Drivers Ipads

[nimbo12]

General question - Which TOCs currently give drivers Ipads/Tablets? From what i have seen LNER, C2C and MTR all give their drivers IPads?

 

[EZJ]

TPE do also, however their use is extremely limited as the company and ASLEF can't seem to agree on what is and isn't allowed to be used on them.

 

[TurboMan]

GWR issue Samsung tablets (rather than iPads), and SWR drivers have tablets that are used for DAS on the 159 fleet.

 

[Swanny200]

Can I ask what they would be used for? and are they untethered to a network/wireless or are they sim enabled or able to be tethered to a mobile hotspot?

 

[trainstrainstr]

Most have a sim card in.
They have all the operational apps on that we have on our mobiles plus extra ones that deliver safety/critical info. I do actually have the same apps on my phone due to my job but don’t have them on my iPad. Drivers tend not to have laptops, they need a way of digesting info that’s not on a phone

 

[dk1]

Had Samsung tablets for many years here at Greater Anglia.

 

[martin2345uk]

Freightliner and Eurostar both do.

 

[43066]

Nothing at all like that where I am. We rely on drivers circulating daily sheets etc. via WhatsApp group photographs! It’s ridiculous, and if we wanted to be massively awkward by refusing to do shifts posted last minute, we could be. Luckily it’s (generally) a happy family, so we all pull together.

We all hope and expect that tablets will be agreed once the pay deal is sorted.

 

[seedoubleyou]

DRS did, but now we get iPhones instead.

 

[MotCO]

I thought mobile phones and presumably tablets are not allowed in cabs, so how does this work? How and when can you use these tablets?

 

[CAF397]

Personal electronic devices are prohibited from being used in a driving cab, but company issued tablets are authorised specifically.

Their use is governed, however. At TPE you are not allowed to interact with it unless the train is in neutral and the DRA set. Other TOCs may allow the tablet display to be on whilst the train is in motion.

 

[newtownmgr]

WMT drivers get Samsung tablets. Can’t remember when mine last worked, let alone got turned on. Get what i need on my phone. Obviously nothing electronic can be used in the cab! A fairly pointless exercise and cost in my opinion.

 

[12LDA28C]

Can I ask what they would be used for? and are they untethered to a network/wireless or are they sim enabled or able to be tethered to a mobile hotspot?

Usually SIM enabled and used to access WONs and PONs, work emails, route maps and other operational documents and publications.

 

[InOban]

Once upon a time airline pilots lugged a large briefcase with paper details of everything they might need to know on their flight - including diversionary airports etc. Now it's all on a tablet. Don't suppose they were paid extra for the change, it would be a management decision.

 

[dk1]

I thought mobile phones and presumably tablets are not allowed in cabs, so how does this work? How and when can you use these tablets?

Obviously not allowed in cab for anything but C-DAS or anything else possible by trainers. Has to be in airplane mode.

Some of our drivers were picked up using the BIG CLOCK app in cab and that again is strictly not permitted.

 

[Lurcheroo]

TFW have just started supplying tablets to drivers and is having a phased introduction.
We’re using Lenovo tablets.

 

[dk1]

TFW have just started supplying tablets to drivers and is having a phased introduction.
We’re using Lenovo tablets.

Hope you got a decent payment to use them unless it was part of your latest pay deal.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Some of our drivers were picked up using the BIG CLOCK app in cab and that again is strictly not permitted.

How does that work? Especially if their watch stops and there’s no clock in the cab, or is there something about the big clock app that I don’t know?

 

[AverageJoe]

iPads handy for rule book, company emails and wons and pons.

Now I no longer need to carry wons and pons and a few RB modules so my bag is lighter.

I also screen shot some things that I may need instant access too like local instructions, hand signals and other things I rarely use.

Been a good improvement for me.

Obviously can’t use it will driving but once stationary and DRA set I can use it if needed.

 

[D365]

Colas went to the effort of commissioning dedicated tablet holders and USB chargers in their locomotive cabs. Not sure how much these are used now, if at all.

 

[scotraildriver]

The main point in us getting them was to do away with the hugely wasteful and expensive paper WONs and PONs every week, they are now sent electronically. Unfortunately the paper ones haven't yet stopped.

 

[chuff chuff]

The main point in us getting them was to do away with the hugely wasteful and expensive paper WONs and PONs every week, they are now sent electronically. Unfortunately the paper ones haven't yet stopped.

Used to get them in SCD app but that went on the fritz so yeah went back to paper ones though no more were delivered on top of the guards ones now generally emailed by dtms.

 

[dk1]

How does that work? Especially if their watch stops and there’s no clock in the cab, or is there something about the big clock app that I don’t know?

Basically that’s unlucky. Just run late if that’s the case. More important that no internet is used.

 

[Lurcheroo]

Hope you got a decent payment to use them unless it was part of your latest pay deal.

Yes I believe it was all included under the 3 year pay deal

 

[dk1]

Yes I believe it was all included under the 3 year pay deal

Thanks, I thought it would’ve been included.

 

[OscarH]

Basically that’s unlucky. Just run late if that’s the case. More important that no internet is used.

Is it a website rather than an app? A clock app should really work fine without the Internet

 

[dk1]

Is it a website rather than an app? A clock app should really work fine without the Internet

Not sure but been told in no uncertain terms that is not to be used. Only DI’s allowed them on in cab for ‘live notes’ training purposes. I’m a DI and never did that on paper let alone be bothered to do it with a tablet

 

[martin2345uk]

Ours contain rosters, diagrams, rulebooks, the train user manuals, the train "breakdown guides" in case of faults; we can also use them to view our train timings while driving (though they must be place in "Guided Access mode" if we do this).

 

[Revilo]

Usually SIM enabled and used to access WONs and PONs, work emails, route maps and other operational documents and publications.

Sorry, what are WONs and PONs?

 

[Lurcheroo]

The main point in us getting them was to do away with the hugely wasteful and expensive paper WONs and PONs every week, they are now sent electronically. Unfortunately the paper ones haven't yet stopped.

Not every depot has the tablets at TFW yet and my depot is already going to ditch physical WON’s and PON’s for drivers (unless they’re requested).

Sorry, what are WONs and PONs?

Weekly Operating Notice - published weekly, so you have to have a whole new paper one every week and can be quite thick.

Periodical Operating Notice - Published every 3 months.

Both contain a range of information that could be required by operational staff.