Re: Austrac requires drivers

["Russell Norton" <russelln@iprimus.com.au>]

Dave Proctor <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:nzuY4.1$Il2.432@news0.optus.net.au...
> "Stuart Thyer" <s.thyer@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au> wrote in message
> news:8gt3ug$b04$1@ariel.ucs.unimelb.edu.au...
> >
> > ----------
> > In article <jZnY4.14$KR2.1575@vic.nntp.telstra.net>, "Thommo"
> > <mjthom@hdc.net.au> wrote:
> Just on this, with all of the operators seeking QUALIFIED drivers, who is
> supposed to train the crews these days, and should an operator decide to
> train some drivers, how can they be assured that these crewpersons won't
> defect to the opposition?
>
> It is all well and good to try and attract FA or FC crews at the moment,
but
> sooner or later, new crews will have to start to be trained, but nobody
will
> want to do it unless they can get some security for their investment.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Dave

This is entirely correct. Operators are currently very reluctant to train
drivers' from scratch in any reasonable numbers, as there is no way to
prevent them from leaving once qualified. Hiring off the street, as far as
major operators are concerned, is also viewed as a last resort, as potential
trainees would generally be sourced from employees within the company (owing
to the current trend to reduce costs = downsizing). An example would be
Guards becoming Drivers' in Cityrail.

Operators, especially the major players, are still coming to grips with the
fact that drivers' have many alternatives if they are unhappy with their
existing employer (of if they get a better offer from another operator). It
would be prudent for companies to implement a strategy to retain their
existing drivers' (e.g. improvements to wages / conditions, bonuses etc.).
Failure to do this would ultimately result in train cancellations due to
driver shortages, and a resultant drop in revenue for the organisation as
customers are equally aware that there are alternatives in the rail freight
marketplace, if their consignments become disrupted.

Ultimately, someone is going to have to start training in significant
numbers. However, I doubt this will happen in the short term as there is
still uncertainty about exact driver requirements owing to the
implementation of new service plans, longer trains, and DOO.

Russ...