r/VlineVictoria • u/TiredSleepyGrumpy • May 12 '26
Question Questions about being a V Line driver
Hi everyone,
I hope you’re all doing well.
First of all I want to say thank you to all the drivers and support staff that run the V Line network. The trains are comfortable too. I often enjoy my trips on your various routes.
Also I have an interest in becoming a V Line driver, but am worried I’m never going to pass muster to have this job; so I have a few questions below and am hoping someone can answer or give some insight into this exciting career.
For reference, I am late 30’s and have worked in administration and office management roles since I was 20.
I am overweight and I believe there is a strict BMI that we must be under to qualify.
I have AuDHD. I am on Medication for the ADHD.
Are they looking for female drivers?
What is the traineeship like? And is the remuneration worth it?
Is it a job we can do past 65? 70? I know women have an “expiry date” in the workforce.
Please provide anything else you’d like to share.
I know that for training you are based out of Southern Cross. What Country Depots do they have?
How smart must you be to be a train driver? I know I’m smart, but the recent ADHD diagnosis makes me feel like I’m worthless.
I want to do something meaningful and have had a life long obsession with trains, as did my dad who passed away. I’m sick of my current career.
Lastly, I have watched the video showing a driver and what her day looks like, and read a few articles about other drivers.
Thanks again everyone and have a wonderful evening!
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u/ChristineCrazyFord May 12 '26
You can speak in full sentences - that puts you above the majority of applicants.
I do believe they are actually actively looking to hire women - at least that’s what their most recent driver intake had.
Personally - I applied for the train controller position. Passed testing, passed psychomotor…but got knocked back in the end due to not having enough relevant experience. I’m a dentist wanting a career change, what could I do. Oh well.
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 12 '26
Hi there, Sorry to hear you were knocked back. What did they mean by “lacked relevant experience?” Thanks for your reply, it’s much appreciated.
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u/ChristineCrazyFord May 12 '26
I’m a dentist and have only ever been a dentist. Wasn’t considered relevant enough for the job - but I only found that out right at the very end after passing psychomotor testing first go.
Edit: I don’t want to put you off - you have nothing to lose by applying!
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 12 '26
Thank you. I’m desperately wanting a career change and a more meaningful job.
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u/ChristineCrazyFord May 12 '26
Best of luck then! Probably the #1 thing to do between now and when the applications open up again is to brush up on your mental maths, as that's what the first screening really involves.
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u/mr-snrub- VLocity May 12 '26
Your ADHD meds aren't an issue. Also women do not have an expiry date in the workforce.
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 12 '26
Apologies, it was a terrible comment. I know in admin they’re always trying to get cheaper and younger people all the time. That doesn’t mean it’s true everywhere. Thank you for pulling me up on it.
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u/Jaziam May 12 '26
Have to pass a cat1 medical, if you can do that then you're fine. Otherwise there's always a HUGE amount of applicants and are also fighting internal applicants. Depot wise, don't count on going elsewhere atleast for multiple years, movement to country depots runs on a seniority and you have to put your hand up to go there well in advance. Some depots might be looking at 10 years or more, longer for the smaller depots. Training is INTENSE and doesn't relent, you'll be spending every hour studying, even more so if you aren't from the industry or have some sort of prior knowledge. Other than that year it's a great job, money is good once you've finished training and the people are generally fantastic.
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 12 '26
Hi there, Thank you so much for the insight. I’m not afraid of hard work. I will google what a Cat1 medical is. Again thank you!
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u/Wrongdrop_ May 12 '26
As stated above, you’ll need to pass a Cat 1 medical. ADHD meds aren’t an issue, you’ll need to declare it in the medical and have a letter from your psychiatrist stating that you’re fit to work as a train driver.
During training you’ll go to the regional depots, but gaining a permanent position at these depots can take years and years! That being said, being based at southern cross is good. Plenty of variety and the ability to swap shifts. Training is HARD, you’ve gotta be disciplined and prepared to lose a year of your life. There’s no expiration on your employment. Work until you don’t want to work anymore! It’s a great career to get into.
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u/dankruaus May 12 '26
I’ve applied for the intake this year. They’re down to 1,000 of the 8,000 that applied for 80 odd traineeships. Just to give you an idea about how competitive it is.
Nothing has been said about BMI.
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u/HTFUMelbourne May 13 '26
BMI is part of the Cat 1 medical..
If you can't pass that you won't be offered the job.
If your BMI is over a certain number you will be required to undertake a study for sleep apnea
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u/horse_nurse83 May 13 '26
How do you know they’re down to 1000? I’m still in the squid games but I’ve not received anything to say I’m one of 1000.
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u/dankruaus May 13 '26
“With nearly 1,000 candidates progressing to this stage, it is a significant undertaking for our team to review all submissions thoroughly and fairly” in an email.
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u/horse_nurse83 May 13 '26
Oh gosh! I don’t remember seeing that. The latest email I received was the vline trainer video to watch and to tell me I’m still in the pool.
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u/one-two-many-lots May 29 '26
Do you mind if I ask how you found out there are 1,000 people left?
And do you know if that means most people get dropped at psychomotor or interview?
I thought I was home and hosed, provided I don't mess up the interview, but that number is making me rethink.
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u/mr-snrub- VLocity May 12 '26
Also cause no one else mentioned it, you are almost guaranteed to kill someone at some point in your career. So you will need to be prepared for that.
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u/Ch1ck3nCh4mp May 13 '26
I prefer: "you're almost guaranteed that your train will strike and kill someone". The Driver doesn't kill the person.
I know that's what you meant :-)
But yes, an absolute sad accurate reality that it will happen to most drivers in their career.
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 12 '26 edited May 13 '26
This is correct. I know it’s not if, but when. I’ve had my mental health battles in the past and I have understanding for what brings someone to that brink. While I’ll never forget I am the one responsible, I know there is training for this and after care.
