Freight drivers

[Buffer68]

Sorry if this has been asked before. How do you go about becoming a freight driver. There is much on here about passenger driving and I wondered if the process is the same. I am looking at getting into passenger driving but have also looked at DBS and freightliner etc. They all seem to want qualified drivers but where do you start?

 

[W230]

You've answered your own question - they start with a TOC and then move to a FOC.

I'm sure there will be some FOC's that take on trainees but I would guess if they do then it's highly likely to be internal and I certainly think it's few and far between.

 

[GB]

I know Freightliner have taken on off the street trainees in the past and I'm pretty sure DBS and DRS have also. But as already pointed out, the majority of trainees are internal and there his a high proportion of requirements for fully qualified drivers due to the nature of the industry.

The recruitment process is exactly the same as a TOC.

 

[TDK]

DRS also have a trainee program I believe

 

[Beveridges]

DB Schenker - Impossible to get in as an unqualified external!
Freightliner - extremely rarely recruit unqualified externals in fact the one time they did they only took on about 10. Only other way in is to drive for a TOC first then apply to Freightliner later.
DRS - Very rarely recruit trainees, and when they do, so many apply for it that the chances of getting in are about the same as winning the Euro Lottery. Not to mention lots of competetion from extremely dedicated 'trainspotters' who like the sound of getting paid £53k for driving class 37s on freight all the time.
GBRf - Only possible through promotion from the Assistant Train Manager grade.
Colas & other small companies- exceptionally hard to get into, not only do they want qualified drivers, they can afford to be so choosy as to specify qualified drivers with AT LEAST 5 YEARS or MORE freight experience and an incident free record! Definetely not one for beginners. But these companies tend to have the best pay, jobs and traction (e.g. class 56s) so they can afford to pick and choose.

So as you can imagine, freight is probably about a few thousand times harder to get a Drivers job in than passenger as an external unqualified. This is even despite the huge downsides on freight, like the shifts which are far worse than passenger and the threat of being made redundant.

 

[cookiescrumble]

DB Schenker are looking for trainee drivers

http://www.rail.dbschenker.co.uk/careers/vacancy-trainee-train-drivers.html

 

[Dave1987]

DB Schenker are looking for trainee drivers

http://www.rail.dbschenker.co.uk/careers/vacancy-trainee-train-drivers.html

To be honest I think they will fill those with qualified drivers and internal candidates. There are only 61 nationwide!

 

[Legzr1]

DB Schenker - Impossible to get in as an unqualified external!

In the past 10 years they've taken on scores of trainees.

The post above this one shows they're recruiting yet again

DRS - Very rarely recruit trainees, and when they do, so many apply for it that the chances of getting in are about the same as winning the Euro Lottery. Not to mention lots of competetion from extremely dedicated 'trainspotters' who like the sound of getting paid £53k for driving class 37s on freight all the time.

£53K?
Ha!
This is the company that slashed the £5000 'retention/bonus' payment with little notice taking wages to below that of Northern Rail!

I agree with the tone of the rest of your sentence though...

Colas & other small companies- exceptionally hard to get into, not only do they want qualified drivers, they can afford to be so choosy as to specify qualified drivers with AT LEAST 5 YEARS or MORE freight experience and an incident free record! Definetely not one for beginners. But these companies tend to have the best pay, jobs and traction (e.g. class 56s) so they can afford to pick and choose.

Where to start with that?

Drivers are on zero hour contracts and,like for like,earn less than £40K for a 39 hour week.

Less pay for more hours than almost all TOC's and FOC's this side of the Isle of Wight!

Compare and contrast with DBS:£42.5K / 35 hour week and GBrF:£58K / 41 Hour week.

Big money can be made but that would mean opting out of the working time directive (and working 50hours min.)
They have a couple of Cl 56's (just as poor with a heavy load as always) but have 66's and 20's too...

Not as difficult to get into as you may think either

like the shifts which are far worse than passenger and the threat of being made redundant.

Can't argue with that.

You want well paid,clean and secure work?

Stick to TOC's.

You're a bit of a spotter and your idea of ecstasy is a cold,knackered 37 struggling to pull 800T flat out?

Stick to platform edges with a camera.

 

[Legzr1]

To be honest I think they will fill those with qualified drivers and internal candidates. There are only 61 nationwide!

Qualified drivers from where?

They've been looking for qualifieds for Eastleigh and Peak Forest since last year and not a sniff of interest!

 

[Dave1987]

Qualified drivers from where?

