Pass the Train Driver Concentration Test

Group Bourdon is a train driver concentration test. It is also known as dots test. Passing the Train Driver Concentraion Test is the first aptitude for train driving. Group Bourdon is a paper based train driver psychometric tests used to measure your ability to maintain vigilance, speed, accuracy and concentration while looking for a group of 4 dots. It is a good indicator of how you can stay alert on a monotonous and simple task. What you score here will tell if you have the qualities needed to be a safe train driver. A low score indicates you are more like to do signal passed at danger (SPAD basically means passing the red light), over speed, or may be too slow as a train driver.

This will normally be the first assessment a TOC will use to eliminate most candidates from the process. The failure rate on this one is relatively high. You should receive practice materials from the TOC that has invited you. Most of them will send you SCAAT (a type of concentration test on shapes and letters) instead of the dots. Google the phrase Group Bourdon digital reality and you may get a free software. Note that the actual test is not computerised. Read the materials they send you carefully and thoroughly. Review and practise them regularly prior to the assessment day. For more practice material check Amazon.

What the Real Group Bourdon Concentration looks like

At the assessment you will get three pages. The first page will be part 1 and 2. The second page will be part 3 and 4. The third page will be part 5.  Under each part there will be a matrix of sets of dots. There will be a group of three dots, four dots, and five dots. Your task is to strike all the four dots under  part 1 under two minutes. After this the test administrator will say ‘change’. When you hear this move on to part two, then when you hear change again you move on part 3 . This will run in sequence till the end of part 5.  All sections last for two minutes. Therefore the whole time period required is ten minutes. People hardly finish so don’t worry if don’t get to the bottom of it. But be fast and accurate. Aim beyond the first six lines in all sections. That’s REAL GROUP BOURDON – Click here to learn more .

Tips from the Experts:

I talked to P. Duncan who failed the first time but passed the second. And this is what he said “you need to practise, practise till you go dots. Well there are techniques: memorising the shapes helps you to be quicker. Some of the shapes look like y, L, etc. Also follow instructions. Do not  look at someones work; Of course you can’t copy”.

James Deen who passed for the first time says “Do three sets every day under time conditions. Also I recommend you do some word search and sudoku as they greatly improve your level of attentiveness. This is a concentration test so ensure you are in a comfortable position and you have used the lavatory”.

I will reiterate: many have failed for not following instructions. Do not look at what somebody is doing. With this assessment, I recommend that you sit in the front row or in a position where you can see the test administrator. This is because they will demonstrate how they want it to be carried out. Don’t Assume On The Railway! You may have the chance to do some examples so ask the test administrator if you have problems.

Ask them to clarify the instructions or repeat. To improve on your level of ability while waiting for the materials from TOCs do some Sudoku, Word Search under timed conditions.

All the best with your Train Driver Safety Concentration Test!

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