Home to depot time allowance for train drivers

[Jz2307]

Does anyone know the time criteria for train drivers from home to depot?

mice seen several tocs use a specific time but wondered if the time was industry standard across the board?

Any help appreciated

 

[Intermodal]

It's not standard. I think most TOCs range from 45 minutes to 1 hour. Vast majority of TOCs don't allow relocation - I can't think of any off the top of my head that do, but perhaps they exist?

 

[43066]

Does anyone know the time criteria for train drivers from home to depot?

mice seen several tocs use a specific time but wondered if the time was industry standard across the board?

Any help appreciated

No standard as such, but one hour max is often specified for new starters. There’s nothing to stop drivers living far in excess of this commute once established in a depot, albeit not necessarily sensible from a fatigue perspective.

I can't think of any off the top of my head that do, but perhaps they exist?

It’s more that TOCs cannot feasibly prevent drivers relocating once established, and long commutes do seem to work ok for some.

They tend to insist on new joiners/trainees being close to the hiring depot because this is something that can be checked at the time. Promises to relocate closer to the depot are frequently not kept, and again are beyond the TOC’s control once the person has been hired.

 

[Jz2307]

I showed screen shots showing my times between 43 mins and 60 mins but was rejected. Is there any stipulations saying it has to be on average or at a certain time of the day?

 

[Joliver]

Were you told that you was rejected purely on your location?

You have to remember that TOCS/FOCS get thousands of applicants. It's pretty cut throat. A simple spelling mistake on your application could be enough to get sift out.

 

[Jz2307]

I had passed all my assessments and interviews and asked about a location but was told at the time I was 1 hour 3 minutes away from depot. However this was done at rush hour and the screen shots I’ve submitted are at multiple times over several days and weeks but still under the hour

 

[Horizon22]

I think it's 60 minutes as a rough guide. However I've always wondered when this rule came in and it presumably applies only to new drivers? Are existing drivers "grandfathered" in? Definitely know some drivers who would be stretching 60 minutes from their home!

I had passed all my assessments and interviews and asked about a location but was told at the time I was 1 hour 3 minutes away from depot. However this was done at rush hour and the screen shots I’ve submitted are at multiple times over several days and weeks but still under the hour

It might be perfectly practical you may have a turn requiring you to travel at rush hour (unlikely due to the nature of shift work, but possible).

 

[Jz2307]

No I completely get that but in that instance I have the ability to use public transport and get to work still within the hour

 

[westcoaster]

Ive seen some very loose interpretations of travel time applied.
We had multiple people at our depot over the years, that live ( not registered) hundreds of miles away. They come, they stay a while then disappear back closer to home.

 

[galwhv69]

Croydon Tramlink is 1 hour

 

[387star]

It's not standard. I think most TOCs range from 45 minutes to 1 hour. Vast majority of TOCs don't allow relocation - I can't think of any off the top of my head that do, but perhaps they exist?

Back in 2015 certainly Greater Anglia EMT and Thameslink C2C were accepting relocation

 

[Gemz91]

I had passed all my assessments and interviews and asked about a location but was told at the time I was 1 hour 3 minutes away from depot. However this was done at rush hour and the screen shots I’ve submitted are at multiple times over several days and weeks but still under the hour

3 minutes over an hour seems a little harsh for not getting the job. Did the company actually specify that distance was the reason for not offering you the job?

You are coming across slightly desperate in this thread. If your'e coming across like this in any emails it probably doesn't reflect good on yourself for any future managers.

Maybe put it down to bad luck? apply again. Someone else might read your emails next time in HR and think the extra 3 minutes is no problem.

 

[Intermodal]

I can completely understand your frustration at being declined for the job after passing the assessments - it's obviously a dream job for most people and it must be heartbreaking.

On the flip side though, there's absolutely nothing you can do it about it - you can't force the TOC to hire you and trying to 'appeal' the decision will just put you on an informal blacklist with HR as an annoying person who won't accept a decision. You're going have to let it go and move on. The TOC hasn't broken any rules or discriminated against you - they can hire whoever they want.

 

[skyhigh]

I showed screen shots showing my times between 43 mins and 60 mins but was rejected. Is there any stipulations saying it has to be on average or at a certain time of the day?

You might have been rejected because other applicants who scored equally on the assessments were closer, even if you're within the distance. If they only have a certain number of vacancies, that's what happens sometimes, unfortunately. In the end, it's their game and they set the rules.

 

[DriverEight]

Is it my imagination, or is this the most discussed topic on this forum? Even threads that aren't specifically about this issue seem to drift towards it eventually.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Is it my imagination, or is this the most discussed topic on this forum? Even threads that aren't specifically about this issue seem to drift towards it eventually.

