Freight Train Excellence in Transport Consultancy and Driver CPC Training
Freight Train’s mission is to work with hauliers and fleet managers to create effective transport systems and procedures for improved commercial performance.
Driver CPC training has been proved to improve a company’s culture and to develop drivers as a valuable resource, ensuring a company’s legal compliance, respect of the operator’s transport undertakings and protecting the company brand.
What is the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC)?
Not to be confused with the CPC qualification required for transport managers, the Driver CPC is a European Union Directive (2003/59/EC), introduced on 10 September 2009 across the EU simultaneously. It is a new vocational qualification for drivers learning to drive vehicles over of over 3.5 tonnes after 10 September 2009.
The same legislation exists for bus and coach drivers, although this legislation came into force a year earlier in September 2008 and drivers have until September 2013 to be compliant.
The aim of the Driver CPC is for drivers to benefit from continuous professional development.
Acquired Rights Drivers
Drivers already possessing their category C, C+E and Category C1 (Post 1997 - 3.5 tonne to 7.5 tonne) licence as at 10 September 2009 are referred to as ‘acquired rights’ drivers and are exempt from having the Driver CPC card until 10 September 2014. They must however attend 35 hours of periodic training prior to this date. Thereafter they must also attend a further 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years.
New vocational drivers, who undergo the driver CPC as part of the initial training, must also attend 35 hours of periodic training from the date of passing their test and every five years thereafter.
Periodic Training
Periodic training is usually broken down to a minimum of 7 hours of training. Training can be reduced to two training sessions of 3½ hours, providing that the two sessions are attended within a 24 hour period.
Periodic training can cover the following subjects:
- Advanced training in rational driving based on safety regulations
- Application of regulations
- Health, road and environmental safety, service and logistics
Periodic training must be approved by the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT) and be delivered by approved centres and trainers.
It is important to note that any training of less than 7 hours, excluding breaks, unless compliant with the 2 x 3½ hour stipulation, is in breach of the regulations.
Companies should plan ahead. There is no advantage in delaying training and the knowledge and skills that training can bring to drivers. The indication is that there is likely to be a mad rush in 2014 as companies who have not scheduled training into their budgets realize that they could be faced with a shortage of CPC qualified drivers. The likelihood is also that costs for courses to could increase!
There is no pass or fail. Drivers simply have to attend. Although Freight Train does require that drivers participate!
Exemption
- Drivers of vehicles with an authorised maximum speed < 45 kph
- Armed Forces, Emergency Services Defence (whilst performing that duty)
- Drivers road testing vehicles
- Drivers of vehicles being used for driving lessons
- Non Commercial purposes
- Incidental Drivers
Driver Qualification Card (DQC)
A DQC will be issued upon completion of initial vocational training or 35 hours of periodical training. Once received it is mandatory to carry the card at all times. In the same way as the drivers’ digital tachograph card must be carried at all times. There is no fee for the card, as the cost is covered in the charge for periodic training.
Responsibility
Responsibility for training lies with the driver, not the employer, although most professional reputable hauliers who include training as part the company’s training policy will arrange for training in order to comply with Undertakings contained in the Operators Licence. Freight Train works with hauliers and companies with fleet vehicles in order to ensure that training, where possible is linked to a company’s operational and business requirements, to enhance and embed internal policies and procedures.
It is the responsibility of employers not to employee drivers without a Driver CPC, or, after 10 September 2014, acquired rights drivers who have not obtained Driver CPC accreditation.
As well as keeping records of driving licences and digital tachographs, employers must keep a record of CPC qualified drivers and dates of expiry of cards.
Training Centres, trainers and courses must all be approved by the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT). A list of approved centres and courses can be obtained by accessing the official website: www.drivercpc-periodictraining.org
Only approved centres have access to the DSA website to uplift evidence of driver CPC training.
Freight Train Centre approval number (AC 00590)
Click here for a Driver CPC Information Sheet.
Recommendation
Compulsory driver CPC training has been perceived by many as an unwelcome and unnecessary burden on hauliers. I would have agreed with this statement at the outset, but your company has delivered effective training on the two 7 hour sessions that you have run. How do I know this? Simply because our drivers and staff who were present have also changed their minds, because of the relevance of the material and quality of the presentation. The feedback has been first class, leading to a desire for more training. Well done and many thanks.
Richard Luxton, Redhead Freight Ltd