They’re proposing reducing the age to qualify for train driver training from 20 to 18.
Both the rail companies and the rail unions support this as it means the large number drivers who are expecting to retire soon can be replaced and it gives those who leave education at 18 a career path.
My grandpa actually used to drive a school bus in the 50’s as a teenager. Any high school student with a valid liscence could work as a driver. He’d take it home, park it In the yard, and go pick everyone up in the morning, on his way.
I see no reason not to let an 18yo or ever 16 drive a train, with basically no obstacles on a fixed track.
I don’t see an issue seems to be a lot of gatekeeping on age where there didn’t used to be.
We allow it for everything else like buses HGV’s here’s the steps to get into a tank.
"Training for the role
Step1
Your initial military training teaches you how to be a soldier, covering everything from fieldcraft to how to handle a rifle.
If you join as a Junior Soldier (under 17 years and 6 months), you’ll do a 40-week basic military training (long) course at Harrogate.
If you join as a Regular Soldier (over 17 years and 6 months), you’ll do the regular 14-week adult basic training.
Step 2
You head to Bovington, Dorset, for 20 weeks of specialist training to develop your technical skills. You will complete your driving licence (if you don’t already have it) and then move on to your tracked vehicle licence (the H licence) before getting to grips with driving the 62-tonne Challenger 2. You will also learn how to maintain and fix the Challenger 2 as well as use the radios."
Let me save you a click:
They’re proposing reducing the age to qualify for train driver training from 20 to 18.
Both the rail companies and the rail unions support this as it means the large number drivers who are expecting to retire soon can be replaced and it gives those who leave education at 18 a career path.
quite a clickbaity title. While 18 year olds are technically teenagers, the headline implies something like 14 year olds
My grandpa actually used to drive a school bus in the 50’s as a teenager. Any high school student with a valid liscence could work as a driver. He’d take it home, park it In the yard, and go pick everyone up in the morning, on his way.
I see no reason not to let an 18yo or ever 16 drive a train, with basically no obstacles on a fixed track.
I don’t see an issue seems to be a lot of gatekeeping on age where there didn’t used to be.
We allow it for everything else like buses HGV’s here’s the steps to get into a tank.
"Training for the role
Step1 Your initial military training teaches you how to be a soldier, covering everything from fieldcraft to how to handle a rifle.
Step 2 You head to Bovington, Dorset, for 20 weeks of specialist training to develop your technical skills. You will complete your driving licence (if you don’t already have it) and then move on to your tracked vehicle licence (the H licence) before getting to grips with driving the 62-tonne Challenger 2. You will also learn how to maintain and fix the Challenger 2 as well as use the radios."
That sounds very reasonable. Why shouldn’t you be able to start training at 18?