Trainee drivers at DB schenker

[Beveridges]

I have just received an email inviting me to assessment next Wednesday at Doncaster. This is with regards to a driver operator at the peak forest, I'm really surprised and quite nervous now, I had applied for the trainee driver position, I'm not sure how operator differs from trainee driver? Also, probably another daft question but does anyone know the exact location of the peak forest depot? I think I read somewhere that it was Buxton and based my distance from the depot to there.

To answer both questions:
The Depot is at Peak Dale.
Driver Operator is a Depot Driving role. This means that most of your driving will be shunting within yards/sheds/sidings.

 

[Daniel84]

To answer both questions:
The Depot is at Peak Dale.
Driver Operator is a Depot Driving role. This means that most of your driving will be shunting within yards/sheds/sidings.

Thanks for that Bevridges, as helpful as ever. The location doesn't alter anything for me then, which is good. Are you a depot driver yourself? Any further information you can give would be great, I'll have to have good look around for anything else useful, I'm sure there's lots. I'm still very surprised they offered me the opportunity to attend the tests. Fingers crossed I can co myself justice this time as failure will rule me out of any of the other current opportunities.

 

[Beveridges]

I'm a Depot Driver but on the Passenger side which is completely different to Peak Forest freight. I've spent time at Peak Forest before and there does not appear to be a great deal of shunting going on. You get busy periods then a number of hours when theres next to nothing happening. I presume you'll also be working trip workings quite often though as theres loads of rail heads very nearby like Dowlow and Tunstead at least a few trip workings per day go to each. Also you'll get to drive class 60's, considered by many the best loco to drive.

 

[archbishopTUTU]

i applied for the saltley/bescot depot and have heard neither good or bad news so im presuming their working through the applications area by area. has anyone else heard back for these depots?

 

[doubleamber]

I just got an e-mail back - bad times



Not only this but I also got a rejection from Sothern today for a trainee Shunter position. What a rubbish day, hopefully it can't get any worse!

-Will

Not had my dear John yet, unlucky on the positions mate.

Chin up and keep hunting .
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Got my rejection letter this morning

 

[NI 271]

Yep, the 'thanks but no thanks' mail arrived in my inbox this morning. Enough interest from qualified drivers. I can accept that, now hoping that throws up a few vacancies elsewhere.

 

[archbishopTUTU]

What depots were you applying for ?

 

[Quickthorn]

Another "Thanks, but no thanks" here.

 

[bigbad82]

I applied for Carlisle and haven't heard anything yet. So is there still a chance for external trainees or is what was reported earlier that all positions are to be filled by qualified drivers?

 

[Smudger105e]

I'm an internal applicant (yard driver qualified at present) and no communication thus far. Applied for LR

 

[bigbad82]

Received thanks but no thanks. This sucks.

 

[kins73]

Hi all, I applied for a trainee freight driver and am still waiting to see whether i get called for an assessment, their schedule of dates said that candidates would here back by the 4th February so I contacted the recruitment team and they said they were still working through the applicants..........so I wonder if I will here at all from them....a little frustrating.

 

[Legzr1]

I applied for Carlisle and haven't heard anything yet. So is there still a chance for external trainees or is what was reported earlier that all positions are to be filled by qualified drivers?

You'll be very lucky to get in there as a trainee - at least 5 qualified 'current' DBS drivers are applying for Carlisle i'm afraid.

It's the closest depot to Scotland - with a reduction in staff needed at Mossend and Millerhill (Edinburgh) there was always the chance of vacancies being filled quickly.

 

[Smudger105e]

I'm an internal applicant (yard driver qualified at present) and no communication thus far. Applied for LR

Got my rejection by email today.

 

[Class2ldn]

Like has been said before. The chance of getting on freight as a trainee is next to zero . Really dont know why they bothered getting peoples hopes up to be honest. Most of the applicants will probably be from other freight companies as dbs are probably the best of the lot so will be other people shifting about. The firms they leave wont be asking for trainees.

 

[JAMBO]

Wouldn't rule out any company advertising for trainees.Freightliner Heavy Haul recently advertised for somewhere between 20-30 trainee drivers. Believe quite a lot bombed out at the assessment stage.so don't be shocked to see these positions go external.

 

[takeaway]

Hi All,

This thread has gone rather quiet, and like many others I'm still waiting on a response to my application (either positive or negative)

Could somebody please PM me the dates which were in the original role description (application closing date, assessment dates etc..)

Many Thanks in advance

 

[Skellysheroes]

A mate of mine has got an appointment tomorrow for the trainee driver job(north west)in Doncaster . Unsure whether this is assessments or interview or which depot in the north west it is.

 

[Daniel84]

Well, I attended my assessment for this today. As you can probably tell from the time of this post, I managed to fail. We started with the GB and then some numeracy, Glop and dials. We then went to break, where 2 were told they had failed at that stage, back to the room an exercise where a incident was reported and you had to write a report on that, the second part of the test was a passage of some faults, you then had to fill in a fault report form and then the mechanical comprehension. Out for break again and I wasn't overly confident about then Mechanical bit, was called back as expected and and asked was it the mechanical test, but was told I'd failed the standard fault report form (tick the boxes). Really gutted to have failed such a simple task.

