Passenger Train Driver
What the work is
Drives a train to transport passengers on railways.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Operates and monitors controls to regulate speed, direction and braking of the train
- Monitors track and weather conditions and railway signals
- Ensures passengers, including those with mobility restrictions, board and alight vehicles in a safe and timely manner
- Communicates with control centres using radio or other communication devices
- Adheres to timetables and schedules to ensure on-time arrival and departures of trains
- Makes announcements to passengers and liaises with onboard staff
- Responds to emergencies or unexpected situations, such as mechanical failures or medical incidents
- Ensures public safety by adhering to public duty of care protocols and monitoring transit security procedures
- Completes reports related to train operations and incidents
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a tram depot and the city routes that run out from it, in a fictional river city. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A packed tram pulls in right on time and everyone steps off without a fuss
- A nervous first-time rider thanks you for waiting while they found their stop
- A clear, quiet night run when the signals, the track and the timetable all line up
Hard days
- A stretch of route where cars keep stopping on the tracks and you cannot swerve
- Early starts and split shifts that leave you running on very little sleep
- Passengers upset about a delay that is not your doing, and you are the face of it
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 711332, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.