Freightliner Intermodal after trainee drivers across UK

[Jace69er]

Think you all need to bare in mind that a lot of qualified drivers were made redundant on Saturday. The company are having a fairly decent shake up and dealongneith slot of internal stuff. Whilst I agree you should not be kept in the dark it well documented what's been going on and that recruitment would mostly likely fall by the way side

They had time to send emails out to the guys saying it was still happening but they would be in touch in 2 to 3 months. Why do that if it wasn't going ahead and they knew the drivers were being paid off

And weren't the drivers being paid off from heavy haul ? So the HR at inter could easily have the time to let the guys know

 

[Aivilo]

It's not just drivers being paid off. There are heavy haul lads who have moved over to intermodal, others that have redeployed to other depots etc.

Like I say wrong to be kept in the dark but alot more going on that what appears on the surface

 

[Jamesb1974]

Deleted

 

[Jace69er]

A crappy situation for all concerned, but you must understand that the focus of the HR dept (I'd assume that Intermodal and Heavy Haul HR staff are one and the same) will have been on the drivers being made redundant/redeployed, not on prospective candidates. As I understand it, Heavy Haul were about 9 months behind DB (the other big FOC that shed drivers due to the loss of coal traffic) in losing the work. DB had identified the numbers in the summer and shed the drivers by Xmas 2015. Clearly it took longer with HH, who to be fair, were still moving the rump of the power station traffic after DB had ceased.

Still, it does seem bizarre that they sent out emails saying they'd be in touch. Perhaps a generic email while they worked out what to do next?

No they are run as different companies and as such they have different HR departments

 

[Aivilo]

Whilst it may appear that way I can assure you it's not especially since the take over

 

[siw8158]

Just to re-itterate the situation.

I was one of the 114 HH drivers who have recently finished.

There were limited jobs at Intermodal but these have been mainly filled by ex-HH drivers.

However, several Heavy Haul depots have been left short manned, Sandiacre nr Toton for example are lacking a few. But, on the other side, IM drivers are apparantly being trained up on T3 (possession) work. Now as HH can't recruit legally after all the redundancies, Intermodal, being a separate company *could* and since cross cover is seemingly going to happen the other way, IM covering HH whereas before it was HH covering IM, thats the best option for anything job wise coming up.

But i think it'll take a while for things to settle down a bit.

Not great news, but hope it helps.

 

[Kaptain]

Siw , have you managed to get another job, hopefully the guys laid off have found something or maybe get called back.
I think it may be a while before they recruit Trainees again as I would imagine they will just call guys back first.
Sad times for all concerned.

 

[stevehw]

I am one of those still waiting to hear from Freightliner, fortunately I secured a depot driver post with EMT. I'm 5 weeks into my training and there are currently 9 Freightliner drivers and a FL Train Manager doing the Freight to Passenger conversion course in the same building as us. Good news for them, I believe alot of TOC's are accomodating the redundant FL drivers in a deal with ASLEF.

 

[Aivilo]

Not exactly a deal. Still had to apply and been interviewed so companies picked the best or not in some cases.

Also that seems to be just down south nothing has really happened tupe wise further up the country

 

[stevieoz]

Been ages since I last posted about this but I made it to final interview in 2015 and never heard back and today received an email asking if I wanted to continue my application for trainee driver. I have now started as a trainee with another toc so won't pursue this but goes to show that it really can take a long time to get a response.

Said they are recruiting for September this year

 

[Aivilo]

Interesting that as alot of the qualified drivers they asked to come.e back haven't heard.

 

[Crazyb]

sssss

 

[Aivilo]

They've needed people in the in the Midlands and the north. A mate was made redundant and asked if he would like to come back. Never heard anything and has since applied for both HH and IM with no joy or reply as yet.

I'm all for people getting into the rails but think wisely before jumping into freight

 

[mickdwyer]

Anyone know what locations they need drivers and if it's intermodal or HH drivers there after?
Cheers mick

 

[Hunter.ed]

Has anyone from this initial exercise been told they have progressed to the new managements re-interview process?

 

[obibup]

- deleted -

 

[Ihopeipass]

Just out of curiosity. Have Freightliner opened up recruitment for Trainee drivers again, and if so where is the information? As when I go on the website the job adverts for Train drivers ask for experienced drivers not trainees.

 

[EvoGSR]

Anybody still in the running for this? Not sure when the course(s) are planned for or where the positions are, or even how many. FL have been advertising for qualified drivers in quite a few locations recently.