6 days at any giving time.

I thought the drivers union would have took that into consideration

 

[Mintona]

I'm on a stretch of 7 days at the moment, and today is one of those 'overtime' Sundays. However I tend to do all my booked Sundays anyway, so it's not really an issue for me.

My start times over the 7 day stretch are between 0440 and 0635. Then I have my weekend off and go straight into a week of nights.

 

[theironroad]

Thanks for the reply bud.
It seems to me that working a 4 day week in some cases (not all) is just a myth as some companies have an agreement to work enforced Sunday overtime.
Doing this means you would need to work seven days on the bounce.
Yes it's split over the second week and if you look at the 3 week Rota this would be done every 3rd week.
I've always considered the start of my working week as when my first shift back takes place regaurding which day of the week it is.
Just for the pure Saftey aspect of the job and the fitigue for the driver I'm very surprised the unions and the company's allow this.
If you are a bus driver you can't work more than 6 days at any giving time.

I thought the drivers union would have took that into consideration

Is that 6 day limit a legal maximum or just something union negotiated?

The railway allows train drivers and other safety critical staff to work 13 days on the trot before having a mandatory 14th day off.

 

[Bromley boy]

Thanks for the reply bud.
It seems to me that working a 4 day week in some cases (not all) is just a myth as some companies have an agreement to work enforced Sunday overtime.
Doing this means you would need to work seven days on the bounce.
Yes it's split over the second week and if you look at the 3 week Rota this would be done every 3rd week.
I've always considered the start of my working week as when my first shift back takes place regaurding which day of the week it is.
Just for the pure Saftey aspect of the job and the fitigue for the driver I'm very surprised the unions and the company's allow this.
If you are a bus driver you can't work more than 6 days at any giving time.

I thought the drivers union would have took that into consideration

At my TOC Sundays are included in the normal working week. Therefore they are no different to any other day and you are required to work them, if rostered.

The week runs Sunday - Saturday so worst case scenario you could, in theory, be working 8 days on the trot. In practice the rosters are agreed between Union and management, so this doesn't happen on the current roster.

What does happen, and is a bit rubbish, is single rest days. You may work a block of earlies finishing at (say) 0130 on a Sunday morning, and be back in at 0430 on the Monday. Therefore your Sunday "day off" is taken up recovering from the prior day and going to bed early for the next.

Overtime is above and beyond this and it is down to the driver to ensure their basic + overtime shifts comply with hidden regs.

 

[ComUtoR]

It can be worse than that. My TOC has a 32hr rule that can be adjusted to a 29hr minimum for "rostering flexibility"

Flipping shifts is the worst part of the job. We spend a lot of our personal time either preparing for or winding down from your shift.

 

[scotland1977]

Is that 6 day limit a legal maximum or just something union negotiated?

The railway allows train drivers and other safety critical staff to work 13 days on the trot before having a mandatory 14th day off.

Hi bud no it's for all drivers over the uk they can't work anymore than 6 days on the bounce for Saftey ...

I'm very supprised to hear that the employers/Union allows train drivers to work so much and for so many days without a rest just on the Saftey side of it alone.
Got to be honest I think it hurrendoues that they want you to work 7-14 days without a rest day especially with the nature of the job.
Yeah the money might be good but surely Saftey and fitigue comes into it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

At my TOC Sundays are included in the normal working week. Therefore they are no different to any other day and you are required to work them, if rostered.

The week runs Sunday - Saturday so worst case scenario you could, in theory, be working 8 days on the trot. In practice the rosters are agreed between Union and management, so this doesn't happen on the current roster.

What does happen, and is a bit rubbish, is single rest days. You may work a block of earlies finishing at (say) 0130 on a Sunday morning, and be back in at 0430 on the Monday. Therefore your Sunday "day off" is taken up recovering from the prior day and going to bed early for the next.

Overtime is above and beyond this and it is down to the driver to ensure their basic + overtime shifts comply with hidden regs.

Hi bud if you have Sunday's as part of your shift patteren can I ask you what your shift patteren is?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Will all drivers be rostered for a night shift (or at least after dark) on all routes they sign every so often? When driver's are driving at night, does it make a difference (available landmarks for braking points, etc)?

 

[dk1]

Will all drivers be rostered for a night shift (or at least after dark) on all routes they sign every so often? When driver's are driving at night, does it make a difference (available landmarks for braking points, etc)?

Nights??? No need for that sort of language. Not done them since moving up links in 2008 & have no plans to ever do them again.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Nights??? No need for that sort of language. Not done them since moving up links in 2008 & have no plans to ever do them again.

In some TOCs/depots, will only the lower level links do the night shifts?

 

[Mintona]

In some TOCs/depots, will only the lower level links do the night shifts?

Probably in some. At my depot all links do night shifts, but the lower links do more (every 5 weeks in my link, every 21 weeks in the top link). At my old depot only the upper link did nights as they had to move traction around that the lower link didn't sign.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Will all drivers be rostered for a night shift (or at least after dark) on all routes they sign every so often? When driver's are driving at night, does it make a difference (available landmarks for braking points, etc)?

There's no requirement to have passed over a route in the dark every x months, so long as you've passed over it in daylight that's considered enough. Some drivers swap for shifts which would mean they rarely drive in the dark and this isn't an issue. Once you are used to a route, driving it in the dark is no different to driving it in the daylight.

 

[dk1]

In some TOCs/depots, will only the lower level links do the night shifts?

Sometimes. It's a perk of being in the top link here as there is no other real incentive anymore.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Happens at my depot too, starter link takes most of the night work with 1 in 3 weeks of nights. Main links get them every 20 weeks or so

 

[Bromley boy]

Sometimes. It's a perk of being in the top link here as there is no other real incentive anymore.

Link 2 at my depot takes most of the night work, although there isn't much of it.

It actually seems quite popular and apparently it's very easy to swap out of it. I can't think of anything worse than a night shift, personally!

 

[ComUtoR]

I can't think of anything worse than a night shift, personally!

Time wise they can be quite detrimental to some, others seem to like it because it fits in with personal stuff.

I like nights as there is little to no work on them. Its the last one out of wherever and then a few preps and a little shunting. The peace and quiet is refreshing. Other than the drunks on a friday/saturday there is usually little passenger hassle and no trains about means many more greens. Its unusual to get held at a signal on a late late train.

Most of all its the quiet peaceful nature of nights that I like the most.

 

[axlecounter]

Sorry if I'm late to the thread but I've just found it.

The best part of an early shift is creeping round the house at 3am like Spiderman so as not to wake the babies then the Mrs texting you at 4 when you book on saying they're awake and I was too loud again

LOL. Thank you. Made me feel less alone.

Glad I'm not the only one who feels the need to prove I'm not unemployed when I'm not in work between 9 and 5 during the week.

I sometimes feel the need to. Just like when talking with our neighbours about how hard is spending time with my family they go like "what are you complaining about? We always see you at home...". And I answer that yes, I'm at home but I woke up at 3:40 and tomorrow the same, and they go "but still, you have an afternoon off there...". Yeah, right.

Also, I don't see it often mentioned but a train driver shift pattern can try really hard a relationship. A lot of patience is needed by the other partner.

 

[mike14]

If you are a bus driver you can't work more than 6 days at any giving time

If you are a bus driver you are allowed to work 13 days straight maximum before having a mandatory day off. I'm currently on my 8th day.