All aboard: Hull Trains recruiting staff for food & drink services
By Simon Bristow
Jobs are being created by Hull Trains as part of plans to improve the on-board experience for standard-class customers across its services.
The open-access train operator said it is now starting work on the introduction of locally-sourced snacks and hot and cold drinks as part of a new standard-class onboard offer it expects to launch by the end of the year.
This will see the recruitment of nine extra on-board hosts who will be hired, in addition to three service centre assistants. The standard-class offer will initially be available for a year-long trial period so Hull Trains can determine customer demand and monitor feedback on the types of refreshments made available.
Managing director Martijn Gilbert said: “The introduction of a food and drink offer in standard-class is positive news and something that we know will be welcomed by our customers and wider stakeholders. We’ll be working with a number of local suppliers to make this an exciting addition to our great value train service so that we can give it our all to make it a long-term success beyond this initial trial.
“Hull Trains is intrinsically linked with the communities we serve, so we hope that our customers will be pleased to see many Yorkshire favourites among the snacks and drinks that will be available on board our trains from later this year.”
Hull Trains will now begin the process of recruiting for the available roles to help deliver the new service on board. The operator is committed to making the recruitment process fair and accessible as it looks to hire people who can provide a friendly ‘Hull Trains welcome’ to existing and new customers. The new roles will be made permanent if an initial 12-month trial is declared a success.
More information on how to apply can be found here.
Earlier this year, Hull Trains was named Top Employer for Women at the Women in Rail Awards 2023, and its most recent colleague survey recorded an 83 per cent engagement rate across its whole workforce, well above the industry average, it said.
“We are now the leading fleet for reliability and performance across the UK, and our enhanced onboard offering will give even more reasons for people to travel with us here at Hull Trains,” said Martijn.
“We have listened to our customers, our own colleagues and to wider stakeholders to find a food and drink refreshment solution which will meet customers’ needs and has the added benefit of creating twelve new job opportunities for the local community.”