The Train Driver
SJT Test
A workplace scenario appears on screen. You decide which response is most appropriate, and which is least. Here is what a Situational Judgement Test measures, what it generally rewards, and how to think about each scenario — plus five free practice scenarios to try right now.
Train Driver Tests is an independent practice platform. Our scenarios are original content based on publicly available descriptions of situational judgement tests — they are not the official RSSB SJE, and we are not affiliated with RSSB, any train operating company or test publisher.
Independent practice — not the official test
Train Driver Tests is not affiliated with RSSB, any test publisher or any train company. Our questions are original practice for the abilities the assessment measures. If you're invited to an assessment, the train company will give you the official approved practice materials at least a week before your assessment date — if they haven't arrived, contact the company you applied to (RSSB candidate FAQ, Q18).
What is the SJT?
The Situational Judgement Exercise (SJE) is part of RSSB's standard train driver assessment battery, and some operators also use situational judgement questions at the online screening stage. A situational judgement test presents you with realistic workplace scenarios — a defect spotted before a service, a conflicting radio instruction, a passenger emergency on a busy platform — and asks you to rank or pick the most and least appropriate way to respond.
Unlike a numerical or memory test, the SJT is not measuring whether you can compute or recall information. It is measuring your judgement — the values and instincts you would bring to the cab. Operators want to know that your default response under pressure is to escalate safety concerns, follow procedures, communicate precisely, and report your own mistakes honestly. The SJT screens out candidates whose instincts pull the other way before any expensive face-to-face assessment.
There are no trick questions. Every scenario has a model answer agreed in advance by subject-matter experts — usually current and former train drivers, recruiters, and safety specialists. Your score reflects how closely your judgement aligns with the model answer across the whole test.
What it measures
Six competencies tested in train driver SJTs
Safety culture
Holding firm on safety even under operational or commercial pressure
Rule compliance
Following procedures precisely, even when you personally disagree
Reporting honesty
Reporting your own errors and concerns promptly and factually
Communication
Clear, structured radio and verbal communication under pressure
Customer service
Treating passengers professionally without compromising your duty
Composure
Staying calm and methodical when scenarios escalate or change
Free practice
Five-scenario SJT demo
Five realistic scenarios across the core competencies. Read each one, pick the most and least appropriate response, then reveal the answer with a detailed explanation of the underlying reasoning.
Scenario 1 of 5
0 / 5 completed
Safety vs. operational pressure
You are due to take a service out of the depot. During your pre-departure walk-round you notice a small but unfamiliar fluid leak under the leading cab. The shift controller radios to ask why you are delayed — they tell you the next service is already late and any further delay will affect the morning peak.
Tell the controller you will move the unit out and report the leak as a defect at the next stabling point, to avoid further delay to passengers.
Stop the walk-round there, drive the service as normal, and assume that maintenance will spot the issue at the next exam.
Tell the controller you have a defect that needs investigation before you can move the unit, and contact the fitter on duty.
Take a photo of the leak on your phone, then drive the service and email the photo to the depot manager when you finish your shift.
How to prepare
Step by step
Read the scenario fully before looking at the options
Resist the urge to scan the options first. The scenario sets the priorities — schedule pressure, a safety concern, a passenger need, a colleague issue — and you need that context to judge each option fairly.
Default to safety in any conflict
When two priorities pull against each other, safety always wins. Any option that compromises a procedure, conceals a defect, or rushes a check is almost certainly wrong, regardless of how reasonable the other priority sounds.
Choose options that report and clarify, not options that decide unilaterally
Train drivers operate inside a tightly coordinated system. The right answer is usually to escalate, report, or seek clarification — not to make a personal judgement call on a safety-critical issue. Acting alone is rarely the correct response.
Look for the response that protects the safety culture, not just the immediate outcome
An option that 'gets away with it' this time is still a poor answer if it conceals an error or weakens the reporting culture. Assessors are looking for candidates who would still report a near-miss even when no one would know.
Avoid the extremes
The least appropriate answer is usually obvious — ignoring a safety concern, lying, or refusing to communicate. The most appropriate answer is usually the calm, proportionate, by-the-book response. The two middle options are designed to look plausible but each compromises something important.
Work through several practice scenarios before assessment day
Pattern-recognition matters. Once you have worked through five or ten scenarios you will start to see the same competencies coming up — safety vs. pressure, reporting culture, clarification under uncertainty, customer service vs. dispatch. Recognising the underlying competency makes the right answer obvious.
FAQ
Common questions about the SJT
What is a Situational Judgement Test?
A Situational Judgement Test (SJT) is a psychometric assessment that presents you with realistic workplace scenarios and asks you to judge how appropriate different responses would be. For train driver applications, the scenarios focus on safety, rule compliance, communication under pressure, customer service, and reporting culture — the everyday judgement calls a driver makes.
Do UK train operators use an SJT?
RSSB's standard train driver battery (RIS-3751-TOM) includes a Situational Judgement Exercise (SJE), supplied by RSSB. Some operators also use situational judgement questions in their online application or screening. The exact format isn't published and varies between operators and intake rounds.
How is the SJT scored?
The official scoring isn't published. SJTs in general often ask you to pick the most and least appropriate response to each scenario, with answers compared against a key agreed by subject-matter experts — that is the format our practice version uses. There are no trick questions — answers that prioritise safety, clear communication, and following procedures consistently score well.
Can I prepare for an SJT?
Yes. While SJTs are designed to assess your underlying values and instincts, preparation helps in two ways. First, working through realistic scenarios calibrates your sense of what the operator considers appropriate. Second, understanding the underlying principles — safety over schedule, honest self-reporting, clarification over assumption — makes it easier to identify the right answer when you're under time pressure on the live test.
How long does the SJT take?
The length and number of scenarios vary by operator. Some operators include the SJT as part of a longer online assessment battery that may also include numerical, verbal, or basic cognitive reasoning. Check your invitation email for the exact format your operator uses.
Is this the same as the official SJT?
No. This is an independent practice resource. We are not affiliated with any train operating company or test publisher. Our scenarios are original content covering the kinds of competencies SJTs commonly assess, so you can practise the reasoning before assessment day. They do not reproduce the official RSSB SJE.
The other stages of train driver assessment
Pass every stage.
The SJT is one screening hurdle. Practice the full train driver test battery — vigilance, hazard perception, rules & procedures, Group Bourdon — one payment, unlimited attempts.