They've been looking for qualifieds for Eastleigh and Peak Forest since last year and not a sniff of interest!

I know someone who drives for freightliner, he has told me they usually get loads of qualified drivers applying. He said they also prefer drivers who have experience driving trains. Plus would have thought they will have plenty of internal candidates applying.

 

[Beveridges]

DB Schenker are looking for trainee drivers

http://www.rail.dbschenker.co.uk/careers/vacancy-trainee-train-drivers.html

Bad timing by me as just as I said that DB Schenker never take on unqualified externals - which they have not done in the last 6+ years - loads of vacancies appear for Drivers & Driver Operators!
With all the redundancies over the last few years I'm suprised the opposite is happening & they are taking on, maybe freight traffic has finally stopped declining.

 

[Wath Yard]

He said they also prefer drivers who have experience driving trains.

That would be an advantage if they are looking for experienced train drivers.

 

[GB]

The standard GBRF contract is for around 48k for a 35 hour week. This is what most of the company work too, however some newer drivers in the nothern area are on the longer hours contract.

 

[Dave1987]

That would be an advantage if they are looking for experienced train drivers.

From what I have gathered driving 2000 tonne freight trains takes a lot more skill than driving units, thats why they prefer drivers who have 2 years experience.

 

[Beveridges]

You're a bit of a spotter and your idea of ecstasy is a cold,knackered 37 struggling to pull 800T flat out?

Stick to platform edges with a camera

Still think it sounds better than driving a noisy, hot, class 66 struggling to pull 1200T flat out, and its got to be better than driving units

 

[GB]

This is even despite the huge downsides on freight, like the shifts which are far worse than passenger and the threat of being made redundant.

As with any job there are upsides and downsides. I am sure on a TOC there are some pretty big downsides.

One of the big upsides at my firm is that once your job is done you can go home. So if your on 0600 - 1800 and you happen to finish by 1100 you go home and still get paid the full 12 hours. That alone is worth putting up with starting at 0300 another day!

Edit: A class 66 doesn't struggle with 1200t unless there is either something wrong with the loco or there is a gradient.

 

[Beveridges]

A class 66 doesn't struggle with 1200t unless there is either something wrong with the loco or there is a gradient

A class 37 doesnt struggle with 800t either unless theres something wrong with it or theres a gradient

 

[Dave1987]

As with any job there are upsides and downsides. I am sure on a TOC there are some pretty big downsides.

One of the big upsides at my firm is that once your job is done you can go home. So if your on 0600 - 1800 and you happen to finish by 1100 you go home and still get paid the full 12 hours. That alone is worth putting up with starting at 0300 another day!

Edit: A class 66 doesn't struggle with 1200t unless there is either something wrong with the loco or there is a gradient.

My friend who drives for freightliner has told me he spends more time driving a company car/van around than he does driving trains. Couple that with other disadvantages don't know which is better to drive for a TOC or a FOC.

 

[Legzr1]

As someone with extensive driving experience of both classes I can assure you that I've driven 37s on a damp rail that have struggled with less than 800 tonne trailing weight.

Two days later, similar conditions and a 66 pulled 2900 tonnes with relative ease (and certainly a lot easier than the relic 37 with less than a third of the weight).

There's a sound reason for Class 66s dominating the European freight market at the expense of unreliable 'others'.

Give me 'noisy and hot' with the real prospect of getting home over cold, rattling, noisy and scruffy any day - class 37 heating system: Bin liners or open fanroom door.

I digress...

From what I have gathered driving 2000 tonne freight trains takes a lot more skill than driving units, thats why they prefer drivers who have 2 years experience.

Sounds like something a smug freight driver would say!

In reality you're comparing apples and oranges.

Driving in thick freezing fog at 125mph is difficult as is stopping a 2000T freight train with a few isolated wagon brakes.

Getting out of bed at 0245 for the 6th time that week is difficult no matter the class of train.

The braking point for the 50mph speed restriction for a 110mph train takes experience to get spot on as does judging when to power off for a decline with a heavy freight train.

I know someone who drives for freightliner, he has told me they usually get loads of qualified drivers applying. He said they also prefer drivers who have experience driving trains. Plus would have thought they will have plenty of internal candidates applying.

Freightliner get loads of drivers applying?

Maybe so but what does that have to do with DBSchenker?

Unless you mean the freightliner driver knows loads of GB/DRS/FL/FLHH who've applied to DBS?

