Job title simplification proposal

[Bungle73]

Moderator note: split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-class-on-busy-long-distance-services.235750/

I have been a regular standard class traveller - and will still use it on the rare occasion I use a train for leisure purposes. I have never found the environment acceptable to work in though.

I do think the "classes" should be renamed into something more suitable for modern Britain. Perhaps "Business Gold", "Standard Premium" and "Standard Saver" or similar.

Or we could stop mucking about with railway terminology that has been perfectly fine for ~150 years. We can't have "guards" anymore, we have to have "train managers"....or "conductors".....or any one of 101 different names for what appears to be exactly the same job.

 

[Goldfish62]

Or we could stop mucking about with railway terminology that has been perfectly fine for ~150 years. We can't have "guards" anymore, we have to have "train managers"....or "conductors".....or any one of 101 different names for what appears to be exactly the same job.

That's been the case for decades, eg BR introduced "Senior Conductors" on InterCity services around 40 years ago.

 

[TheBigD]

Or we could stop mucking about with railway terminology that has been perfectly fine for ~150 years. We can't have "guards" anymore, we have to have "train managers"....or "conductors".....or any one of 101 different names for what appears to be exactly the same job.

That's been the case for decades, eg BR introduced "Senior Conductors" on InterCity services around 40 years ago.

And Lumo have just given us the ridiculous Customer Ambassador, and Customer Driver.

 

[Revilo]

And Lumo have just given us the ridiculous Customer Ambassador, and Customer Driver.

Customer drivel more like.

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Customer drivel more like.

Gimmicky just like Virgin Trains of old

Seems Lumo are trying to be "edgy" by wooing Gen-Z/millenials as AWC so far appears unable to match up to VTWC after taking over from them

 

[Bungle73]

I suspect it varies by TOC. With the frequency it's done on LNR I suspect guards have the authority there.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Aug 2022 ==



Guard is a specific Rulebook safety role. You can have any number of job titles that include performing that role and maybe other stuff too like selling tickets, or being in charge of a team of other staff like caterers.

When I was growing up in the '80s, you generally had two members of staff on the train, the driver and the guard. As far I'm concerned anyone doing the same job (ie despatching the train, checking tickets etc.) is a guard. Whatever TOCs' marketing departments insist on calling them

And Lumo have just given us the ridiculous Customer Ambassador......

Do they serve Ferrero Rocher?

 

[Watershed]

And Lumo have just given us the ridiculous Customer Ambassador, and Customer Driver.

I can sort of see where they're coming from with the former. But the latter has always been a mystery to me. Who else are they going to drive, other than customers?!

 

[krus_aragon]

I can sort of see where they're coming from with the former. But the latter has always been a mystery to me. Who else are they going to drive, other than customers?!

Or maybe Avanti will end up using "customer drivers" (á la the General Strike of 1926) because none of their regular drivers ar available?

 

[andrew749]

I've never been able to work out the difference between train manager, conductor and guard. Any title with 'customer service' or variants thereof sounds like their role is to deal with complaints.

 

[dk1]

I've never been able to work out the difference between train manager, conductor and guard. Any title with 'customer service' or variants thereof sounds like their role is to deal with complaints.

Guard does it for me everytime.

 

[alf]

Guard does it for me everytime.

Not for young people.
They associate it with bodyguards as seen on TV or people at supermarket & Boots etc front doors.

And railway guards have zero security powers nor wish for such powers.

 

[dk1]

Not for young people.
They associate it with bodyguards as seen on TV or people at supermarket & Boots etc front doors.

And railway guards have zero security powers nor wish for such powers.

They need educating.