Why do London Underground train drivers earn so much?

Question

Most lines don't require a driver; they are automatic. According to the Mayor of London: "anyone could in a few weeks acquire the qualifications necessary to supervise an underground train".
Then why does a Train Driver earn £45,000 a year, compared to a Prosecutor who earns only £20,000 or a Pharmacist that earns only £15,00 ?

Answer 1

The reasons behind this statement go beyond a failure to understand what the job entails, which has already been adequately explained.



Boris does not get along well with the trades unions, particularly the RMT that represents the majority of workers on the Underground, and is attempting to polarise public opinion. By misrepresenting the complexity of a train driver's job and the amount and duration of training required before a driver becomes fully qualified, he is attempting to paint drivers as overpaid people doing a simple job so that any actions taken by their union with regard to pay and conditions appears unwarranted.



In any case, Boris is FACTUALLY wrong. I drive on the mainline railway and not the Underground, but the job is very similar. As a new recruit it took ten months to qualify and some drivers take even longer than that (we were rushed through about as quickly as could be achieved), not a few weeks. You have to learn the rules (like the Highway Code), traction, routes and then have a period of practical instruction.



The other thing to bear in mind when looking at driver's pay is that the job is very intolerant of mistakes, far more so than even politicians. If you accidentally miss out a station you can't go back and undo it. It is a professional job that requires 100% concentration at all times, often at very unsocial hours of the day and night. It also impacts massively on your home life because you have to manage your rest and be careful about things like when and how much you can drink.



Yes it all seems very easy when looking at it from the outside as Boris is. However, Boris's comments are more politically motivated than anything else.

Answer 2

I think the Mayor of London rather simplifies the trurh. There are two lines where the driver simply closes the doors and presses the start button. However he or she must take over a full drivers' role when signal failures occur, which is frequently. They operate trains which might carry as many as 1200-1500 people in the rush hour, and will be responsible for them if there is a fire, terrorist attack or similar emergency. They also need sufficient technical knowledge to drive the train forward to the next station if the electric motors were to fail as a result of fire or mechanical breakdown.

To convert the remainig lines to automatic running would cost billions - installing new signalling systems, sensors and replacing fleets of trains which are not life expired.

Answer 3

Under the 'logic' that tube drivers deserve such high wages to do work that can be learned in a reflectivity short amount of time, why do NYC subway drivers make ~£38,500? also, don't bus drivers have the same huge burden of public safety? if anything, they have to pay attention 'more than 100% of the time' as they have many more distractions and obstacles to deal with than a tube driver. sorry, the arguments for such high pay can be met with counter arguments in each case. they are overpaid due to a union boss that goes too far.

Answer 4

You may not understand, but it is because there are so many people jumping in front of their trains. That is why. The risk of having a person jumping in front is very high during your career as a train driver. So there you go. Guess it's like a compensation for hurt feelings and trauma, as he LU cannot predict , not prevent this happening for their employees. Unless it's in the Westminster station. Where all the MP's are...

Answer 5

Great job, but hard to get.....there's a comprehensive waiting list. A close friend of mine drives a tube, and earns a small fortune, particularly with overtime. I'd go for the overground option personally speaking, at least you'd get to see some daylight.

Answer 6

I addition to the excellent answer you have been given, do not forget that Underground train drivers work many antisocial hours the underground runs from 5 am until gone midnight, every day of the weeks, every day of the Year (except Christmas Day). The Mayor, as usual, is talking out of his ample backside with all the knowledge of someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth whose only qualification for politics is that he and David Cameron and their buddies were all in the Bullingdon Club at oxford.

Answer 7

They earn more than many airline pilots, all of whom train to do a much more demanding job, both technically and intellectually, also work anti-social hours, and whose mistakes are far more likely to lead to loss of life. And airline pilots all pay for their own training which take 3 years and costs over £100,000.



Yes, tube drivers are over paid.

Answer 8

The Mayor of London is useless. He wasted millions of pounds on taxpayers money forcing TfL to acquire hundreds of brand new double deckers to replace the perfectly good bendy buses which he personally happens to dislike. Total misuse of power.

If he insists drivers are not needed, let him write into a law a clause allowing himself personally to be sued in the event of accidents caused by the lack of an operator in the front cab

Answer 9

they hand the lives of thousands of lives of passengers. i dunno why people need to compare the salaries .. LU train driver or should i say all drivers lives is also at risk if there's something wrong while they're operating the machine.. it is the risk and responsibilities that being payed for and not the job title ,..

Answer 10

David S hit the nail on the head.



Just to warn you that any report you see come out on the unions will not be fair and will not be balanced since the Cameron hates them even more than Thatcher herself

Answer 11

Bob Crow. The last effective union leader. RIP Bob!

Answer 12

A prosecutor or pharmacist can cause harm to one or two or say 10 customers at a time, if he makes a mistake......................., However a train driver's mistake can cause loss of thousands of lives. He is not paid for his job harddnes, but for the responsibility he carries over his/her head.....



understand??