National Standards TOC & FOC

[abacus614]

Evening all. I sat my stage 2 assessment for WMT earlier this week and failed to achieve the enhanced result for the two hand coordination test. However I did achieve the national standard. Very disappointed and a pass is a pass in my book, but let's not go there.

I'm now thinking of applying to another TOC or FOCs who will accept the national standard. My questions is does anyone know which of these operating companies will accept my results?

 

[Intermodal]

Northern accept national. A big congratulations on your pass, because that is what it is!

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Evening all. I sat my stage 2 assessment for WMT earlier this week and failed to achieve the enhanced result for the two hand coordination test. However I did achieve the national standard. Very disappointed and a pass is a pass in my book, but let's not go there.

I'm now thinking of applying to another TOC or FOCs who will accept the national standard. My questions is does anyone know which of these operating companies will accept my results?

Well done for passing your tests. Did they tell you that you'd failed 2Hand as I was under the impression that all the computer based tests were pass or fail only - i.e only the paper tests could have an enhanced pass?

 

[abacus614]

Well done for passing your tests. Did they tell you that you'd failed 2Hand as I was under the impression that all the computer based tests were pass or fail only - i.e only the paper tests could have an enhanced pass?

Yes theres 3 computer tests less the SJT. They pulled me into an office and went though the results. Passed everything to enhanced, other than the 2nd hand, they told me I have passed it at the national statandard but not the enhanced standard WMT require. Not very happy as you can imagine.

 

[Jon1930]

I would just wait 6 months and apply again as WMT trains are always recruiting for drivers.

 

[abacus614]

I would just wait 6 months and apply again as WMT trains are always recruiting for drivers.

I've have a bit of a bad after taste with WMT. The computer tests are not hard. The enhanced scoring method is just a ****ty way of whittling down the numbers.

I'm an electrician by trade. Every working day in order to comply with the regulations I have to make sure what I do complies to a British standard. I never exceed the expectations of the regulations I just make sure I comply with them. So in a nut shell, it either complies or it doesn't. So if that's the case in my book, a pass is a pass a fail is a fail. That's why I dont understand how certain TOCs can get away with insisting on enhanced scoring. When all the literature they prepare is to a national standard.

I also think that if an enhanced standard is harder to achieve then 2 attempts to pass isnt enough and should only be implemented to the national standard which I'm sure it is. As you can probably tell I'm quite bitter about it.

 

[DunfordBridge]

I was in the same boat as you but with Transpennine Express last month, as was someone else who attended the same stage 2 assessments as me. I agree with you, you do not actually use a joy stick to control a train. I gather that most of the operators in the South-East also use the enhanced standard apart from SWR.

The enhanced standard is not clear because different operators may have different pass marks above the national standard, so your pass mark might be good enough for Southern or Transpennine Express, you do not get to find out until you apply with them and if they ask you to redo the 2Hand Test. Whilst you have lost a life with WMT I reckon, you will two lives elsewhere.

Northern use the national standard but they seem strict about applicants already living within reasonable commuting distance of the depots, whether that changes since Arriva were stripped of Northern, I do not know. They do seem short of drivers as far as I can see, only the other Saturday, I had to change my plans because there was no driver available for the train from Sheffield to Nottingham. I do not know of many people who have succeeded with Northern. Both my friend and I have tried repeatedly with Northern but to no avail.

I would try SWR, they seem to be having a bit of a recruitment drive at the moment.