I presume this puts me out of the running with regards to the Northern and TPE vacancies as well? I'm awaiting a call on exactly how I got on in the other tests.

Good luck to anyone else that was there and congratulations if anyone off here gets it, I'm starting to think this job on the railways lark is not going to happen for me.

 

[bigbad82]

sorry to hear that, I'm thinking the same as you about a career on the railways and it probably not happening for me. I have outstanding apps with TPE and XC, then after that I'm off to work for Stagecoach as a Bus Driver.

 

[Dave1987]

Well, I attended my assessment for this today. As you can probably tell from the time of this post, I managed to fail. We started with the GB and then some numeracy, Glop and dials. We then went to break, where 2 were told they had failed at that stage, back to the room an exercise where a incident was reported and you had to write a report on that, the second part of the test was a passage of some faults, you then had to fill in a fault report form and then the mechanical comprehension. Out for break again and I wasn't overly confident about then Mechanical bit, was called back as expected and and asked was it the mechanical test, but was told I'd failed the standard fault report form (tick the boxes). Really gutted to have failed such a simple task.

I presume this puts me out of the running with regards to the Northern and TPE vacancies as well? I'm awaiting a call on exactly how I got on in the other tests.

Good luck to anyone else that was there and congratulations if anyone off here gets it, I'm starting to think this job on the railways lark is not going to happen for me.

Yeah unfortunately you can't take them again for 6 months. Bad luck but keep your chin up you still have one more go (unless that was your second go that is).

 

[Daniel84]

Yeah unfortunately you can't take them again for 6 months. Bad luck but keep your chin up you still have one more go (unless that was your second go that is).

As I thought. Do other companies use the fill in the fault form? I've not seen much mention of it here and if I've not failed any of the main tests wondered if any of the other TOCs would still consider me...probably not.

Such a silly bit to fail on, I'm not sure I've seen anybody else manage to fail on it.

 

[Dave1987]

As I thought. Do other companies use the fill in the fault form? I've not seen much mention of it here and if I've not failed any of the main tests wondered if any of the other TOCs would still consider me...probably not.

Such a silly bit to fail on, I'm not sure I've seen anybody else manage to fail on it.

If you are talking about the fault finding test then yes a lot of TOCs use it.

 

[Daniel84]

If you are talking about the fault finding test then yes a lot of TOCs use it.

It's not a fault finding test as in the dials and cables, I passed that. This was a passage of text advising something wasn't working, I then had to fill in a standard form detailing the faults. Even typing it now, I can't believe that was the one I failed on.

 

[Beveridges]

No, most TOC's don't use it, the failure does not count as 1 of 2 attempts and it also does not mean you have to wait 6 months to try again with a different TOC. Best just ignore it and move on as though it never happened.

 

[Dave1987]

No, most TOC's don't use it, the failure does not count as 1 of 2 attempts and it also does not mean you have to wait 6 months to try again with a different TOC. Best just ignore it and move on as though it never happened.

I hate to say this beverages but how do you know that the failure of this wont mean that applications to other TOC's have to wait. I'm not tryna put a downer on anyone's hopes but at the same time until they have contacted the relevant hr dept you can't say for sure.

 

[Beveridges]

Only if you fail "core tests" does it count. As far as TOC's are concerned, the OP passed the Mech test, glop, dials & Boredom tests but did not sit the SI or Reactions. So it will count as neither pass or fail but an incomplete assessment as far as they are concerned. The report writing test is irrelevant.
Only if the TOC imposes a 6 month wait on an incomplete assessment should it have any effect, and as far as I know, the 6 month wait was only for fails.

 

[bob hope]

Only if you fail "core tests" does it count. As far as TOC's are concerned, the OP passed the Mech test, glop, dials & Boredom tests but did not sit the SI or Reactions. So it will count as neither pass or fail but an incomplete assessment as far as they are concerned. The report writing test is irrelevant.
Only if the TOC imposes a 6 month wait on an incomplete assessment should it have any effect, and as far as I know, the 6 month wait was only for fails.

From my own experiences of both Northern HR and the DBS private assessment team - even with passes in part assessments they wont let you retake the assessments for six months.:cry:

 

[LCC106]

No, NO, NO!!! I do NOT believe this is a fail! Best bet is to contact the other TOCs and get it from the horse's mouth, but as this was not a core test I cannot see how this counts as 1 of the 2!!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRR!

 

[Dave1987]

No, NO, NO!!! I do NOT believe this is a fail! Best bet is to contact the other TOCs and get it from the horse's mouth, but as this was not a core test I cannot see how this counts as 1 of the 2!!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRR!

Again by what others have said they won't allow you to take the test until six months after your previous test. Failure or not. Also I don't understand why you are so aggressive in your post.