Is the grass greener on the other side ? .

[Locallad]

Hi,

I am currently driving for a TOC and have bee exploring moving over to Freight . I am some what in the dark about which Freight companies are good to work for etc .

Ideally, I'd like to find a company that works routes to France etc from the UK .as I speak French as a second language.

I'd appreciate any info .

Thank you in advance .

 

[Val3ntine]

Eurostar doesn’t interest you at all?

 

[Locallad]

Eurostar doesn’t interest you at all?

I only have 3 years experience and they require a minimum of 5 apparently .

 

[Val3ntine]

I believe they used to but on their last recruitment campaign i believe this time last year actually they changed the wording to “considerable experience” or something along those lines. So took away the hard figure and left it subjective for them to consider on a case to case basis. I took that to believe in my own words, with less experience but say no safety of the line incidents you could be considered. I only have 2 years experience and it will be something I’m going to try for, just have to wait till things pick up again as the volatility isn’t too encouraging right about now.

 

[Heaps92]

Hi,

I am currently driving for a TOC and have bee exploring moving over to Freight . I am some what in the dark about which Freight companies are good to work for etc .

Ideally, I'd like to find a company that works routes to France etc from the UK .as I speak French as a second language.

I'd appreciate any info .

Thank you in advance .

Db cargo south Kent hub

 

[Crazyb]

Hi,

I am currently driving for a TOC and have bee exploring moving over to Freight . I am some what in the dark about which Freight companies are good to work for etc .

Ideally, I'd like to find a company that works routes to France etc from the UK .as I speak French as a second language.

I'd appreciate any info .

Thank you in advance .

There are no good freight companies out there really...Though TOC's are boring your more safer.

You should look through the search bar about FOC's.

Like I have said on previous threads, you will need to look in to the pension at FOC's, what section you will go into and will you differ from other drivers that already work there.

No free travel entitlements unless you are safe guarded.

Contracts come and go. First in first out, check the length of contracts....A year ago or so, DB lost the Mendip contract to Freightliner....That was a massive contract to lose, so it just goes to show.....it's a dog eat dog world.

I spent 30 years driving freight and would never go back, even if they put me on the same salary as now. Though I enjoyed the freight, it's not for the faint-hearted, and I did start to struggle with the long nights in the end.

Pending the the FOC you work for, you may have time bands which will only show Am, Pm or nights, no start times...I'm not sure if they still have these, but it's worth a check.

If you want step on step off jobs, you will need to apply to Freightliner Intermodal, It's all timetabled work in the roster, but this company pays the lowest at just over 51k.

Dollands Moor Depot are the guys that went through the tunnel, so you will need to look on their sight, but I don't think they are taking on at DB

Eurostar....My mum's side are French and my parents still live out there.....Talking to guys that work at Eurostar, If you can talk French, that is a massive bonus.....Because as you know, French if very hard to pick up and learning French in England is not like the real thing and can differ so much when in France........So having 3 years driving may not be a problem if you have a clean record, especially if you can speak fluent French.

I don't think Eurostar will take on for a while, especially now as most drivers have taken a big cut in wages and most are on furlough due to Covid.

Good luck in what you choose, but if you are ever offered at job on the freight, speak to the LDC/DFC and get them to email you a roster, and ask their opinion...You can normally see their names in the ASLEF diary.

Maybe look at the Intercity Depots around london, jobs normally pop up every now and then...LNER have just took a few on at the X, and I think Euston did not long ago.

 

[S-Car-Go]

I only have 3 years experience and they require a minimum of 5 apparently .

The requirement was removed as it was seen to be age discriminatory. So there is no set driving experience when they recruit, but a senior driver manager told me they were looking for a minimum of 3 years experience with clean safety of line record. And if you speak french already, it's a massive bonus, because the months of language learning can be shortened to a few weeks for the technical stuff.

Just be aware Sundays are inside the roster, and diagram variety is limited. Mostly out and backs to Paris. And currently not amazing job security (feel free to pop me questions on Eurostar. Worked station roles for them for 15 years, now driver for another TOC).

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Does one have to take a language test, B1, B2 or what level?

 

[lammergeier]

Deleted

 

[baz962]

Didn't/Doesn't Eurostar have a policy which requires applicants to have regular experience driving at over 100mph? I'm not sure if it was a deal breaker for those that didn't, but a wagon dragger (not all) may have difficulty

One of my Overground colleagues went over and another had a start date .

 

[lammergeier]

One of my Overground colleagues went over and another had a start date .

Good to hear, they must have removed that requirement

 

[Locallad]

There are no good freight companies out there really...Though TOC's are boring your more safer.

You should look through the search bar about FOC's.

Like I have said on previous threads, you will need to look in to the pension at FOC's, what section you will go into and will you differ from other drivers that already work there.

No free travel entitlements unless you are safe guarded.

Contracts come and go. First in first out, check the length of contracts....A year ago or so, DB lost the Mendip contract to Freightliner....That was a massive contract to lose, so it just goes to show.....it's a dog eat dog world.

I spent 30 years driving freight and would never go back, even if they put me on the same salary as now. Though I enjoyed the freight, it's not for the faint-hearted, and I did start to struggle with the long nights in the end.

Pending the the FOC you work for, you may have time bands which will only show Am, Pm or nights, no start times...I'm not sure if they still have these, but it's worth a check.

If you want step on step off jobs, you will need to apply to Freightliner Intermodal, It's all timetabled work in the roster, but this company pays the lowest at just over 51k.

Dollands Moor Depot are the guys that went through the tunnel, so you will need to look on their sight, but I don't think they are taking on at DB

Eurostar....My mum's side are French and my parents still live out there.....Talking to guys that work at Eurostar, If you can talk French, that is a massive bonus.....Because as you know, French if very hard to pick up and learning French in England is not like the real thing and can differ so much when in France........So having 3 years driving may not be a problem if you have a clean record, especially if you can speak fluent French.

I don't think Eurostar will take on for a while, especially now as most drivers have taken a big cut in wages and most are on furlough due to Covid.

Good luck in what you choose, but if you are ever offered at job on the freight, speak to the LDC/DFC and get them to email you a roster, and ask their opinion...You can normally see their names in the ASLEF diary.

Maybe look at the Intercity Depots around london, jobs normally pop up every now and then...LNER have just took a few on at the X, and I think Euston did not long ago.

I really appreciate your detailed response and the wealth of information presented, thanks ever so much .

I believe they used to but on their last recruitment campaign i believe this time last year actually they changed the wording to “considerable experience” or something along those lines. So took away the hard figure and left it subjective for them to consider on a case to case basis. I took that to believe in my own words, with less experience but say no safety of the line incidents you could be considered. I only have 2 years experience and it will be something I’m going to try for, just have to wait till things pick up again as the volatility isn’t too encouraging right about now.

Thanks ever so much for your help, much appreciated 8hhhhh hhhhhhhh8h

I really appreciate your detailed response and the wealth of information presented, thanks ever so much .


Thanks ever so much for your help, much appreciated