WMT - Qualified Train Driver - Crewe (28/03/24)

[dereksingh291]

Transport UK: Qualified Train Driver - Crewe - Operations ~ Drivers -

apply.transport-uk.com

closing date 9th April 2024

 

[tiptoptaff]

Oh look, they're at it again

 

[BrokenSam]

Oh look, they're at it again

"Must live in the railway station or nearby heritage centre to apply".

 

[tiptoptaff]

"Must live in the railway station or nearby heritage centre to apply".

"We'd invite applications from candidates who have a tent they could pitch on the end of platform 5"

 

[BrokenSam]

"We'd invite applications from candidates who have a tent they could pitch on the end of platform 5"

Haha. Pretty much

 

[NorthernTech]

 

[43066]

I do know of a qualified driver who moved to WMR at Crewe from Southeastern, so they have accepted relocations in the past, albeit that was a few years ago now.

 

[tornadochaser]

I find it very suspicious that their 45 minute rule isn’t mentioned anywhere on the job advert. I wonder how many people now have wasted their time filling in the application only to be told later that they won’t be considered if you need to move house?

It just occurred to me the other day, does anyone think it’s plausible that the DfT are asking some TOCs not to take drivers from companies who are haemorrhaging staff at the moment?

 

[Driverswife]

I do know of a qualified driver who moved to WMR at Crewe from Southeastern, so they have accepted relocations in the past, albeit that was a few years ago now.

They don't seem to be now. This is the 3rd time in a row of advertising back to back for the same job. Doesn't say they don't accept relocation but loads of qualified drivers who have applied wanting to relocate, have received an immediate rejection email. After following up, have all been told it's their policy not to accept applicants who live more than a 1 HR commute from Crewe station. It would be nice of them to mention this on the application before applicants waste a good few hours completing the online application.

I mean 45 min commute not 1 hr

 

[SCDR_WMR]

After following up, have all been told it's their policy not to accept applicants who live more than a 1 HR commute from Crewe station. It would be nice of them to mention this on the application before applicants waste a good few hours completing the online application.

This has been West Mids Trains policy since LM, certainly was the case when I joined 7 years ago.

With the sheer number of qualified drivers around the Crewe area with all the freight work plus TOCs, relocation is not going to be something they take externally.

Probably should have it on the application itself, but all the TOCs I've had applications with (Avanti, XC, Northern, Chiltern, TfW) have all had the 45 mins/1hr rule so it's hardly unexpected.

 

[tiptoptaff]

This has been West Mids Trains policy since LM, certainly was the case when I joined 7 years ago.

With the sheer number of qualified drivers around the Crewe area with all the freight work plus TOCs, relocation is not going to be something they take externally.

Probably should have it on the application itself, but all the TOCs I've had applications with (Avanti, XC, Northern, Chiltern, TfW) have all had the 45 mins/1hr rule so it's hardly unexpected.

It's unusual for a policy of no relocations to be applied to qualified drivers, though.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

It's unusual for a policy of no relocations to be applied to qualified drivers, though.

True, but Crewe does already have a very large pool of qualified drivers unlike some areas, and so probably haven't considered it likely to be necessary.

 

[tiptoptaff]

True, but Crewe does already have a very large pool of qualified drivers unlike some areas, and so probably haven't considered it likely to be necessary.

But conversley, if that was true, they wouldn't have needed to advetise 3times in 4months.

Plus, TfW will be very attractive now they're on circa 16k more.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

But conversley, if that was true, they wouldn't have needed to advetise 3times in 4months.

Plus, TfW will be very attractive now they're on circa 16k more.

That's probably the main reason why they have struggled this time, it's a huge leap up to TfW rate now. It's why there's such an annoyance that there's no trainee course running at the moment. LNWR needs to stop being the poacher, and start being the feeder!

I know many qualifieds had interviews but didn't pass, so it's not that there hasn't been interest.

 

[tiptoptaff]

That's probably the main reason why they have struggled this time, it's a huge leap up to TfW rate now. It's why there's such an annoyance that there's no trainee course running at the moment. LNWR needs to stop being the poacher, and start being the feeder!

I know many qualifieds had interviews but didn't pass, so it's not that there hasn't been interest.

Seems to be a theme across a lot of TOCs - almost like managers are expecting qualifieds to interview like trainees. When many won't have had an interview for years

 

[Aviator88]

Seems to be a theme across a lot of TOCs - almost like managers are expecting qualifieds to interview like trainees. When many won't have had an interview for years

The same can be true for trainees, many of whom (myself included) have been settled in their current careers for many years. I had to do a lot of research and refamiliarise myself with my suit and tie for my interviews to become a trainee driver!