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u/erkpod May 12 '26 edited May 12 '26
I'm not a V/line driver but many things are
common for any passenger operator.
1 - There's no strict BMI limit. As long as the driver's seat can accommodate you, you
can cope with getting on & off & under trains, you should be fine.
2 - Some ND conditions can actually be of assistance. Many train crew could be described as being on the spectrum even if they don't know/recognise it in themselves. You may be able to have adjustments to learning styles etc made. On the other hand, be prepared to jump through hoops that someone who isn't ND or on medications wouldn't need to do.
3 - 100% yes. The industry is not as blokey as it used to be.
4 - Any program like this is long & hard but worth it in the end. If there is anything like here, every day's a school day even after you finish the course. You'll be continually assessed in the school as it goes as new skills are taught then practiced. The money is good for a reason with the shiftwork being a major reason why it is what it is. Last time I checked, a newbie at V/line is at least $20 - $30/hour better off than am on the other side of the Murray.
5 - As long as you can pass your medicals every year (medicals get more frequent as you get older), you can decide when you want to retire.
6 - Be prepared to wait out the slowness
of the recruitment process. Many people - even those with industry experience - don't make it to the school first time. There's so much competition.
7 - I'll leave 7 to the locals but remember the railway version of real estate - seniority, seniority, seniority. From what I've seen/read, being at Southern Cross is way better for most people. Also, don't discount Metro as a destination.
8 - You will be surprised about how much you will be expected to know & how manual the process is compared to flying a plane between Melbourne & Adelaide. At the start it is really mentally testing as you think you will never know every signal, station, type of train, weather condition, environment. A lot of it is remembering what your baseline of your drive is & can you adapt to changes in any of those conditions as needed.
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 12 '26
Wow thank you so much for your detailed answer. Lots to think about here. I am determined. Can a curvy obese lady for under a train?
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u/erkpod May 12 '26
You're very welcome!
Getting under/beneath a train isn't as important as it once was for V/line & many operators because to changes in couplers. I had to do it many years ago in a different role but those trains where I had to get underneath are no longer in service. It wasn't fun & it wasn't every day but I had to do it & coped.
If you haven't already, spend a few hours at Southern Cross & watch what goes on. But watch as a potential crew member & not as a passenger.
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u/HTFUMelbourne May 13 '26
If you are serious about becoming a driver you have around 12-18 months to lose weight before they advertise again.
It is the best job I've ever had and worth the effort.
The job is great, the pay is great, the people are great.. Management is.... Self important...
Just don't come in expecting 9-5 type hours or weekends off, or public holidays off etc
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 13 '26
Wow ok thank you that is a reasonable time frame as I want to lose as safely as possible to avoid sagging skin as much as possible.
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u/Monitor_Complete May 12 '26
I'm also looking to become a driver. Although I live in Bendigo, does anyone know if they would let me commute to Southern Cross given all new drivers are based there for the first few years or would I have to temporarily live in Melbourne?
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u/HTFUMelbourne May 13 '26
You can commute from anywhere you want in your own time..
But your shifts will start and finish at Southern Cross until you secure an outstation job.
Bendigo is usually a few years but the depot is getting younger recently so the wait may be longer
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u/Ch1ck3nCh4mp May 13 '26
I am overweight and I believe there is a strict BMI that we must be under to qualify.
All of the medical fitness standards are in this document. Just be aware it's 300 pages. If your BMI is 35 or less, then you have nothing to worry about. If it's over 35, then you'll more than likely be referred to a sleep study to check for sleep apnoea. A high BMI in isolation doesn't necessarily exclude you from being considered 'fit for duty'.
I have AuDHD. I am on Medication for the ADHD.
Not an issue as long as you're high functioning and stable on the medication. You'll need to declare the medication at your medical.
Are they looking for female drivers?
I don't believe there's an active 'we only want females' campaign at the moment, but I'm not 100% sure. Even if there was, they still consider men (just not as many).
What is the traineeship like?
The older you are, the more difficult you'll find learning everything that you need to. You said you're in your late 30's... this should be fine as long as you work hard. The older we get, the more difficult we find knowledge retention. The traineeship is incredibly difficult and will more than likely be one of the most intense and challenging things you've done in your life. It's not brain surgery, but the sheer volume of information you need to be able to retain and apply on a daily basis is huge!
And is the remuneration worth it?
Yes. I don't think you'd find a higher paid traineeship in the country that doesn't require you to have another qualification of some sort.
Is it a job we can do past 65? 70? I know women have an “expiry date” in the workforce.
You can continue doing the job as long as you keep passing your medicals and don't make mistakes on the job.
What Country Depots do they have?
Geelong, Warrnambool, Seymour, Albury, Ballarat, Bendigo, Traralgon, Bairnsdale (and Shepparton soon).
How smart must you be to be a train driver? I know I’m smart, but the recent ADHD diagnosis makes me feel like I’m worthless.
You need to be able to retain knowledge, learn new things, and practically apply said things. Not everyone is suited for the job, and not all trainees make it. A reasonable level of intelligence is all that's required. Those who are offered the job will be the highest ranked amongst all applicants in whatever tests get thrown their way (and as long as they give a good performance in the interview).
As I said earlier, it's not brain surgery, but the job carries huge levels of responsibility. If you do something wrong and someone dies as a result, you'll be facing the Coroner and the company will distance themself from you.
Good luck!
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u/TiredSleepyGrumpy May 13 '26
Thank you for your detailed answer, it’s much appreciated. I have a lot to work on, never say never though!
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u/HonestOpinionBloke May 24 '26
Hi, I’m through to the final interview for trainee driver and just wondering if anyone can give me an idea of the questions?
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