• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Is it possible to change TOC after qualifying as a driver?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Davidh1998

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2021
Messages
23
Location
Plymouth
Hi all,

I was wondering, I'm interested in applying and becoming a trainee driver and I don't mind relocating to do so. However, if I did I would prefer to move back closer to home after I had qualified. I know that there is a lot of route learning that goes into training and obviously I wouldn't know the routes back home with a different TOC. I know you had to sign off the routes before you are able to drive on them. Is this something that is possible?

Any comments or suggestions are great,

Thank you :)
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Kevlar

Member
Joined
12 Nov 2018
Messages
42
Yeah it is possible but most TOCs don't accept relocation for this exact reason. They don't want to spend £1000's training someone for them to leave once they are qualified.
 

Jon1930

Member
Joined
15 Jun 2019
Messages
93
Yeah it is possible but most TOCs don't accept relocation for this exact reason. They don't want to spend £1000's training someone for them to leave once they are qualified.
But it happens all the time, plenty of drivers I've seen join, quality and leave and move back. They're not going to say in the interview there plan is to leave as soon as possible lol
 

Trogladyte

Member
Joined
2 Feb 2020
Messages
69
How about becoming a trainee then moving to a depot closer to home whilst still a trainee? That possible?
 

DA1

Member
Joined
22 May 2017
Messages
401
Location
England
Also worth considering quite a few TOCs state that you must have 2/3 years of driving experience with a clean safety of the line record before even being considered as a qualified driver.
 

Kevlar

Member
Joined
12 Nov 2018
Messages
42
Moving is definitly not guaranteed, rail recruitment is usually slow and it depends on the needs of the TOC. If you want to be a train driver then moving to get qualified is a good move overall but being qualifed does not mean you will be able to move your home depot.
 

PudseyBearHST

Member
Joined
28 Sep 2015
Messages
965
Location
South West
How about becoming a trainee then moving to a depot closer to home whilst still a trainee? That possible?
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the answer is no. Once you’re a qualified driver, if you want to transfer to another depot within the company, you’ve got to wait 2 or 3 years (unless, again, there are exceptional circumstances). If you want to join a depot at a different company, you may be able to do that a lot sooner. I know of a few people who have left to join another company within a few months of becoming qualified but it all depends which company you want to join. Some of the more competitive train companies, you’ll need to have at least a couple of years experience and a good safety record as DA1 has said.
 

theironroad

Established Member
Joined
21 Nov 2014
Messages
3,692
Location
London
Hi all,

I was wondering, I'm interested in applying and becoming a trainee driver and I don't mind relocating to do so. However, if I did I would prefer to move back closer to home after I had qualified. I know that there is a lot of route learning that goes into training and obviously I wouldn't know the routes back home with a different TOC. I know you had to sign off the routes before you are able to drive on them. Is this something that is possible?

Any comments or suggestions are great,

Thank you :)

You're going to need at least 2 or 3 years PQ before you can move so if you get productive one year after starting, you're looking at 3 minimum. Obvs training is taking a LOT longer at present.

As others have said , there's no guarantee either of a move.

Theres two way of moving depot, one is from TOC/FOC to TOC/FOC as a new employee or doing an internal move to another depot in the company you work for. The second method will only require you to have done the minimum years and a vacancy at new depot, no medical, interview etc.
 

TheVicLine

Member
Joined
21 Aug 2012
Messages
430
Location
Liverpool
You might be contractually liable for training costs if you qualify with one TOC and move to another TOC while you are still PQA.
Why should/would a TOC spend £10,000's on training someone who has no intention of ever working for them and just wants a licence?
 

Aivilo

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2014
Messages
646
Location
Surrey
No guarantees of moving once qualified so plan very long term if that is your intention
 

TheGoldfish

Member
Joined
28 May 2019
Messages
196
You might be contractually liable for training costs if you qualify with one TOC and move to another TOC while you are still PQA.
Why should/would a TOC spend £10,000's on training someone who has no intention of ever working for them and just wants a licence?
Recouping training costs from you for leaving within 2 years of qualifying is written into the contract on an incremental basis .... the longer you stay the less % of the cost you will be liable for .... but tbh.. I’m not sure that’s really enforceable ... especially if you had a real genuine reason / change in your personal life that meant you really couldn’t continue to work for them.
 

Aivilo

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2014
Messages
646
Location
Surrey
Recouping training costs from you for leaving within 2 years of qualifying is written into the contract on an incremental basis .... the longer you stay the less % of the cost you will be liable for .... but tbh.. I’m not sure that’s really enforceable ... especially if you had a real genuine reason / change in your personal life that meant you really couldn’t continue to work for them.

