MTR Crossrail - Now recruiting for Trainee & Qualified Drivers

[Jk576]

How do you know they are fully booked for training for next year

I went through the recruitment process last year and they called in Sept 201e and offered me the job (still can't believe it!) providing I pass the medical and ref check. However they said that the starting date will be Sept 2016, as their training classes are full.

I know a few other people who applied and their starting date is not until November 2016, since then they were also recruiting in reading as well so safe to say it's all booked up at least until January 2017

 

[Kenwest83]

Has anyone been told what the shifts will be like?

 

[theironroad]

Not as such, but was watching the video on MTR about women drivers and one of the drivers mentioned that it is 8 weeks on and 2 off, so for those 8 weeks you will work 5/7 days and then after 8 weeks have 14 days off.

That works out as a average 4 day week as over the 10 week period, you have 30 days off.

The drivers in that video also mentioned 0400 starts and 1600 starts, so will swap between earliest and lates.

I'm assuming that crossrail isnt a 24 hour service with no service in the early hours.

Anyone know how many days annual leave etc there are?

 

[whoosh]

I don't work for them, but some weeks are 5/7 some are 4/7. The two weeks off (8 weeks on, 2 weeks off) are partially made up from the missing rest day in the 5/7 weeks, and partially made up with rostered annual leave.
I.e. a lot of the annual leave is in the roster. 20 days actually. There's only 9 ad-hoc days and one of them needs to be saved for Christmas Day. Bank Holidays will be normal working days including Boxing Day (although Boxing Day will pay an enhanced rate of triple time - but no day in lieu).

So to answer your question about leave. 29 days in total, however 20 of them are in the roster. You work 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off, and have 9 days leave including Christmas Day.

Although with 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off, you will have a one in five chance of being off Christmas week anyway!

 

[theironroad]

I don't work for them, but some weeks are 5/7 some are 4/7. The two weeks off (8 weeks on, 2 weeks off) are partially made up from the missing rest day in the 5/7 weeks, and partially made up with rostered annual leave.
I.e. a lot of the annual leave is in the roster. 20 days actually. There's only 9 ad-hoc days and one of them needs to be saved for Christmas Day. Bank Holidays will be normal working days including Boxing Day (although Boxing Day will pay an enhanced rate of triple time - but no day in lieu).

So to answer your question about leave. 29 days in total, however 20 of them are in the roster. You work 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off, and have 9 days leave including Christmas Day.

Although with 8 weeks on, 2 weeks off, you will have a one in five chance of being off Christmas week anyway!

Oh! That wasn't quite what I was expecting. Doesn't sound like its possible to get a 3 week block without using most of the ah.

 

[whoosh]

Might be able to swap a week with someone maybe?
If they are on a week of rest days and do your week of work, and then you give a week of your rest days later and do a week of their work.

I don't know if they'd let you do that. If they did, it might be a way of getting a third week before/after your two week block of time off.

 

[theironroad]

Just read through another MTR thread and now not sure the status of Sundays, whether in or out etc. Also mention that t&c allow to use drivers for customer service and assistance roles....seems a new one.

 

[D1939]

I seem to remember being told at my dmi that 'Sunday's' are gonna be part of the working week from May.

 

[andyg83]

Sundays are part of working week from may. Every day is a working day apart from Christmas day and it will be 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off. You can swap rotas if you want want so could have 3 weeks off if you want. As long as other person is willing to swap and it doesn't mean your new rota means you are working more than 13 days. straight. You could use 5 days at end of 2 weeks if you want. Yes you would use 5 of your 8 days (max bit may be only 4) which sounds alot but remember even if you did do that you still have 5 other times throughout the year where you have 14 days off

 

[iWantIn]

Sundays are part of working week from may. Every day is a working day apart from Christmas day and it will be 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off. You can swap rotas if you want want so could have 3 weeks off if you want. As long as other person is willing to swap and it doesn't mean your new rota means you are working more than 13 days. straight. You could use 5 days at end of 2 weeks if you want. Yes you would use 5 of your 8 days (max bit may be only 4) which sounds alot but remember even if you did do that you still have 5 other times throughout the year where you have 14 days off

Hello Andy...I take it you work for them?...from may onwards will it be a 4 day week? Or still 5/7. U qualified yet or still training? How's life @mtr

Cheers

 

[D1939]

I think it's a mixture of 4 days and 5 days weeks.

 

[iWantIn]

I think it's a mixture of 4 days and 5 days weeks.

Hmmm interesting. How many weekends of a month? Thanks

 

[D1939]

Hmmm interesting. How many weekends of a month? Thanks

I'm not sure, I don't start training till September, subject to medical. I was just told this during my dmi.

