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Train Operator - London Underground

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nick40uk

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Seems like a rare opportunity for people to get in to the drivers seat straight off the street. Will be interesting to see how many go for it considering it's only part time.
 

Barn

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Bit of a niche opportunity, this one. How many people will be able to devote 16 weeks full time to training, but then also be happy to work only 15 hours at unsociable times? Salary is a pro-rata of presumably a normalish salary (without any unsociable hour uplift?) and other work would be difficult due to the need to be alert for the night shifts.
 
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Met Driver

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The pro-rata salary (which is about average if compared with other commuter TOCs serving London) already takes into account unsociable hours. When compared to other jobs in the 'night-time economy' that night tube will support (and for which there presumably exists a workforce of people willing to work Friday and Saturday nights) the pay and benefits package is no doubt pretty good.
 

Barn

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Does it? I thought GBP49,673 was the standard starting salary for full timers?
 

Met Driver

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Yep, early turns booking on from 0445, lates finishing at up to 0130, and existing night turns.
 

A-driver

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Wouldn't get too excited yet, I would imagine the unions will be all over this. It's obviously TfLs plan to get out of ever actually holding proper negotiations over night tube.
 

Barn

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Met Driver:2404604 said:
Yep, early turns booking on from 0445, lates finishing at up to 0130, and existing night turns.

Oh, I see what you mean. But this job is 100% unsociable hours.
 

phil1960

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Seems like a rare opportunity for people to get in to the drivers seat straight off the street. Will be interesting to see how many go for it considering it's only part time.

But once you've got through the (full time) training period, 2 x nights per week for ca. £21K isn't bad. Plus nothing to stop you doing another midweek part time job somewhere else.

Suspect the issue will be how the unions react and how the new drivers get along with their full time colleagues possibly on different conditions?

Phil
 

zoo

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26 Jan 2015
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Those that have other employment, what employer is going to allow someone to take 16 weeks off to train. I would love to do it, but I cant see how my present employer would let me have that time off.....
 

red2005

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Train Operator 018717
Organisation - Planning/Performance Reporting
Job - Customer Care
Position Type - Part Time

Train Operator - Part time (Night Tube)

Due to the expected high response to these vacancies we reserve the right to close this campaign once we have a suitable pool of applicants, which could be prior to the published application closing date of 4th January 2016 at 23:00hrs.

Grade: TO21

Based: Network wide

Salary: £49,673 pro rated dependant on the confirmed weekly hours you are allocated (15 hours per week equates to approx. £21,288 p.a.)

About us

Transport for London leads the way as a unique public service – and it’s a great place to develop your career. We treat our staff with the same commitment we give our customers; their satisfaction is a measure of our success.

What we need

Train Operators play a vital role in providing world-class customer service. Our customers rely on you to deliver a safe & reliable train service and to keep them informed along the way
We need reliable and responsible people who are able to work in isolation and as part of a greater team. We're looking for confident people who can maintain high levels of concentration for long periods of time in a non-stimulating environment. You should also be prepared to work from any location and through the night on Fridays and Saturdays.

London Underground benefits include
TfL pension scheme
Free Tube travel for you and one other (at the same address)
75% reimbursement of season ticket loans if you use national rail services to travel to and from work.
A wide range of tax-efficient benefits and employee discounts
To be eligible for this vacancy, you must
be prepared to work Friday and Saturday night shifts
be prepared to work anywhere in London
be prepared to complete a 16 week full time training course
have successfully completed a basic criminal records check and medical screening
be aged 18 or over by the published closing date on the application form
Job Purpose

To drive and/or operate trains, as rostered, in accordance with rules and procedures to the highest standards of safety and customer service

Principal Accountabilities
Operates the train in accordance with working manual procedures, safety and emergency procedures, timetable, specified driving procedures and environmental considerations
Carries out safety and emergency procedures
Identifies and where possible rectifies train defects
Provides customers with correct and timely information about delays, emergency situations and general customer travel information
Communicates with Line Controllers or other personnel, e.g. Signal Operators, Train Maintenance and Station Staff, about train delays, safety, security and emergency matters
Carries out train operational safety checks prior to entering service
Safely disposes of the train at the end of service
Drives the train in accordance with line practices
Responsible for ensuring an up-to-date knowledge of events that would affect train timings (requiring to read notices, traffic circular etc).
Gather all information required for their duty (train time, train location, train route)
Ensuring the train is brought into service at a specified time
Following scheduled train timetable
Ensure passenger’s safety at all times
Complete Incident Report Forms (IRF) when incidents occur on duty
Main Working Relationships

