Railway vehicle driver

Training to obtain general professional knowledge is necessary to acquire a train driver’s permit and implement the tasks of a driver of track maintenance devices.

General professional knowledge is knowledge which candidates for a train driver and candidates for a driver of track maintenance devices obtain from the professional training provider.

The training for obtaining general professional knowledge includes:

• theoretical and practical knowledge on railway technologies, including safety principles and regulations;
• theoretical and practical knowledge on the dangers related to railway operations and different methods of managing them;
• theoretical and practical knowledge of management models or railway operation methods;
• theoretical and practical knowledge of trains, their composition and the technical characteristics of tow vehicles, freight and passenger wagons and other rolling stock.

The entity implementing training issues a certificate of completed assessment of general professional knowledge after the candidate passes the assessment of general professional knowledge.

Evidence

Certificate of completed assessment of general professional knowledge

Legal basis

• Rules on the professional qualifications of railway staff

Professional training for drivers of track maintenance devices includes theoretical and practical training.

Theoretical training includes:

• knowledge of provisions in the rules on signalling;
• knowledge of provisions in the rules on transport;
• conduct during serious accidents or incidents, and
• detailed professional knowledge relating to braking when a motor railway vehicle is involved.

Practical training includes:

• training on health and safety at work relating to the risk assessment;
• training on fire safety;
• learning about operative regulations in the safe management system;
• working under supervision, where the candidate under the supervision of an instructor is trained to do all tasks which they will perform as a driver of track maintenance devices independently, and becomes familiar with the station and all devices and equipment installed, and
• taking the practical examination before the commission appointed by the employer.

The entity implementing training issues a certificate of the passed examination of theoretical competence after the candidate has completed the theoretical training and verification of theoretical competence. After passing the first practical examination, the candidate receives a certificate from the employer with whom the practical part of the training took place.

To obtain the next certificate, the driver of track maintenance devices undergoes only practical training, followed by a practical examination.

Evidence

Certificate of passed examination of theoretical competence

Certificate of completed practical part of the training

Legal basis

• Rules on the professional qualifications of railway staff

A person who wishes to work as a driver of track maintenance devices must complete a general or vocational matura examination.

Evidence

Copy of certificate of completed general or vocational matura examination nation.

Legal basis

• Rules on the professional qualifications of railway staff

A person who wishes to work as a train driver, carriage inspector,

driver of track maintenance devices, station master, conductor or train manager

must pass a master craftsman examination and have at least 3 years of work

experience.

The master craftsman examination is intended to verify that the

candidate is qualified to perform their profession or occupation, to

independently manage the shop, educate trainees and master other knowledge and

skills determined in the list of examinations for the master craftsman

examination.

The examination is taken in four parts:

• practical part (Part I),
• professional and theoretical part (Part II),
• managerial and financial part (Part III),
• pedagogical and andragogical part (part IV).

Individual

parts of the master craftsman examination are divided into examination units in

accordance with the list of examinations, determining the content, scope of

master craftsman’s activities, the objectives of the examination and parts of

the examination indicating professional fields. 

APPLICATION FOR THE EXAMINATION

A candidate who wishes to take the

master craftsman examination submits an application to the competent authority

proving their suitability to take the examination. The candidate must apply to

the competent authority for each part of the examination with an application 30

days prior to the examination date at the latest. The candidate can apply by

post or electronically.

EXAMINATION

The entire examination is taken in

accordance with the list of examinations.

The practical part comprises a work

test and master craftsman examination assignment. The written part for an

individual subject in the professional and theoretical part of the master

craftsman examination takes up to 180 minutes. The oral part of the examination

or oral presentation takes a maximum of 30 minutes. The managerial and financial

part of the examination is taken in written form and takes up to 180 minutes.

The pedagogical and andragogical part of the master craftsman examination is

comprised of a written examination that takes up to 180 minutes and a practical

presentation that takes 45 minutes.

The candidate can take several written

examinations on the same day; however, they may not exceed a total of 360

minutes.

The competent authority submits examination dates to candidates for

each individual part of the master craftsman examination at least once per

year. All examination dates are published on the website of the competent

authority.

If the master craftsman examination is passed, the candidate

receives a certificate. 

Evidence

Certificate of passed master craftsman examination

Legal basis

• Rules on master craftsman's examinations
• Rules on the professional qualifications of railway staff

A worker who meets special health criteria has the right to work as a

railway operational staff member.

A railway operational staff member must be

physically and mentally able to do work for which the employment contract was

concluded.

Physical and mental abilities must be checked with regular and

exceptional medical examinations. Medical examinations are conducted and

managed by authorised health care institutions.

A regular medical examination

must be conducted before the expiry of the prescribed deadline.

Upon medical

examinations, a railway operational staff member must submit:

• an employer’s referral and
• official personal identification document.

Within 10

days after each medical examination, the authorised doctor issues a medical certificate

on the fulfilment of conditions for the safe work of a railway operational

staff member. 

Evidence

Medical certificate for the assessment of fulfilling special medical

conditions

Legal basis

• Railway Transport Safety Act (ZVZelP-1)
• Rules on the procedures for assessing the mental and physical abilities of railway operational staff members

During rail traffic management, railway operational staff members and

operational staff members on industrial sidings communicate in the language

determined by the operator.

The language of the operator in the Republic of

Slovenia is Slovenian.

All railway operational staff members must communicate

actively and efficiently with the infrastructure operator in normal, worsened

and extraordinary conditions. 

Evidence

Certificate of completed theoretical training

Legal basis

• Rules on the professional qualifications of railway staff