 

[Jk576]

Hi everyone, just wanted to ask a question of someone who started the position. I've recently had my medical, how long did it take for Mtr to contact you after you had your medical?

 

[Hammer4life]

Think it was a few weeks after the medical before they contacted me regarding security clearance

 

[D1939]

Just wanna say a big thank you to everyone on here, I have now passed my medical and will start 5th September.

 

[drazky]

deleted

 

[D1939]

Thanks, Ilford depot. Medical was just as nerve wrecking as the test, even though I'm fit and healthy, I think it's probably to do with it being the last stage.


You enter, you fill out a few pages about your medical history.
You then get taken by a nurse and you urinate in a pot.
You then go upstairs. She takes your blood pressure.
Then breathalyser, then colourblind test

She will then weigh you and check your height

Then you go to another room.
You sit on a chair and they check your eyesight by you reading letters on a wall.
She will also check your very basic flexibility and peripheral vision. A few squats.
She will then look inside your ears. You then sit in a sound proof booth with headphones on. Everytime you hear a sound you click a button which she has given you.
I found the hearing test really tough, you start too question yourself about wether you are hearing the sounds or just imagining it.
You then take your top off and lay down and they put an EcG on you to check your heart.

Next up is a to go and see the doctor, on my way up the stairs, I had a look through the the paper work to check everything was OK.

The doctor will have a basic chat with you and He will also check your balance and flexibility and just discuss the results.

They will tell you if youve done well, but the results will be sent to MTR's doctor to make the final desicion.

They send your urine off for further analysis. Should hear within 10 days.

 

[drazky]

deleted

 

[Kit.Frank]

Thanks, Ilford depot. Medical was just as nerve wrecking as the test, even though I'm fit and healthy, I think it's probably to do with it being the last stage.


You enter, you fill out a few pages about your medical history.
You then get taken by a nurse and you urinate in a pot.
You then go upstairs. She takes your blood pressure.
Then breathalyser, then colourblind test

She will then weigh you and check your height

Then you go to another room.
You sit on a chair and they check your eyesight by you reading letters on a wall.
She will also check your very basic flexibility and peripheral vision. A few squats.
She will then look inside your ears. You then sit in a sound proof booth with headphones on. Everytime you hear a sound you click a button which she has given you.
I found the hearing test really tough, you start too question yourself about wether you are hearing the sounds or just imagining it.
You then take your top off and lay down and they put an EcG on you to check your heart.

Next up is a to go and see the doctor, on my way up the stairs, I had a look through the the paper work to check everything was OK.

The doctor will have a basic chat with you and He will also check your balance and flexibility and just discuss the results.

They will tell you if youve done well, but the results will be sent to MTR's doctor to make the final desicion.

They send your urine off for further analysis. Should hear within 10 days.

Great info for lots of us! Thanks

 

[D1939]

That's good mate, although it's a bit nerve wrecking, if you are generally healthy and not hiding anything, you should have no problems.

No worries guys, so many helped me on this forum, it's only right to 'play it forward'!

Two references are needed, , I've filled out uniform requests and signed that I would be starting on the course 5th September.(not sure if this was the official contract ) you then Have to take some paperwork to their office and a couple of days later are emailed a link where you have to fill in about yourself, work history, references and old address ect all for the security checks.
I know both my refs have been contacted, so I'm just waiting for the all clear from the security and from MTR regarding the medical results (I passed on the day but the results and urine drug test are sent to MTR to make final decision)

 

[Jk576]

I am having a bit of a hiccup with the references. They need to cover 3 years of employment and 2 references, unfortunately for me that kinda contradicts itself as I have been working in my current position for 9 years. So they tried to get a reference from McDonald's where I worked 10 years ago! They don't have records dating that far back so now I have to get bank statements to prove it. So I'm a bit worried that this will trip me up, after all the tests. Well fingers crossed.

About the contract - when I spoke to the HR lady, she said they will be posting the contracts once all the checks clear, apparently at the moment the unions are just having it vetted.

Best of luck to everyone!

 

[JohnFM]

JK, I think you've taken that a bit too literally.

You might want to clarify what it is they want. They usually want 2 referees which covers 3 years of working, NOT 2 referees that add up to three separate years over two different jobs.

Surely there are people within your current job network that you know who can offer a reference?

 

[Shrimper]

Most companies will accept a personal reference in place of a company one in situations like this; I'd be surprised if this wasn't the case as not many places will hold 10 years worth of records or have anyone who remembers you!

