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Driver CPC: 10 Tips
“Transport Training Services Ltd (TTS) was the first Northern Ireland based provider of Driver CPC training to be approved by the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT),” writes Michael Kerr, Business Development Director of TTS.
“We have been delivering Driver CPC training since the first day that the legislation came into force and have a wide range of training available for drivers of both LGVs and PCVs.
To help you cope with Driver CPC and all that goes with it, we have come up with 10 tips for drivers and companies to help you comply with the legislation.”
1/ In Scope?
‘In scope’ is a phrase used to describe whether or not the driver has to complete the 35 hours of periodic training in every 5 year period. Generally speaking if you are employed as a commercial driver of a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes in weight you are ‘in scope’ and will have to complete the training. There are some exemptions, if in doubt consult your local training provider.
2 / Approved Centres Only!
Driver CPC courses can only be delivered by training providers that have completed a rigorous application process and are officially approved by JAUPT. The courses are also individually approved by JAUPT. The training provider will have a certificate to prove this and an individual course certificate for every course they deliver. If you have any doubts about someone trying to sell you Driver CPC training ask to see their certificates. If they are legitimate this won’t be a problem.
3/ Plan ahead!
5 days in very 5 years may sound like you have plenty of time to do the training. Our advice is the earlier the better. Bus and Coach drivers have until September 2013- so less than 4 years to get 5 days completed. LGV drivers have until September 2014.
Think about the quiet time of your work year. This is probably the best time to complete a day of periodic training. Think also about the best day of the week. Are weekdays best or even weekends? TTS can accommodate all of these.
4/ Don’t leave it too late!
Waiting until 2014 before doing 5 days training may seem like a good idea, but availability of courses may be difficult if everyone decides to do this. Fleet managers, can you afford to release all of your drivers for 5 days in year 5? This can be expensive and disruptive to work schedules, so to help budgets and transport schedules we recommend that drivers do one day of training every year.
5/ Location, Location, Location!
Much of Driver CPC training is classroom based. Our centre at Nutts Corner is equipped with everything we need to deliver training and it’s centrally located for most of N.Ireland
Alternatively if you have adequate space on site and it’s easier to train your drivers there, TTS instructors can deliver training at your premises. Remember though, once they start training they can’t be removed to do other work during the course.
6/ Make it Relevant!
EU Directive 2003/59/EC which introduced Driver CPC aims to improve professional driving standards, promote road safety and encourage fuel efficiency in commercial drivers. JAUPT has provided a detailed syllabus of wide ranging course subjects that can be covered under Driver CPC.
This allows us a lot of flexibility in designing relevant courses to suit your business and help you to improve your performance. For example, TTS has an approved Drivers Hours and Tachographs course covering the legislation and use of Analogue and Digital Tachographs- helping drivers to comply with legislation and operate within Drivers Hours rules.
Alternatively to reduce your running costs, try the Fuel Efficiency & Driving Safely course at TTS. We can also cater for individual company requirements as long as it can related back to the JAUPT syllabus.
7/ Go the Distance!
Courses delivered under the Driver CPC banner must be a minimum of 7 hours in duration. This can be split to be delivered over two sessions if required – provided that the second session starts within 24 hours of the first session. The most popular delivery is a 7 hour course.
It can be tempting to leave early if you’re tired or if work has been calling, but leaving early will not get you the accreditation. You must complete the full 7 hours of the course before the training provider can ‘credit’ you with the training.
8/ Clock it in!
Remember Driver CPC is job-related training and should be recorded as ‘other work’ to keep your drivers records in line with Working Time regulations. Also be careful not to exceed daily, weekly and fortnightly working time limits when scheduling training.
9/ Money, Money, Money!
Whatever way you plan to comply with Driver CPC, it will cost you money. It can always be easy to pick the cheapest price, especially in the current climate. Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten, so if a cheap course doesn’t improve your company or your drivers then its money wasted.
Its easy to justify the cost of a quality course if you’ve reduced you fuel bill by 5%.
You can save money by combining training like TTS has done with ADR training. Drivers can complete 7 hours of periodic training during ADR training courses. Why pay for training twice, when you can use Driver CPC to fulfil your other training requirements.
10/ Guard Your Card!
Once you have completed 5 days or 35 hours of periodic training and all your licence details have been logged, you should be automatically sent a Driver Qualification Card (DQC). From 2013 (PCV) and 2014 (LGV) this will be as important as your driving licence or your digital tachograph card to continue to drive commercially- so don’t lose it and ensure you carry it with you at all times.