Freightliner Trainee Shunt Driver (Crewe)

[Matt85]

Hi, I’ve been invited to an assessment day for this position. Anyone else on it? Also does anyone know the salary? Cheers

 

[Canky83]

Hi I have been invited to assessment centre @ hotel ibis on the 21st march. Unable to assist you with regards to salary I’ve not really been looking for that info just reading between the lines of other people’s experiences of the assessment & tips etc

 

[RailDemon89]

Just over 37k

 

[GLENMAYE77]

£35,742

 

[RailDemon89]

Thats what it was before the pay increase it is now just over 37

 

[Nobby15]

Am I right in thinking that only protected staff get subsidised travel ?

 

[RailDemon89]

As in free rail travel?

 

[Nobby15]

Yes , as in free travel .

 

[RailDemon89]

Protected staff only get that yes outside of work. If your going to and from work and are mainline, you will get issued a Duty Travel card for using the train

 

[GLENMAYE77]

Thats what it was before the pay increase it is now just over 37

Ahh. That’s what I got told am presumed that was a post pay rise figure.

Are you a Shunt Driver there now?

 

[Nobby15]

That’s sealed it then , I was invited to take part in the second phase of recruitment but the wage and loss of travel privileges would mean I would be worse off , thanks Freightliner , but no thanks .

 

[GJL9916]

Hi I have been invited to assessment centre @ hotel ibis on the 21st march. Unable to assist you with regards to salary I’ve not really been looking for that info just reading between the lines of other people’s experiences of the assessment & tips etc

I am on the same day as you @Canky83 on the 1300pm session!

 

[Canky83]

Well done mate mine starts at 8.30 must be there 20 mins early.I think I would of preferred afternoon session make sure I was wide awake. As the old saying goes beggars Carnt be choosers

 

[GJL9916]

Well done mate mine starts at 8.30 must be there 20 mins early.I think I would of preferred afternoon session make sure I was wide awake. As the old saying goes beggars Carnt be choosers

Nice one, good luck buddy - hopefully see you at stage 2!

 

[Canky83]

Thank you very much! I hope your right Mate! Don’t suppose you know how many vacancies are available as shunter?? From what I have read on here it’s like a lottery even if you managed to ace the assessments !!

 

[GJL9916]

Thank you very much! I hope your right Mate! Don’t suppose you know how many vacancies are available as shunter?? From what I have read on here it’s like a lottery even if you managed to ace the assessments !!

I don't know numbers sorry, I know they have took on a lot of trainee main line drivers recently using the same kind of scheme they have with us in terms of how you apply

There was a shunt driver job up a while back with freightliner and you had to send your CV in for that one so my guess is that was just for the one job but been as though they are using the tests and OPC right from the off again like with the drivers that they want quite a few or at least that's what i'm hoping! but it is a lengthy process!

 

[Canky83]

No worries mate. Fingers crossed and we can deal with that if we hopefully manage to get there I’ve been chatting to the guys who unload the carriages today and they are saying loads have retired off mainline and a few of the existing shunters have swapped to mainline and also some left to go to other company’s!! I don’t know how realiable this info is.. as you pointed out we still a country mile off yet !!

 

[RailDemon89]

Whoever is going in for the shunt driver vacancies. I believe there is 4 vacancies to start in may. Alot of mainline drivers have left. No shunt drivers have gone mainline though yet

 

[chumpypup]

There's seven vacancies to start in May, I've been told by one of the PM's, so they can then release some of the existing shunt drivers for training mainline.

 

[zoo]

The Freightliner website says they want trainee drivers in the Mendip Hills area....

 

[Canky83]

@chumpypup thanks for confirming so there was a bit of truth in what I got told yesterday just Chinese whispers had altered the finer detail. My next hope is that only 7 make it through (me included) no offence caused to the other 19.993 applicants

 

[Brody]

Just out of interest, is a shunt driver a step towards train driver? If so does this happen?

 

[martin2345uk]

Just out of interest, is a shunt driver a step towards train driver? If so does this happen?

It’s not a guaranteed transition, you’d still have to apply for trainee driver vacancies I think, someone will correct me if I’m wrong (“,)

 

[Matt85]

Well, not as bad as I thought really!

 

[Canky83]

I feel as I was a bit slow on the fault finding exercise only compleated 9 trains!! Also where we listened to story about glop and had to answer accordingly I found I was doubting my self and felt like I guessed a few. The lady did say wrong answers wouldn’t go against you! I don’t know how this works and if anyone else could elaborate! Suppose what’s done is done just got to wait 2 weeks to find out now it’s gonna feel like a year !!!!

 

[Matt85]

Yeh I got to 11 on the fault finding. Everything else I feel ok about, I think. I went a bit maverick and didn’t practice for any of it, think in a weird way that actually helped, head was clear when I went into it. Think the group afterwards had a big advantage after some of our group told them what was coming

 

[GJL9916]

How many assessment days were there for the shunt jobs do you know? I was in this afternoon and there were 22 in, so guessing a similar amount with you guys so 40/50 in total today

Wonder if there’s been many other days?
I imagine there will have been or at least more planned as the jobs still being advertised now

 

[Matt85]

Yeh there was about 22 in the morning. I think they still have people that have already passed in the talent pool too

 

[jag]

Just enquiring , I completed the 2 online assesments yesterday , I know I missed one colour change on the 3rd double test and got some shapes wrong when tryingto rush on the 2nd assesment and the double 3rd assesment . Don't think I did well . How long did it take everyone to find out results ? And if I failed this does that count against my 2 trys and applying for another role in the next 6 months ?

 

[GJL9916]

Hi Jag

It doesn’t go against one of your two lives

And also I wouldn’t worry, there’s some margin for error on the online tests it’s more when you get to the assessment day that it counts but even then 100% isn’t expected, I imagine you’ll be pleasantly surprised, I took mine on a Sunday and found out the next evening but you should hear within the week either way

Good luck