Train Operators will have to liaise with various operational grades. These will include:
Instructor Operators
Duty Manager Trains
Service Control Staff
All Station Staff
Skill requirements
Good time-keeping
Knowledge and understanding of rules and regulations relating to train operation and ability to execute them
Following train procedures and rules
Observing and following track signals
Understanding of how different variables affect train tracks, train equipment and driving ability.
Knowledge and complying with TfL practices on smoking, alcohol, drugs and attendance to duty.
Ability to communicate effectively with managers, other members of staff and customers
Act on observations and react in a controlled logical manner
Customer service skills
Knowledge of safety legislation’s
Able to perform under hazardous or pressurised environments.
Attributes required
Smart appearance – representing the business
Flexibility and willingness to adapt to changes
Commitment to the role and its accountabilities
Pro-activeness in their approach
Responsible and positive attitude to work
Confidence in knowing your driving ability (i.e. braking times required)
High level of concentration for long periods of time in a non-stimulating environment
Ability to work in isolation for long periods of time
Patience
Working hours:

Candidates will be expected to work a minimum of 15 hours to cover Friday and Saturday nights.

Closing date for applications: 4th January 2016 at 23:00hrs

Please note: Due to the expected high response to these vacancies we reserve the right to close this campaign once we have a suitable pool of applicants, which could be prior to the published application closing date.

Please ensure:
You have an active email address where correspondence, invitations to assessment events and practice material can be sent
All your contact details including phone numbers, address and email are updated and current on your application
The recruitment process consists of 4 stages. You will need to pass each stage to progress to the next:


Stage 1: Online Application Form
As part of the application process you will be asked a number of screening questions

Stage 2: Online test.
Due to the high volumes of applications you may not receive the on-line tests for up to 6 weeks from the published closing date.

Stage 3: AC1 - You will complete the following pencil and paper tests
SCAAT test
Following information
Understanding information
Error identification
Stage 4: AC2:
Recorded Voice Communication Test and Competency Based Interview
Please Note:

Due to the expected high response to these vacancies, there will be a delay between your initial application and the communication relating to the next stages of the recruitment process. We will be in contact by the end of January to give you an update on your application.

Outcome notification will be provided 10 to 14 days from the date of the last event, unless advised otherwise. We will keep you informed at your assessment event when this is likely to be.


Attending an Assessment Event

You will receive an email request inviting you to book into an assessment event.

You will receive confirmation of your booking together with any relevant information required for your assessment at the time of booking.


Notice of Cancellation

We require you to give a minimum of 48 hours' notice of cancellation or re-schedule. Non-attendance at your Assessment Event may lead to your application being withdrawn.

Please note that your assessment may be rescheduled once only; subsequent cancellation may lead to your application being withdrawn. If you do not follow the process outlined in the Candidate

Charter you risk being withdrawn from the campaign.

Please be aware that the outcome of your final assessment will not be available until all suitable candidates have attended the assessment events. Outcome notification will be provided 10 to 14

days from the date of the last event. We will keep you informed at your assessment event when this is likely to be.

Appointment to Post

In order to be appointed to a post, candidates must successfully pass a basic criminal records check, employment referencing, medical screening and a drug & alcohol test. Candidates who do not pass the medical screening will have their offer of employment withdrawn.

Although you may be successful & offered the role – you may not commence employment with TfL or start training immediately. There may be a requirement to delay your start date until you are required.


Training

Appointment to the post is subject to successful completion of a full time training course which will take a minimum of 16 weeks to complete. Candidates who do not pass the training will have their offer of employment withdrawn


Candidate Charter

You can download a copy of the Candidate Charter here . This outlines our commitment to you as a candidate by providing insight into our recruitment process. It also outlines our expectations with regards to your engagement with us, to ensure that you receive the best recruitment experience possible, as we believe you should know the standards of service you can expect from us. You must read this document prior to submitting your application in order to understand every aspect of the process.


Additional Information:

We understand that this is a new role and you may have lots of questions about the role so we have put together a frequently asked questions page which you can download below.
Download FAQ document
If after reading the FAQ you still have questions about the role and need to speak to anyone within the Recruitment Team then please email the recruitment team at [email protected].

We aspire to be as diverse as the city we serve; we welcome applications from all sections of the community.
 

