DRS trainee drivers.

[JAMBO]

Like with any company you have to wonder why drivers are wanting to leave, and have jumped ship to other FOCS? That in itself should set the alarm bells ringing.Freight is what it is at any if the big FOCS. You are going to copp your fair share of earlies and lates, some short some long. You guys are going to have to do some homework and go knocking on the depot door and get it first hand from a DRS driver, only then will you know what you are letting yourself in for.

 

[TDK]

Which is why the Classic traction diagrams are mainly in the top link and the bottom starter link is mainly IM 66 work ?

Because the cranks are mainly in that link
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

On here it's all people that work for other company's saying what they've heard about Crewe, you really need to find a driver that actually works there.
You could also ask at the interview about it all.
There's a bloke on here called spesh, he's a trainman at grangemouth depot about to start training as a driver and he said they follow a roster etc there, maybe he knows a little about Crewe.

I know 3 drivers at Crewe and they all say the same thing, one is in the top link and does mainly nights and 66's. They all say that the shifts are dire, the terms and conditions are poor and they would sooner be back on passenger work. It all depends on what you want from a job, I prefer a good salary, good working conditions, a clean environment and some pattern to my work so I can plan in advance on what I am doing in my personal life. Then again I am not enthusiastic about trains and look on them as a machine that earns me a lot of money and not as a personal friend.

 

[JAMBO]

So if they hate DRS, the shifts and conditions why are there still there? Nothing is keeping them there, thrre are no bars around the depot! why not go to the passengers if that's what they want and the job is that bad.

 

[Willie mcbeath]

So if they hate DRS, the shifts and conditions why are there still there? Nothing is keeping them there, thrre are no bars around the depot! why not go to the passengers if that's what they want and the job is that bad.

Exactly, my shift 2moro is 9 hours 58 minutes long and I'll be stopping at over 100 stations and I'll have a minimum pnb, nothing can be too much worse than these kind of shifts.

 

[Beveridges]

Exactly, my shift 2moro is 9 hours 58 minutes long and I'll be stopping at over 100 stations and I'll have a minimum pnb, nothing can be too much worse than these kind of shifts.

Exactly, its why I dont dare leave MDD Driving, my TOC has those kind of jobs in abundance!

 

[JAMBO]

It's all down to the individual at the end of the day, like the freight v pass, some like pass some like freight, both have there perks. I would say if its freight you want I would try and get on for Schenker or HH. Seems a bit more stable, and although there are the horror stories it doesn't seem half as bad as DRS. HH took a lot of DRS men on lately.How long are these trainees tied into DRS for??

 

[garlic bread]

It's all down to the individual at the end of the day, like the freight v pass, some like pass some like freight, both have there perks. I would say if its freight you want I would try and get on for Schenker or HH. Seems a bit more stable, and although there are the horror stories it doesn't seem half as bad as DRS. HH took a lot of DRS men on lately.How long are these trainees tied into DRS for??

Interviewer said 5 year lock in or repay sliding scale of fees dependent on time served. Also alluded to 5 years until full pay.

 

[JAMBO]

So you don't go onto full drivers money until after 5 year?! That's poor that like, Schenker you used to pass out on the core route and then full productive driver salary when you had your first drive. As for paying the training costs back, well it's the risk you could take if another better post came up, not sure where you or the company would stand on a legal point and if the company would chase you for it, I'm sure someone will test the water, so time will tell.

 

[SkinnyDave]

So you don't go onto full drivers money until after 5 year?! That's poor that like, Schenker you used to pass out on the core route and then full productive driver salary when you had your first drive. As for paying the training costs back, well it's the risk you could take if another better post came up, not sure where you or the company would stand on a legal point and if the company would chase you for it, I'm sure someone will test the water, so time will tell.

I agree with there being a timescale for paying back training costs but not paying full salary until after 5 years is stretching things just a tad!

 

[Legzr1]

Spoken like a true GBRf driver with no experience of DRS.

I've driven their trains with their loco's hauling them (can you guess how that happened?) aswell as signing the same routes with the same traction with virtually identical wagons, weights and lengths.

I've worked the nuclear trains before DRS was even formed and have worked with some of their current drivers at Kingmoor.