I think that a lot of people who are new to the railway don't really believe it's a thing, until it affects them

 

[DriverEight]

I think that a lot of people who are new to the railway don't really believe it's a thing, until it affects them

I think it's also the thing that's most open to different interpretation and to abuse. People who are borderline 60 mins always seem to want to blame this as the reason they were rejected, and always feel that they've been hard done by. Others are convinced that a "promise" to relocate is enough. The reality is, TOC/FOCs don't need to accommodate your wishes in order to get the recruits they need so why would they leave themselves vulnerable to lawsuits and criminal charges if, god forbid, an accident occurs and the drivers excessive commute is considered a factor.

 

[FGW_DID]

Is it my imagination, or is this the most discussed topic on this forum? Even threads that aren't specifically about this issue seem to drift towards it eventually.

At least one of those threads has been started by the OP as well. I don't know what information the OP is expecting to be told any different to the last thread!

I do find it hard to believe that 'distance / time to depot' isn't used early in the application and not when time and expense has been spent putting a candidate through assessments & interview.

 

[DriverEight]

At least one of those threads has been started by the OP as well. I don't know what information the OP is expecting to be told any different to the last thread!

I do find it hard to believe that 'distance / time to depot' isn't used early in the application and not when time and expense has been spent putting a candidate through assessments & interview.

There's a thread about EMR jobs in Liverpool (I think) that features some comments from the depot manager's twitter feed. In one tweet, he tells us that the system automatically filters applications based on postcode. You won't even be able to complete the application, it will just stop you dead in your tracks.

 

[skyhigh]

Just to recap, this is the same poster who asked about distance to work, because someone else got offered a place ahead of them, and they didn't get one:

I was next in the pool but I’ve been refused a position as they say I’m over distance even though I’ve shown I’m under the hour. A female who lives an hour and 15 minutes away was put on the course instead

Then posted a thread asking if you could progress to driving while on a MFA. Not because they're in on a stage 2, but because someone who got a place before them was (maybe the same person as above?)

Just for clarification I’m not on a stage 2/3. However I was seeking advice as someone else who was on a stage was given a position and I was on the understanding that you couldn’t progress your application if you were on a stage.

however the time for myself and another person have been looked at differently and I have had my times rejected even though the other person is over an hour and as far as I am aware you have to be under the hour or your application would be progressed

Assuming you're internal, you're better off taking this up with HR than posting on a forum.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, the TOC sets the rules about what time of day they consider when working out how long it takes you to commute.

 

[craigybagel]

Just to recap, this is the same poster who asked about distance to work, because someone else got offered a place ahead of them, and they didn't get one:



Then posted a thread asking if you could progress to driving while on a MFA. Not because they're in on a stage 2, but because someone who got a place before them was (maybe the same person as above?)



Assuming you're internal, you're better off taking this up with HR than posting on a forum.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, the TOC sets the rules about what time of day they consider when working out how long it takes you to commute.

Indeed, this Poster has also been told numerous times by myself and other forum members that they really would be much better served asking for this information within their company and not posting their dirty washing online, and yet they seem determined to ignore this and start up more threads.

All I can do is make the same point to the OP. Please stop this, before you lose the job you have now, never mind the chance to go driving.

 

[skyhigh]

Please stop this, before you lose the job you have now, never mind the chance to go driving.

Definitely - I know for a fact HR departments read this forum, and from the details given it really won't be hard to work out who the OP is. You don't want to be accused of bringing the company into disrepute.

 

[12guard4]

Just to recap, this is the same poster who asked about distance to work, because someone else got offered a place ahead of them, and they didn't get one:



Then posted a thread asking if you could progress to driving while on a MFA. Not because they're in on a stage 2, but because someone who got a place before them was (maybe the same person as above?)



Assuming you're internal, you're better off taking this up with HR than posting on a forum.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, the TOC sets the rules about what time of day they consider when working out how long it takes you to commute.

Really sounds this like poster is being rejected because people know them...

 

[rail-god]

Definitely - I know for a fact HR departments read this forum, and from the details given it really won't be hard to work out who the OP is. You don't want to be accused of bringing the company into disrepute.

The railway is a very small world

 

[Mintona]

I live about 50 minutes away from my depot. That’s enough, I wouldn’t want to drive further than that before and after work.

 

[dabollicks]

Having driven 3 hours to get to work before I can safely say it wasn’t fun. 3 hours to get there, 10 hour shift then 3 hours back, providing there was no traffic, never again!