Bossa

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14 Jul 2015
Messages
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At he risk of sounding naive, is there a training salary for this over the course of the 16 weeks before qualification or at least some sort of recompense for commitment to the training. As highly sought after as the position is, an approx of 4 months is quite a lot of time to commit without a decent income leave alone finding that gap in current employment to do so.
 

Met Driver

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My guess is that pay would be equivalent to a customer service assistant while in training. Don't know precisely what they're on now but last time I looked it was high £k 20s per annum full time.
 

BestWestern

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Although you may be successful & offered the role – you may not commence employment with TfL or start training immediately. There may be a requirement to delay your start date until you are required.

That's the killer. They're fishing, rather like certain mainline TOCs have done of late...

Could be an awful lot of p*ssing about with no end result.
 

bb21

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4 Feb 2010
Messages
24,151
Although you may be successful & offered the role – you may not commence employment with TfL or start training immediately. There may be a requirement to delay your start date until you are required.

That's the killer. They're fishing, rather like certain mainline TOCs have done of late...

Could be an awful lot of p*ssing about with no end result.

Funny that it was the sentence that caught my eye straight away too.

Taking the pee a bit I reckon.
 

notadriver

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I don't think ASLEF will allow part time drivers - goes against all agreements in place on LU and - just my opinion, we've already seen examples of how part timers 'playing' trains are dangerous.
 

Met Driver

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I don't think ASLEF will allow part time drivers - goes against all agreements in place on LU and - just my opinion, we've already seen examples of how part timers 'playing' trains are dangerous.

Incorrect - LU already employs some drivers part-time (all ex-full timers) and allow job shares.
 

chris11256

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27 Dec 2012
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I've applied on the basis of It can't hurt to try. Time to wait and see if anything comes of it.
 

jaapstam

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28 Nov 2015
Messages
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Location
Ruesselsheim, Germany
Do I (living outside UK) understand this correctly? The mentioned salary of £49,673 means that a full-time London Underground driver does earn nearly £50,000 a year?

That sounds quite a lot to me. Can anyone confirm this? Are wages that high because you need to find an affordable place to live in the London region?

Can anyone tell how much of this £50,000 remain approximately after all taxes etc. have been deducted?
 

notadriver

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Do I (living outside UK) understand this correctly? The mentioned salary of £49,673 means that a full-time London Underground driver does earn nearly £50,000 a year?



That sounds quite a lot to me. Can anyone confirm this? Are wages that high because you need to find an affordable place to live in the London region?



Can anyone tell how much of this £50,000 remain approximately after all taxes etc. have been deducted?


Deductions work out at about 30 percent. How much do you think a London Underground driver should earn ?
 

jaapstam

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28 Nov 2015
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Location
Ruesselsheim, Germany
Deductions work out at about 30 percent. How much do you think a London Underground driver should earn ?

I am absolutely fine with Underground drivers earning £50,000. I was just a bit surprised. When checking "Careers" page of TOCs and found job availabilities for customer service assitants or train managers I think to remember payment here was at around £25,000 a year. And just thought "From which money should you afford to pay a flat?"

As mentioned before, unfortunately I do not live in the UK. I am absolutely not used to wages, taxes, rents, living costs etc.
 

notadriver

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What do train or u-Bahn drivers earn in Germany ?

Yes that pay (25k) is typical for customer service or train managers.
 

jaapstam

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28 Nov 2015
Messages
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Location
Ruesselsheim, Germany
What do train or u-Bahn drivers earn in Germany ?

Yes that pay (25k) is typical for customer service or train managers.

Unfortunately, I have no idea. But the salary of a LU driver is comparable to some jobs in the middle management of TOCs in Germany. And what is deducted as tax stretches up to 45 or 47 %.

I do more and more think how I could manage to become a LU driver - fix-term, full-time of course ;)
 

notadriver

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Unfortunately, I have no idea. But the salary of a LU driver is comparable to some jobs in the middle management of TOCs in Germany. And what is deducted as tax stretches up to 45 or 47 %.



I do more and more think how I could manage to become a LU driver - fix-term, full-time of course ;)


Mainline TOCs do advertise for drivers directly. But competition for these positions is fierce and you'll need to be an exceptional candidate to be one of the chosen few.

Entry to LUL is usually via the customer service assistant grade. Many of them are on the waiting list to become tube operators.

I don't work for London Underground but I have friends who do and I've had a cab ride in a northern line train :)
 
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