15 Tough Train Driver Interview Questions and Answers

The train driver interviews are known to be extremely challenging. Not only will candidates have to prepare for the trainee train driver structured interview questions but also the train driver manager’s interview questions.

In this article, we will look at the 15 toughest train driver interview questions that are guaranteed to come up in your interviews! 

These questions are ideal for the UK train driver interviews and also worldwide train companies and have all been verified by our panel of interview experts!

Why do you want to be a train driver interview question answer:

First and foremost, it is a role that comes with a huge amount of responsibility from a safety aspect and also looking after your passengers, looking after your work colleagues and also looking after the rolling stock. I want to be in a role where I have that high level of responsibility. It has always been a passion of mine to become a train driver and I’ve spent many years researching the role. I am a people person and I love that as a train driver you have to deal with people – you have to provide excellent customer service – and I very much enjoy the type of role where you get to interact with different people to provide them with a higher level of service. I also want to become a train driver because I am looking for long term employment in a role where I will get to make a positive difference to people’s lives on a regular basis. I also want to be a train driver because of the amount of information that you have to learn and retain on an ongoing basis, this means I will have to apply myself. I will have to take responsibility for making sure that I keep up to date with all the rules and the procedures and the changes that come into play, and I will also have to make sure that I maintain my own physical and mental health moving forward. I love the responsibility that comes with the position. So, those are the main reasons why I want to become a train driver.

What are the qualities needed to become a train driver answer:

There are numerous different qualities that you need to be an effective and competent train driver. At the top of the list undoubtedly is being safety conscious and also being able to follow rules and procedures at all times and not deviate from those rules or procedures. It is vital to be safety conscious. You also have to be able to provide excellent customer service; because even though I want to become a train driver, I am actually joining a train operating company that is there already providing a really good service, and I will have a responsibility, along with other members of the train operating company, to make sure that high level of service is always maintained. You also need risk assessment qualities. What I mean by that is adapting to emergency situations and also using your self-awareness to know when something isn’t right and also acting accordingly whilst following relevant rules and procedures. Other qualities you need are being able to always follow your training. It is key that all train drivers have the ability to remember the different rules and procedures that come into play and also having the ability and the quality to maintain a large amount of job relevant information on an ongoing basis, I know there is a lot to learn and it’s safety critical. Just as it is to be able to maintain a high-level of concentration for long periods of time. You also have to have the quality of maintaining accurate records, because I presume, you will need to complete a logbook on a regular basis. You have to be able to remain calm under pressure because people on your train who you are carrying your passengers, they rely on you to keep them safe. You will also have to communicate clearly and also be prepared to communicate difficult messages at times. So those are the different qualities to some of the qualities that you need to be a competent train driver.

Provide an example of when you had to deal with an emergency situation answer:

A few months ago, I was driving home from work and up ahead, there was a road traffic collision involving a car and a motorcycle. Now, the police nor the ambulance service were on the scene, and it only happened a few minutes earlier. Nobody seemed to be taking control of the situation. So, I parked my car in a safe area and I then telephoned 999 to get the police and emergency services on the way. I then went over to the incident just to look at what was going on. Some people were panicking because somebody was injured in the car and it wasn’t clear what had happened to the motorcyclist. I then carried out a quick assessment of the scene and I called back 999 to give a further update about what I had seen at the incident. There was also a small crowd gathering in the area, so I asked everybody to stay back. Now, even though I’m not a police officer or a firefighter, I used a bit of common sense to make sure the scene was safe. I then went to have a look at the casualties and I noticed the person in the car, even though they were OK, they seemed to have a head injury. I told them to remain still, because from what I understand, if you have an accident and you’ve injured your head, you could have done damage to your spine. Therefore, I told him to remain still and not to move at all, not to get out of the car because they could become more injured. When the police arrived, first of all, I relayed all of the information that I had about what I had seen and what had happened or what I’d done so far over to them and they then took over from there on in. So, I believe in any kind of emergency situation, I am able to remain calm and also apply logic to a situation, use common sense. But as a train driver, I would always follow my rules and my training.

To successfully prepare for the train driver interview, you must prepare responses to the below questions:

1. Tell me why you want to become a train driver?
2. What are the qualities needed to become a train driver?
3. Provide an example of when you had to deal with an emergency situation.
4. Why do you want to work for this train operating company?
5. Tell me about a time when you had to undertake a repetitive task.
6. How do you cope with working for long periods of time alone?
7. Have you ever broken rules?
8. Have you had to undertake shiftwork before?
9. Can you describe what being a train driver entails?
10. How would previous work colleagues describe you?
11. Describe a time when you had to work as part of the team.
12. Describe a time where you’ve assisted a member of the public.
13. Provide an example when you have carried out a safety related task.
14. Tell me about the time when you communicated an important message to a group of people.
15. That’s the end of the interview. Have you got any questions for us?

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