 

[Jk576]

I know what you mean and I thought the same. But the reference company (as mtr hires a company to do these) emailed me asking for bank statements from 2006/2007 proving my work place. I did provide 2 current work references from my current work, so I'm a bit confused and chasing this with mtr themselves, they say they only need 3 year employment.

I think there might be a bit of miscommunication going on there. Well see what comes of it

JK, I think you've taken that a bit too literally.

You might want to clarify what it is they want. They usually want 2 referees which covers 3 years of working, NOT 2 referees that add up to three separate years over two different jobs.

Surely there are people within your current job network that you know who can offer a reference?

 

[47539]

I am having a bit of a hiccup with the references. They need to cover 3 years of employment and 2 references, unfortunately for me that kinda contradicts itself as I have been working in my current position for 9 years. So they tried to get a reference from McDonald's where I worked 10 years ago! They don't have records dating that far back so now I have to get bank statements to prove it. So I'm a bit worried that this will trip me up, after all the tests. Well fingers crossed.

About the contract - when I spoke to the HR lady, she said they will be posting the contracts once all the checks clear, apparently at the moment the unions are just having it vetted.

Best of luck to everyone!

Hi,

I'm at the same stage as D1939, indeed it was a pleasure to meet him at the medical centre last week!

I too am having a little hiccup with the screening process and the requirement for a second hr reference.

When talking about the 3 year work history, I know that somewhere in the small print it says that the screening covers 3 years of work history but that if all those 3 years have been with the same employer, then the previous employer will need to be contacted - and in my case that goes back more than 12 years to an employer who no longer exists!

So they asked me to provide payslips (don't have those after that long!) and then bank statements to verify the employer.

If you can't get a reference directly from your previous employer, and you can't get a bank statement (because most banks only offer 6 years of history) then it might be an idea to go to this link:

https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/NIStatement

and ask HMRC for an NI statement - this is free and provides details back to 1975-6 of the NI you have paid, crucially, also including the employer name on the statement!

It might be worthwhile ordering one now, just in case as they do take a while to come through, I didn't know about this service until just over a week ago and have ordered one just in case the bank statements aren't enough, although they hopefully will be.

Good Luck

 

[Jk576]

Ah sorry that you are having the same problem, but as they say misery likes company!

I have put in a request with my bank, they will check their archives and will get back to me in 6-11 days, a week later still waiting...

Thanks for the link, will definitely fill that out as a backup. Cheers for your help and I hope this works out for you! Let me know how you get on with it!

Hi,

I'm at the same stage as D1939, indeed it was a pleasure to meet him at the medical centre last week!

I too am having a little hiccup with the screening process and the requirement for a second hr reference.

When talking about the 3 year work history, I know that somewhere in the small print it says that the screening covers 3 years of work history but that if all those 3 years have been with the same employer, then the previous employer will need to be contacted - and in my case that goes back more than 12 years to an employer who no longer exists!

So they asked me to provide payslips (don't have those after that long!) and then bank statements to verify the employer.

If you can't get a reference directly from your previous employer, and you can't get a bank statement (because most banks only offer 6 years of history) then it might be an idea to go to this link:

https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/NIStatement

and ask HMRC for an NI statement - this is free and provides details back to 1975-6 of the NI you have paid, crucially, also including the employer name on the statement!

It might be worthwhile ordering one now, just in case as they do take a while to come through, I didn't know about this service until just over a week ago and have ordered one just in case the bank statements aren't enough, although they hopefully will be.

Good Luck

 

[Kells21]

Ive had numerous employers in 3 years, and I've been self employed aswell. I wonder how this works ? would i give them references covering the whole 3 years but it would be more than two references, or would two references within the 3 years ( one at start, one at finish be ok?) and how does self employed work? I can't wait to get started!!

 

[Jk576]

They might actually ask for all the references from past 3 years as they need to cover that period completely, so I advice get emails of the people who are going to provide references, it has to be a professional email, not personal.

I just want to be done with this refernce query and have a contract in my hands!

Ive had numerous employers in 3 years, and I've been self employed aswell. I wonder how this works ? would i give them references covering the whole 3 years but it would be more than two references, or would two references within the 3 years ( one at start, one at finish be ok?) and how does self employed work? I can't wait to get started!!

 

[gg02355]

This is my first post and want to say a really BIG thank you to all you guys and girls on here. You don't realise how helpful reading through your advice and info has been whilst going through all the stages. Got a phone call today from HR asking if I could start in September this year instead of the October!!

If anyone has any questions that I might be able to help with and return the favour, feel free to ask.

I do have one question I need help with though. Is there any holiday booked into the training schedule with MTR? As my wife needs to know when to book her time off. Any help would be much appreciated.