More than 1000 people apply to join Adelaide’s new rail operator, Keolis Downer

More than 1000 people have applied to join Keolis Downer, which recently advertised for trainee drivers – a month before they are due to take over Adelaide’s rail network.

More than 800 people have applied to become train operators for Keolis Downer. File Picture

More than 1000 people have applied to become train drivers with Keolis Downer, the State Government has revealed.

Transport Minister Corey Wingard said he was confident Keolis Downer would hire enough drivers by the time the private operator takes over Adelaide’s train network on January 31.

“They’ve had more than 800 applications for people who want to do this job,” he said on Monday. The number has since grown beyond 1000.

Mr Wingard said these “new” applications were a mix of qualified train drivers and some who wanted to make a fresh move into the industry.

Keolis Downer needs about 170 drivers.

“They see this is a great and exciting job and they’ve put their applications in,” Mr Wingard said.

“This is a wonderful opportunity; if you’re interested in trains and you want to get into this space, we encourage people to put their applications forward.”

Keolis Downer recently advertised for full-time “trainee train drivers”, offering “comprehensive training, a competitive pay and attractive leave provisions”.

The only criteria listed for the job was an unrestricted class C driver’s licence, while experience in heavy rail operations was “highly regarded”. Applications closed on December 16.

The job advert said successful applicants “will be trained to the highest standard to drive trains on the Adelaide Metro railway lines”.

Opposition transport spokesman Tom Koutsantonis said the job listing showed Keolis Downer was struggling to convince existing train drivers to join its ranks.

A transport department file from 2015, sourced by the Opposition, shows it takes about 39 weeks of training to become a qualified Suburban Train Driver.

“I’m really concerned because I’ve heard from insiders that only five people who are currently train drivers have submitted to the physical examination to join Keolis Downer,” he said.

“Eight hundred applications from the general public is not an indication of success. An indication of success is how many who are currently driving trains now are going to be joining from Adelaide Metro to Keolis Downer, and I hear it’s hardly any.”

Mr Koutsantonis said only “a third” of current Adelaide Metro train drivers have applied to join the new operator.

The State Government will fight a recent court ruling that allows train drivers to remain in limbo awaiting redundancy payments, rather than signing on with Keolis Downer.

Originally published as More than 1000 people apply to join Adelaide’s new rail operator, Keolis Downer