Drivers leaving.

[keith morgan]

On BBC Midlands news today it was stated that a percentage of London Midlands trains are having to be cancelled because of a shortage of drivers.

Apparently 31 drivers based in the West Midlands have left LM in the last couple of months, they have left to go to other TOC's where they can attain higher rates of pay, it was also reported that LM driver's earn £40,000 per year, more if they work overtime.
Does anyone know why they are leaving, and where are they going?

[avonside1563]

Or alternatively how I can get a job as a driver to replace those leaving!!

[HM181]

Perhaps you ask management about how they treat there staff.

[Beeyar Wunby]

Originally Posted by avonside1563

Or alternatively how I can get a job as a driver to replace those leaving!!

Best place would be to watch this space......https://www.londonmidlandcareers.com (although this url caused my Avast to issue a warning )

There's more to this shortage than just people chasing more money. I'm not saying this is necessarily the case with LM, but some TOCs are really awful to work for, eg heavy-handed management, soul destroying & repetitive work, or physically uncomfortable traction, etc.

You should also realise that the easiest drivers jobs to get into are usually the worst. It's a pyramid with suburban work at the bottom, and intercity at the top. So there's always going to be a number of ambitious drivers who want to progress to the top notch jobs, and this is often done by hopping from company to company.

Most TOCs & FOCs are running with vacancies in the roster at the moment. Training new drivers is expensive and time consuming (approximately a year from recruiting a trainee to them becoming productive) and it's always cheaper to pay existing drivers to work overtime on their Rest Days. With the recession biting it's one way of keeping costs down.

However considering the numbers involved here, I suspect that something is significantly amiss. It's interesting to see that LM's website is trying to attract qualified drivers and not trainees. Give it time - that may have to change.

[Mike448]

Have they gone to EMT?

[keith morgan]

This subject was first posted in Oct. 2012, i believe LMR. have their full compliment of drivers now.