I definitely agree with letting drivers learn their own skills and train each other, drivers will always trust their colleagues the best because they know the challenges. I think there's also a bit of a language issue: "route knowledge" among drivers has come to be short for "safety critical route knowledge i am examined on". Drivers will always need, and automatically gain, route knowledge for routes they work. ETCS does however, change some of the route knowledge from safety critical to performance critical or comfort critical. Drivers are well aware that their salaries are due to the extensive route knowledge they have, and are likely subconsciously worried that their skills will not be valued as soon as they stop being safety critical. Some reassurance that their skills are valued despite their skills being "backed up" by ETCS will go a long way in getting buy-in.
I think it is common with everything you try and teach people, however well you instruct them and assess them, they will adopt their own ways with time. Sometimes because it is a shortcut (or perceived as one), sometimes because they just feel it more natural (mentally or physically). etc. If we think about driving a car, you are taught to hold the steering wheel a certain way but once you have passed your test, different people hold it in different ways - some not necessarily as effective!
I definitely agree with letting drivers learn their own skills and train each other, drivers will always trust their colleagues the best because they know the challenges. I think there's also a bit of a language issue: "route knowledge" among drivers has come to be short for "safety critical route knowledge i am examined on". Drivers will always need, and automatically gain, route knowledge for routes they work. ETCS does however, change some of the route knowledge from safety critical to performance critical or comfort critical. Drivers are well aware that their salaries are due to the extensive route knowledge they have, and are likely subconsciously worried that their skills will not be valued as soon as they stop being safety critical. Some reassurance that their skills are valued despite their skills being "backed up" by ETCS will go a long way in getting buy-in.
I think it is common with everything you try and teach people, however well you instruct them and assess them, they will adopt their own ways with time. Sometimes because it is a shortcut (or perceived as one), sometimes because they just feel it more natural (mentally or physically). etc.
If we think about driving a car, you are taught to hold the steering wheel a certain way but once you have passed your test, different people hold it in different ways - some not necessarily as effective!