Feel free to continue to give 'advice' on this forum based on what you think you know.

Me?
I'll stick to advice based on experience and speeds in excess of 5mph...

 

[TDK]

So if they hate DRS, the shifts and conditions why are there still there? Nothing is keeping them there, thrre are no bars around the depot! why not go to the passengers if that's what they want and the job is that bad.

I know of 6 that have left Crewe and just as many elswhere in so many months, why do you think they are recruiting?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I agree with there being a timescale for paying back training costs but not paying full salary until after 5 years is stretching things just a tad!

So are some of their other terms and conditions. DRS are a freight company, they are not in the same group as other freight companies, they do not have the railway pension, their work is freight work and this to someone who has been on passenger work is a whole lot harder than passenger work. The company is very attractive to enthusiasts and a great percentage of their drivers are enthusiasts. I know a few who work for them, when they joined it was solely location that persuaded them to join the company these are qualified drivers who have done passenger work, I see these drivers on a regular basis and they are not happy with the t's & c's. the shifts and morale is low.

Now if you are an enthusiast this would be a great company for you to join. If you are not and just want to drive train for a job and have a social life go for passenger work.

 

[Beveridges]

DRS are getting lots of new locomotives soon for their Intermodals, its all about to change at DRS traction wise.

Feel free to continue to give 'advice' on this forum based on what you think you know.

Feel free to continue kicking off at every opportunity! Same old stuff, week in week out.

None of what I wrote in this "thread" was advice! It's contribution to the discussion.

It's all about personal preferences and you may have never liked the flask work when EWS or BR had it but the fact is, it's mainly in the top link at DRS and there must be a reason for it. If the Intermodal 66 work was most popular then all the flask work would be in the starter link.

I do not claim to be an expert on DRS. I have no desire to work for them despite being a trainspotter. I'm a big fan of 37's and think they are the best looking & sounding machine on the planet. But after plenty of research on the downsides of working for this company have kept me well away. It would be foolish to prioritise traction as the "only" decider for a career choice.

I'd rather stick to doing my current driving role, with a good consistent shift pattern, work that is never tedious, 100% job security, top T&C's, enjoyable duties and no harsh shift changes with 'jet lag' symptoms. I've really landed lucky that my first driving job happened to be MDD and I find it's just too great to leave behind, there's really nothing better out there! If there is, I've yet to find out what the hell it is.

Also alluded to 5 years until full pay

DRS are not the only company to not pay the full wage until a number of years have passed.

Several TOC's do the same thing, but usually it's the 4th year when you start to get the full wage, so DRS are being a bit worse than the others by making it the 5th year!

I know of 6 that have left Crewe and just as many elswhere in so many months, why do you think they are recruiting?

It's got an extremely high turnover considering the amount of Drivers based there so it's saying something

 

[TDK]

DRS are not the only company to not pay the full wage until a number of years have passed.

Several TOC's do the same thing, but usually it's the 4th year when you start to get the full wage, so DRS are being a bit worse than the others by making it the 5th year!

Unless things have changed most TOC's will pay you full drivers grade money after your PQ period and this is 2 years fully qualified if you are a trainee. So lets say it takes a year to pass out as a PQ driver the maximum would be 3 years. 5 years is excessive and you really need to look at why these 2 freight companies DBS & DRS have this 5 year contract. Looking at it logically it is to keep the drivers there for 5 years. If the job is so great and wonderful why should these 2 companies be different from most other - work it out for yourself.

TOC's do not demand any training money back after 2 years as far as I am aware.

 

[EggyT]

Anybody heard anything yet after the assessments?

 

[andyw39]

No word here yet either. I have been watching my phone for 13 days now. Dont think my fingers can take much more of this! I want to give HR a call but at the same time if they had any news for me they'd have called/e-mailed by now so just sitting tight and waiting.

 

[EggyT]

Makes me wonder if they're waiting until everyone has done and then they can decide if they need to do second interviews or go straight to offers depending on how many people passed.

 

[andyw39]

Spooky. Just got a call from Rachael at DRS. Ive passed! She did make it quite clear though that they are still reviewing all the candidates so there may still not be an offer. Im over the moon that Ive passed though and will just have to keep waiting.