 

[tiptoptaff]

The same can be true for trainees, many of whom (myself included) have been settled in their current careers for many years. I had to do a lot of research and refamiliarise myself with my suit and tie for my interviews to become a trainee driver!

But those interviews are geared towards why you'd make a good driver.

The qualified ones I've had seem to want you to answer like you're proving yourself all over again.

The proof is in my licence, I'd rather be asked a lot more technical questions or what I'd do in unexpected situations I've trained for. Not what I'd do if a customer asked me the time.

 

[Aviator88]

But those interviews are geared towards why you'd make a good driver.

The qualified ones I've had seem to want you to answer like you're proving yourself all over again.

The proof is in my licence, I'd rather be asked a lot more technical questions or what I'd do in unexpected situations I've trained for. Not what I'd do if a customer asked me the time.

Ah, I see what you mean. I always assumed that a qualified driver's interview would be almost exactly what you've described.

In fairness, I wasn't asked a single question about hypothetical customer service during my manager's interview, although lots of examples cropped up during the OPC's situational judgment test. Now that is something I can't see making sense to administer to qualified drivers.

 

[43066]

The same can be true for trainees, many of whom (myself included) have been settled in their current careers for many years. I had to do a lot of research and refamiliarise myself with my suit and tie for my interviews to become a trainee driver!

At least you managed the suit and tie. That’s seemingly too much for many applicants!

They don't seem to be now. This is the 3rd time in a row of advertising back to back for the same job. Doesn't say they don't accept relocation but loads of qualified drivers who have applied wanting to relocate, have received an immediate rejection email. After following up, have all been told it's their policy not to accept applicants who live more than a 1 HR commute from Crewe station. It would be nice of them to mention this on the application before applicants waste a good few hours completing the online application.

I mean 45 min commute not 1 hr

Yep that does seem to be a change. The guy I’m thinking of moved circa 2018/19, so things may have changed. It does seem unusual, and poor they don’t mention it explicitly in the job adverts as AIUI they don’t.

 

[Aviator88]

At least you managed the suit and tie. That’s seemingly too much for many applicants!

It was interesting to observe the ratio of suited vs. un-suited candidates increase throughout the process. I couldn't work out if cause or effect though!

 

[PudseyBearHST]

But those interviews are geared towards why you'd make a good driver.

The qualified ones I've had seem to want you to answer like you're proving yourself all over again.

The proof is in my licence, I'd rather be asked a lot more technical questions or what I'd do in unexpected situations I've trained for. Not what I'd do if a customer asked me the time.

Agree. Qualified interviews tend to be very similar to the trainee driver interview pack + maybe a few rules questions. In fact, I don’t remember ever being asked a customer service question during the trainee interview yet seems to come up in qualified interviews.

 

[Driverswife]

This has been West Mids Trains policy since LM, certainly was the case when I joined 7 years ago.

With the sheer number of qualified drivers around the Crewe area with all the freight work plus TOCs, relocation is not going to be something they take externally.

Probably should have it on the application itself, but all the TOCs I've had applications with (Avanti, XC, Northern, Chiltern, TfW) have all had the 45 mins/1hr rule so it's hardly unexpected.

Thanks for the insight. TOCs normally have that policy in place for trainee driver positions due to the sheer number of applications received; but for Qualified drivers the policies usually stipulate that applicants either currently live within 45 mins, or are willing to relocate to live within 45 mins. Or that's been our experience. Hubby just applied for Avanti Liverpool position last month and it said do you live 45 mins from the depot? Yes or No. If No are you willing to relocate? It looks as though WMT are struggling with this being the 3rd time of advertising. The adverts pop up again very quickly after the previous one expires. Let's see if they are 3rd time lucky.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Thanks for the insight. TOCs normally have that policy in place for trainee driver positions due to the sheer number of applications received; but for Qualified drivers the policies usually stipulate that applicants either currently live within 45 mins, or are willing to relocate to live within 45 mins. Or that's been our experience. Hubby just applied for Avanti Liverpool position last month and it said do you live 45 mins from the depot? Yes or No. If No are you willing to relocate? It looks as though WMT are struggling with this being the 3rd time of advertising. The adverts pop up again very quickly after the previous one expires. Let's see if they are 3rd time lucky.

The only thing I can add is that the depot at Crewe only has 1 driver vacancy currently, but are expecting to lose a number of drivers to retirement in the next 3 years. So it seems they are trying to cherry pick at this time as time isn't an issue for qualified drivers.

Need to get on it for trainee drivers though IMO.

Avanti are screwed for drivers at Liverpool and Euston from what I've seen, so they will need to look wider afield.

I would imagine LNWR Crewe will advertise for qualified drivers continuously this year, not sure why they even have a closing date on there