I know of a toc that allowed someone to leave then come after them for the training money. They wanted an pretty unreasonable amount monthly and wouldn't compromise. The person couldn't agree to there demands and had already secured a position. They got there solicitor to issue a CCJ at an address they knew the person didn't reside with no intentions of ever collecting the money.


May be a one off but don't be fooled that it won't happen
 

theironroad

Established Member
Joined
21 Nov 2014
Messages
3,692
Location
London
I know of a toc that allowed someone to leave then come after them for the training money. They wanted an pretty unreasonable amount monthly and wouldn't compromise. The person couldn't agree to there demands and had already secured a position. They got there solicitor to issue a CCJ at an address they knew the person didn't reside with no intentions of ever collecting the money.


May be a one off but don't be fooled that it won't happen
Why would they go to the trouble of issuing a CCJ if they knew the person didn't live there and also they didn't intend to follow through?

That might be the last address the person provided the company with, so served it there if they didn't know where they now living.
 

LCC106

Established Member
Joined
16 Nov 2011
Messages
1,301
It won't be looked on favourably to want to transfer during training and there may not even be a vacancy for that depot. If there IS, there may be a waiting list. Get your key, if it's not at your chosen location get a few years under your belt, speak to the union about when you can reasonably apply for a transfer.
 

Aivilo

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2014
Messages
646
Location
Surrey
Why would they go to the trouble of issuing a CCJ if they knew the person didn't live there and also they didn't intend to follow through?

That might be the last address the person provided the company with, so served it there if they didn't know where they now living.

To be spiteful. The former employee was in a full dialogue with the company solicitor who had the address. They have never shown in court as part of the set aside appeal and never attempted to collected the funds.
 

theironroad

Established Member
Joined
21 Nov 2014
Messages
3,692
Location
London
To be spiteful. The former employee was in a full dialogue with the company solicitor who had the address. They have never shown in court as part of the set aside appeal and never attempted to collected the funds.

All sounds a bit odd unless they just wanted to send a message to the messroom to deter others.
 

Aivilo

Member
Joined
15 Jan 2014
Messages
646
Location
Surrey
I'm unaware of anyone was in the position afterwards. Alot of people had left before them with no recourse. Just being brutally honest as alot think they still can't be touched
 

Stigy

Established Member
Joined
6 Nov 2009
Messages
4,879
I know of a toc that allowed someone to leave then come after them for the training money. They wanted an pretty unreasonable amount monthly and wouldn't compromise. The person couldn't agree to there demands and had already secured a position. They got there solicitor to issue a CCJ at an address they knew the person didn't reside with no intentions of ever collecting the money.


May be a one off but don't be fooled that it won't happen
A solicitor can’t just issue a CCJ, it has to be the County Court. I agree it can definitely happen, but the hassle of taking somebody to court is often not worth their while.

sorry I mean move depot within the same TOC whilst still a trainee
Yes, but it’s unlikely you’d be allowed as you’d have been recruited for the depot of your choosing based on their resourcing requirements longterm. Some TOCs will allow it based on a person’s circumstances if they’re exceptional.
 

BloominMan

Member
Joined
25 Feb 2010
Messages
89
At the TOC I work for, you need to do 2 or 3 years or they can claim 75% of the training cost back.
 

387star

On Moderation
Joined
16 Nov 2009
Messages
6,653
Thameslink sees loads of newly passed out drivers swiftly move on

I did and I know at least two others that were barely qualified a year )which was probably a longer time than they had been training for) move to TPE

Some depots you can only access as an internal driver because they have a steady steam of internal transfers.

First Group tends to often seek Qualifieds as do Intercity TOCS whereas it's very rare on some others

You can send a speculative email. Believe on SWR you can't move for three or four years.
 

theironroad

Established Member
Joined
21 Nov 2014
Messages
3,692
Location
London
Thameslink sees loads of newly passed out drivers swiftly move on

I did and I know at least two others that were barely qualified a year )which was probably a longer time than they had been training for) move to TPE

Some depots you can only access as an internal driver because they have a steady steam of internal transfers.

First Group tends to often seek Qualifieds as do Intercity TOCS whereas it's very rare on some others

You can send a speculative email. Believe on SWR you can't move for three or four years.
3 years productive between swr depots, then another 15 before another free move, though might be able to do a mutual depending on volunteers.

Dont know if swr enforce minimum contracts unless that's what you were referring to.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top