If that's the case I suggest he checks his sources

 

[Buffer68]

Thanks for all the info guys. I am looking to drive passenger but wondered what was entailed with freight. Sounds like I shall be starting at the bottom and working through to better passenger trains which is fine.

 

[Beveridges]

When I joined the railway I always considered freight driving as a long-term aim and the job I wanted to end up in, but after reading about the horrendous shifts / job security and the amount of time spent driving on the road, it has put me off going for that aim.

Two days later, similar conditions and a 66 pulled 2900 tonnes with relative ease (and certainly a lot easier than the relic 37 with less than a third of the weight

Anyone can use two extreme examples to make a point that they are biased towards making. I could use an example of when a 37 hauled a 2000 tonne ballast train with relative ease if I wanted, compared to a 66 struggling with 1200T. But then I didnt mention the fact that the 37 was on the flat, and the 66 was on a gradient. The difference between a 66 and a 37 in pulling power is notable, as the 66 was designed as a very heavy freight hauler while the 37 was not designed for any specific task, just general purpose passenger & freight. But it certainly isn't as extreme as stated in your post, which is biased, using two extreme examples to show the best moment of one class (66) against the worst moment of another (37).

 

[Dave1987]

Yeah that was my aim as well to go to freight but I'm not so sure now. Certainly being with a TOC seem to be far more secure and the conditions/working hours seem a lot better. But at the same time at least you would get a bit a variety in the freight driving whereas driving passengers services can get quite repetative and boring. Especially on cross city work.

 

[Beveridges]

Yes but driving on the road for hours on end would get boring and frustrating. Just driving to work used to do my head in until I relocated, and that was only a 40 mile round trip.
I think I'll stick with maintaince depot driving for the current time at least the shifts are very consistant, there is no "real" monotony, and no stupid booking on times with the odd exception. Also at least if you get a crap unit your not exactly stuck on it long either.



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[Dave1987]

Yes but driving on the road for hours on end would get boring and frustrating. Just driving to work used to do my head in until I relocated, and that was only a 40 mile round trip.
I think I'll stick with maintaince depot driving for the current time at least the shifts are very consistant, there is no "real" monotony, and no stupid booking on times with the odd exception. Also at least if you get a crap unit your not exactly stuck on it long either.



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Indeed ive been told by a mate of mine who drives for freightliner that he spends more time driving on the roads than driving trains and spends many nights in hotels. Single mans game!

 

[Harbon 1]

As someone with extensive driving experience of both classes I can assure you that I've driven 37s on a damp rail that have struggled with less than 800 tonne trailing weight.

Two days later, similar conditions and a 66 pulled 2900 tonnes with relative ease (and certainly a lot easier than the relic 37 with less than a third of the weight).

There's a sound reason for Class 66s dominating the European freight market at the expense of unreliable 'others'.

Give me 'noisy and hot' with the real prospect of getting home over cold, rattling, noisy and scruffy any day - class 37 heating system: Bin liners or open fanroom door.

I've heard many drivers dislike 66s and that they have nothing on a 60

 

[387star]

I've heard many drivers dislike 66s and that they have nothing on a 60

Sorry difference between driver and driver operator again?

 

[doubleamber]

Dont forget you are bonded to DBS for 5 years, and you must sign this before you get set on for this position!

Friend of mine is an instructor drive for them. Still applying for the trainee position, i might just have that euro millions winning ticket! and he is going to be reference!!

Only a 14 day window for applications


Good luck

 

[Lanc688]

Dont forget you are bonded to DBS for 5 years, and you must sign this before you get set on for this position!

Friend of mine is an instructor drive for them. Still applying for the trainee position, i might just have that euro millions winning ticket! and he is going to be reference!!

Only a 14 day window for applications


Good luck

Good luck buddy...I assume that you are applying for Worksop or Donny?....I certainly would be, were I not starting with FTPE soon !

Lanc

 

[doubleamber]

Good luck buddy...I assume that you are applying for Worksop or Donny?....I certainly would be, were I not starting with FTPE soon !

Lanc

cheers Lanc and well done on FTPE, I see they are wanting drivers again, my 6 month window for my last application is next week, so might even try them again. and i have put down for them both, and knottingley, another mate works in the office at donny and is going to try keep me informed, 1 thing its saying is if there is a lot of interest they will pull the closing date back!

 

[W230]

Dont forget you are bonded to DBS for 5 years, and you must sign this before you get set on for this position!

Maybe, but in reality they can't stop you leaving and can't do anything if you do!