LU vs DB Cargo - Advice needed

[Mattyblob]

Hey guys,

I'm currently a train operator for LU and love my job but may be offered the opportunity to start with DB at a location much closer to home.

I've done the number crunching regarding salary and with travel expenses they currently work out approximately the same. In terms of work life balance DB would in theory provide much more time at home (but then I don't know if the roster will be incredibly unsociable...)

I was wondering if anyone could provide an insight into the DB pension scheme, and also your thoughts on job security. Do the unions achieve reasonable pay increases each year for DB as LU do or will they start to fall behind over time?

Is freight a risky area to move into currently with the possibility of a no-deal Brexit?

I'm asking because I'd love to move to mainline but I don't want to throw away a good thing if the conditions simply don't compare.

Any thoughts and insights would be greatly appreciated

 

[Crazyb]

I can't really help you, but I was a freight driver for 30 odd years, leaving Freightliner Intermodal approx 2 years ago for high speed milk floats.

I can't speak about DB, but they had pension issues and I don't think they are 100% for newbies....I did hear around 84% but that's rumour. Freightliner are still 100% for newbies...Did you not ask that ?

Job security. That's a hard one, but freight is on the turn, and hopefully on the up. I have friends at Barking which is not a bad depot.

Most drivers that did get made redundant, did get jobs....I know the Northern guys didn't do well, but if you live in the London area, there are loads of TOC/FOC depots.

They are in pay talks at the moment, and I think they turned down the current offer......

LU have got better conditions, but it's pending what you are used too....I started on the freight at 16, so I'm custom starting at 23:00 or 2 am and yes it can be tiring, that's why I left for some normal shifts.

The way to put it, your a bit like a lorry tramper driver, opposed to a chauffeur driving a Merc with PAX

I miss the freight, the best job I had...Different everyday...Driving tubes on ATO naaaah !!!. If you don't like it, you are now a mainline driver.....Living in the London area, loads of depots to choose from. Have a look at the vac's on https://www.traindriver.org/job-vacancies--what-to-do-next.html#

You can always move on.

Good luck on your choice, but freight is not for everyone, but is the best job you can have in my eyes.

I forgot to say, unless your ex BR, you will not retain travel....I know DB did own some TOC's or did, but you will have to pay to get to work...Worth a check. I know the newbies at Freightliner get nothing.

 

[whoosh]

A fair amount of the time you'll be in a 'time band' on the Master Roster, so one week you might be in Band A - 00:01 to 06:00. You'll get your roster sheet on the Friday I think it is, the week before and you can be allocated a job that starts anytime within those hours.
Even then you can be moved outside those hours, but there's then a limit of how long the turn of duty can be. It gets reduced from a maximum of 11 hours by the corresponding amount you've been moved outside your band.
Some turns of duty are fixed in the roster, but then you could be moved if you don't sign the route or traction.

There's A LOT more flexibility than on the Tube, where you'll know what times you're in and out of work with much more certainty a good deal of time in advance.

Just something to think about - it might not bother you as you'll be nearer to home, which is worth a lot in my opinion, but some would prefer knowing what they are doing and place greater emphasis on that.

 

[Mattyblob]

Thank you for your replies, you've both given me a lot of food for thought.

My interview for DB was this week and I've seen an example of the 13 week link. 5 weeks of nights but I've done the number crunching and I'd be saving at least 20 hours a week in work and travel time, and working 25 less days per year. The folks that interviewed me were great too. Fingers crossed!

 

[BallastMonkey]

Is this for the DB junior driver or trainee role?

 

[Mattyblob]

Trainee driver role

 

[Atishyou]

Thank you for your replies, you've both given me a lot of food for thought.

My interview for DB was this week and I've seen an example of the 13 week link. 5 weeks of nights but I've done the number crunching and I'd be saving at least 20 hours a week in work and travel time, and working 25 less days per year. The folks that interviewed me were great too. Fingers crossed!

Nights either work for you or they don't. Some people love them, some loathe them. If I can get enough sleep, I don't mind them, as long as it's not every week. Many of our jobs or 6/7 hour nights, which I actually struggle with more than when I used to do 12 hour nights!

20 hours a week travelling to work? Holy moly! I don't think I do that a month!