, I make no secret of the fact that I am anti DCPC in its current form. Not theoretically the initial training, which should in the ideal world, benefit new drivers entering the industry, however, the advantages gained by taking an initial DCPC course are more than wiped out by the Insurance industry insisting on 2 years’ experience, and over 25 years of age to insure anyone to drive a truck. What is the point of allowing young people to pay £2000 to train as C+E drivers at 18, if they have to wait 7 years to get a job?
As for the DCPC for experienced drivers, what is the one thing that is required of a driver? To get goods from A to B safely and securely. The drivers’ main skill is in driving, and yet there is no requirement for any practical assessment or training. You could be the worst driver in the country, who by good luck has managed to avoid any serious accidents, or getting caught by the police, so sitting in a classroom learning about RTD, which no one is bothering to police, or Manual handling, is not going to improve your driving or make the roads safer. An annual driving assessment with a qualified Assessor or instructor would at least identify you as a problem driver, and can ensure that any training you need is tailored to help you improve.
I am a moderator on a Truck drivers forum where we encourage drivers to keep us up to date with their experiences of DCPC courses, good or bad. The vast majority of comments are negative with drivers complaining about the cost, up to £100 for 7 hours, the subjects being offered, e.g. 7 hours on how to operate curtainsider trailers, the quality of trainers, non LGV drivers or instructors giving out incorrect information, and now we see a group of con men arranging DCPC courses, getting payment up front, then disappearing with the cash. The JAUPT is a government body who are supposed to monitor the training, but they do monitor the course content, so any incorrect information being given out by bad trainers is not being picked up.
There are already whispers about brown envelopes being passed in exchange for a Valid DQC, and between now and September 2014 these are likely to increase. I am not against continuation training for drivers, far from it, I encourage all drivers to try and improve their skills. I have signed up to my first 7 hour session next month. It is a course offered by a local authority with the aim of improving road safety by teaching LGV drivers about cyclist awareness, and they also run a similar course for cyclists to make them aware of LGV’s, a worthwhile course, that is offered free, except for the upload fee. If more organisations were to do something similar, then more drivers may take it up.
I hear that, once again certain companies are advertising jobs in Eastern Europe before they advertise them in the UK. How much of an incentive is that to UK drivers to make an effort with the DCPC? Maybe we should push for Ukraine or Turkey to join the EU, or maybe even China, that would solve our driver shortages, until the next time.
Example:-
Driver A/ A Professional, Drives safely, keeps to legislation and obeys the law, learns daily and listens to others to improve his abilities, respects his employer. He/She takes on the 35 hours training with an objective to learn even more, so explores the market of Training Providers to ensure he gets the best.
Driver B/ The Cowboy Driver, could not care less attitude, breaks every rule in the book to make more money, safety comes second to profit. He/She explores the market of Training Providers to find the cheapest, learns nothing and falls asleep for seven hours in the classroom.
Both Drivers will be recognised as equal by JAUPT as they have both have done 35 hours Training and received their DQC Card.
How is this method of implementing the Driver CPC ever going to improve or benefit the Industry or our profession?
Driver A/ A Professional, Drives safely, keeps to legislation and obeys the law, learns daily and listens to others to improve his abilities, respects his employer. He/She takes on the 35 hours training with an objective to learn even more, so explores the market of Training Providers to ensure he gets the best.
Driver B/ The Cowboy Driver, could not care less attitude, breaks every rule in the book to make more money, safety comes second to profit. He/She explores the market of Training Providers to find the cheapest, learns nothing and falls asleep for seven hours in the classroom.
Both Drivers will be recognised as equal by JAUPT as they have both have done 35 hours Training and received their DQC Card.
How is this method of implementing the Driver CPC ever going to improve or benefit the Industry or our profession?
Below is the main points of corespondence between myself and the DSA, with the stock answers from the DSA, and my replys in RED.
Thank you for your email about driver certificate of professional competence (CPC).
This is a European Union (EU) Directive which means that it is being implemented across all EU Countries. I must stress that as this is European legislation, the United Kingdom does not have the choice to opt out of implementing it. If we did so, sanctions would be levied against us and it would affect our competitiveness in Europe.
Is it not true, that each member state, although they have to comply, can actually specify how training is to be delivered and to who has to undertake the training? For example, the Dutch have given an exemption to Drivers who were born before 1955, as they believe that they will already have sufficient training and experience.
The driver CPC is intended to improve road safety and reduce casualties through better qualified drivers. Drivers will develop defensive driving techniques which the industry is anticipating will make significant savings in fuel consumption.
How will a driver develop defensive driving techniques when all he/she has to do is attend a course. It is not even a requirement for the driver to remain awake during the lessons! There is no pass or fail, so there is no onus on the driver to pay attention to anything said. By just attending the driver has the DCPC.