 

[EggyT]

Same here, shortly after posting here I got a call to say I passed as well. Said the same to me, still nothing guaranteed yet but I'm still over joyed at passing.

 

[156441]

Same here guys. Looks like the recruitment process is going to go another stage then if everyone's passing!

 

[Ballast]

I got my knock-back letter today. Disappointed of course, but also annoyed and frustrated. The OPC have a vested interest in failing candidates. The tests themselves are black or white ... either you pass or fail; fair enough. The CBI, however, is completely subjective and conducted [at OPC, at least] by a director of that company.
If a TOC/FOC sends a candidate to Watford it is because they feel that candidate is likely to succeed in the tests and have the right credentials to be a potentially successful trainee. So how is it then that the final call should be left to a private individual who's own motivation is £££ and wouldn't know the difference between a fishplate and a buckeye? The system is totally flawed. Rant over.
Congratulations to those of you who passed at Watford, some of you are friends of mine. I'm feeling that a tough career decision has been taken out of my hands and am rather relieved about that. I wish you all the best with DRS but be careful what you wish for.

 

[156441]

Sorry to hear that Ballast.
Tbh I think the whole psychometric assessment process is flawed and has little relevance to the job itself.

The whole system needs an overhaul, with regards to entrance exams but hopefully October will bring that!

 

[W230]

The OPC have a vested interest in failing candidates.

I'm confused. What is the vested interest? When I was at Watford there were a number of people assessing the CBI. :?

If a TOC/FOC sends a candidate to Watford it is because they feel that candidate is likely to succeed in the tests and have the right credentials to be a potentially successful trainee.

Yep. Makes sense. It doesn't mean the candidate does have the correct attributes though, just that they've passed the first stages of the assessments.

So how is it then that the final call should be left to a private individual who's own motivation is £££ and wouldn't know the difference between a fishplate and a buckeye?

Because those individuals have had experience of interviewing hundreds (probably thousands) of potential candidates and so they have the experience and skills to assess the candidate against the standards laid down by the industry. In my opinion, a driver who has the attributes assessed in the CBI would be far better suited to the job than someone who could name every bit of infrastructure in existence on the railway but who started flapping when things when boobies up!

The system is totally flawed.

I agree. But any system is going to be flawed to an extent. This one is changing soon apparently. Whether the new one will be just as flawed is yet to be seen.

Chin up and have another crack at it!

 

[andyw39]

My current boss received a reference request from DRS yesterday. Another step closer...................

 

[keep truckin]

Hi folks. I recently sat reaction test and cbi interview at OPC. I was applying for trainee driver at London Midland. Unfortunately I failed the CBI interview on the " describe time you have been in a difficult situation" question.

Can anyone who passed this interview at OPC provide any advice on what type/level of answer they're looking for?

Cheers

 

[andyw39]

It's impossible to say exactly what they are looking for. What I took from the CBI was that it was more about how you explained things and performed under preasure, rather than the topics you discussed. I was asked for 3 different example of "difficult situations". I was asked the same questions over and over again and even interupted with a different question mid way through answering a previous one. Some of the topics you discuss will also be alien to the assessor, so I would also think that being able to talk about them in a way that is easy to understand would be a vital point. Trying to be too technical or confuse them with jargon will no doubt get you nowhere. Like I say though, this is only my take on the interview.

 

[keep truckin]

Cheers for that andyw. I was grilled similarly on the " difficult situation" question. Got to admit getting the news was like a slug to the guts. I'll get back up and have another go. I look forward to the challenge.

Anyone else with any advice on the "difficult situation" question ?

 

[andyw39]

Just got date for my medical through. 22nd Oct. Getting very excited now but with no offer being made its still all up in the air.

 

[Toottoot]

Just got date for my medical through. 22nd Oct. Getting very excited now but with no offer being made its still all up in the air.

That's cutting things a bit fine considering they want you to start in November.

Are they expecting you to leave your old job without making you an offer of employment? My money is on them ****ing everyone over.

 

[156441]

Offers of employment will be made by the end of this week I'm lead to believe. (....subject to medical clearance obviously)

 

[andyw39]

I hope you're right. Although if it's bad news Id rather not know!