The profession of conductor is attractive for several reasons. The salary is good and the additional conditions are also very attractive. Most conductors in the Netherlands work for the National Railways. Other conductors work for Connexion and various municipal transport companies, such as GVB and RET. People are usually asked to have at least a diploma at MAVO level. The various transport companies then have their own training courses for those who apply. It is the little boy’s dream: to work as a conductor. The profession seemed to be in decline for a long time, but has now been revived. The word conductor is originally a French word and it meant. The word was introduced in the Netherlands around 1570 years ago and took on the meaning of guide. The first railway lines were built in the mid-19th century. The word conductor was then used to describe all accompanying officials. Later the word was mainly applied to the person who checks the tickets. Since then, the word has not actually changed in meaning.
Working as a conductor
The largest employer of conductors is the National Railways. At the beginning of 2013, almost 2,800 chief conductors were employed there. The abbreviation for this is hc, pronounced hacee. Not every train has a conductor. However, the conductors are assigned in such a way that checks are carried out regularly on each line, so that it is not attractive for passengers to try to drive without paying a ticket. In that case, they will receive a fine of 40 euros. If there are multiple conductors on a train, the conductor with the most recent service record is in principle in charge. The conductor has several responsibilities, such as control, providing information to travelers and announcing departure. In addition to the conductor, there are often NS employees on the tracks who provide information to travelers. In the past, these people were referred to as departure assistants, but in recent years the railway organization has again decided to refer to these people as conductors.
Advantages and disadvantages of the profession of conductor
The profession of conductor is attractive for several reasons. For example, the employment conditions at the National Railways are good. The salary of a chief conductor can be up to 2,600 euros. That’s a lot of money for a position at MBO level. There are also allowances for those who have to work in the evening or night. Furthermore, the other employment conditions, such as days off, free travel and dismissal protection, are well arranged. However, there are also disadvantages to the profession. Some have received a lot of media attention in recent years. For example, a conductor must be the first to check when the train has collided. This often concerns a person who has jumped in front of the train. Most conductors experience this when they work for the NS for a longer period of time. Furthermore, there are sometimes also threats against the conductor. The NS tries to take tough action against this, but is not always able to do so.
What kind of diploma should a conductor have?
Someone must have a diploma when he or she starts working as a conductor. The bar is not very high. For example, someone must have obtained a (V)MBO level 3 or LBO-C/Mavo. The NS prefers people who have a diploma in services. In addition to the NS, conductors also work for various other passenger organizations. Good examples of this are Connexion or Securitas. Conductors also work on the trams in the various cities. Examples of this are the GVB in Amsterdam or the RET in Rotterdam. Sometimes they are referred to differently. Usually a training period of a few weeks is required before someone can start working as a conductor.