It should also bring an improved professional and positive image to these industries, encouraging younger people to consider driving as a career. Both the Goods Vehicle and Public Transport sectors have informed us that there is a great shortage of drivers at present.
Who is going to pay for the increased costs of achieving a C+E licence for young people? In the current economic climate, it is difficult enough for a young family to earn sufficient to live, how are they going to find the extra expense required to complete, not only the theory test, and the practical test, but also the DCPC? Anyone who knows this business, will know that jobs are almost impossible to get without experience. Who is going to invest a such a substantial amount of the family’s savings, on the off chance that they will get a job? The DCPC will not make any difference to this situation, new drivers will always be at the bottom of the pecking order for jobs.
A survey of the industry has shown that the majority of professional drivers get very little refresher training throughout their careers, especially those that work for small firms. The new legislation ensures that all drivers will take part in approved training courses.
I don’t know who carried out this survey, or who they asked, but I can assure you that there is an awful lot of training being carried out within the industry. I personally conduct training on behalf of agencies for DHL, mainly updating the H&S issues, and carrying out a practical driver assessment on an annual basis. This ensures that training is tailored to meet the needs of the individual driver, and companies gain by being able to fit training to the needs of their business. Most companies that wish to compete in the business are required under existing UK H&S laws to provide sufficient training to ensure that their workforce is competent to perform the tasks asked of them. Any employer who fails to provide this, should be legislated against under the H&S laws.
How much refresher training will be carried out on a driver who is perfectly entitled to fall asleep during the course?
What formal training qualifications are required to train the DCPC? As an FTA accredited assessor, a DSA RLGV instructor, as well as having various other training and instructional qualifications, why am I still required to attend a training course led by someone who may never even have driven a truck?
Much of the feedback from drivers who have completed parts of the DCPC is that the standard of training and more specifically trainers, is appalling. The amount of incorrect information that is being given out is quite frankly , frightening. I understand that courses are checked by the JAUPT and DSA, but is the actual content checked for accuracy? Is the individual trainer checked for competence?
I should explain that it is not necessary to attend periodic training all in one go. Courses can be as short as 7 hours and you have five years to complete the full 35 hours required.
I assure you that the directive applies to drivers in all European member states and also to drivers from other countries who are working in the EU. British drivers will not be disadvantaged in any way. On the contrary, they will now have more opportunities to work in the EU.
It may well be so, but as stated above, some member states use their own interpretation of the laws to allow certain categories of driver exemptions. The UK does not, therefore UK drivers are disadvantaged.
Now that the legislation has been implemented all professional drivers must comply with it. If you do not have driver CPC, you will not be able to drive for a living in the European Union. I cannot advise on payment for training courses. This is a matter between you and your employer.
So the EU have the power to remove employment from any member of the population by simply introducing a new law without any consultation. What next? Will Doctors have to take a first aid course if they want to keep their licence for open heart surgery? I believe this to be an infringement of my right to work, the UK/EU should have implemented this for new drivers only, as when the HGV licences first appeared, anyone currently driving an HGV was given grandfather rights, and did not have to take a new test.
Anyone who drives professionally as a bus, coach or lorry driver will require Driver CPC. The number of hours work undertaken is not taken into account, therefore part time drivers of these vehicles will be treated in the same way as full time drivers.
Anyone of the many part time drivers who fulfil a vital role of covering busy times, school bus runs, weekend work etc., will be required to take this training. How many of these will think it is not worth the cost? Many I think
I appreciate your comments about the financial cost of CPC.
As the main beneficiaries of the DCPC training are likely to be the employers, through reduced fuel and damage bills, surely it should follow that the employers should bear the cost of training?
Many companies already invest in training for their staff and Driver CPC effectively ensures that the whole of the industry adopts this good practice. However it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that they hold Driver CPC & complete their periodic training, which includes meeting any training costs.
Much of the company training already being carried out, is far superior to the courses offered for the DCPC, and yet it cannot be counted towards the drivers CPC. surely Practical driving assessments carried out during the day to day job would be a far better system of offering refresher training, rather than sit in a classroom listening to someone who is talking rubbish.
There may be public funding available for vocational driver training but requests will compete with other claims on those funds. Unfortunately we do not have any control over this. I suggest that you contact either The Department for Work and Pensions or the nearest local Job Centre direct who may be able to assist you further in this matter.
I am sorry that you feel that driver CPC is unnecessary; however I hope I have clarified the issue and explained that this is not the case.
In my original email, I stated that I was in favour of refresher training if it was appropriate, I never stated that I considered it to be unnecessary. Nothing that you have said has convinced me that the DCPC in its current form is of use or benefit to anyone except the bank accounts of the training organisations, and the various government bodies that will gain revenue from the scheme, It certainly does not benefit either the road users or the professional drivers.
