What will you do?
In this role, also known as a tram machinist or driver-receiver, you give information to travellers, take payments, check tickets and bring passengers safely to their destination. You watch over passenger comfort, take emergency measures during an incident and fill in the on-board documents. The work belongs to the transport and logistics sector, and it is a customer-facing driving job that keeps public transport moving through the cities of Vlaanderen.
- Give clear information to travellers
- Take payments and check transport tickets
- Bring passengers safely to their destination
- Drive the rail vehicle along the route
- Watch over the comfort of the travellers
- Take emergency measures during an incident
- Fill in the on-board documents
Skills to develop
- Strong concentration and awareness in traffic
- Customer service and calm communication skills
- Willingness to work shifts, weekends and evenings
- Sense of responsibility for passenger safety
- Punctuality and respect for the timetable
Your foundation for this occupation
Tram drivers train for the operator's vehicles, network and procedures. Ask about selection, fitness assessment and the actual training route. Trams run on rails but often share their surroundings with cyclists, pedestrians and road traffic, making anticipation and route knowledge essential.
From preparation to your first day
Develop the practical skills
Supervised training combines stops, passenger comfort and communication. Learn normal and abnormal procedures through the operator's course. Understand how crowds and limited visibility divide attention. Passenger questions do not remove responsibility for the driving task.
Check your work
Check service and vehicle information and report defects correctly. Respect route and vehicle qualifications. Knowing a line as a passenger does not qualify you to drive it. Handover and incident reporting must be factual and clear.
How can you grow?
Progression includes additional routes, vehicles, instruction and operational support. Ask how these pathways work. Assess depot, early and late shifts and travel to the reporting location when considering an offer.
Frequently asked questions
Are bus and tram training identical?
No. Operators may recruit both through one advert, but vehicle operation and training differ. Clarify which route is offered and its conditions. A bus licence does not replace tram-network and vehicle training.