Many of you will know that I’m proud to be one of the handful of DVSA LGV Accredited Training Centres in the UK. The list is here:
dft.gov.uk/fyn/lgv.php
Each year we undergo checks and audit from DVSA to maintain this prestigious accreditation. Today was the day and I’m very happy to report that we got another clean bill of health - together with many compliments from the DSVA guy who hadn’t been to us before.
Done bragging now - time for my Horlicks!
Pete 
well done Pete 
Congrats Pete…
And no doubt well deserved.
Horlicks with a shot tonight 
Jon
Excellent well done
Paul 
Congratulations Peter and all the team.
You go steady with that horlicks!
Congratulations.
I wish they had a similar approval process for DCPC Trainers … it would be nice to be on that list
Absolutely agree.
Pete
The ones under Wallace name on that list are NOT training centers - those are their car parks/locations where they store their trucks. Enfield one is even some other companies lorry park and part of it is storage for confiscated cars.
Park Royal location is office building with car parking on street and place for few cars in front of office and 1 CPC lorry at the back that doesn’t start!
That information is not correct!
Well done Pete 
Wallace have their main centre at Wembley which is accredited. I don’t understand how the outposts appear on the list either. When we had our centre at Peterborough we never claimed that as an accredited centre.
Pete
If you mean Steele rd then its accredited only for CPC module 4 as that is the only thing they can physically do there ok hiab brick thingy as well - truck doesnt move - it has crane and module 4 stuff thats it…
Don’t know the set up well enough to get deeply involved. But I’m certain they have a “proper” site (which I thought was Wembley) which would have been through the accreditation process.
I don’t agree that this should give licence to list other sites though.
Pete
If we removed those sites that it appears may be a bit misleading that leaves behind a VERY small list!
I would have to ask - why? Why so few ‘approved’ providers? What is stopping all the many many training schools from getting on that list? Is it because they aren’t good enough? Or perhaps there aren’t really any benefits to being on the list?
I spoke to a local school and they sais it wasn’t worth the hassle.
My attitude is that the industry has been riddled with cowboy operators for as many years as I can remember - and I’ve had over 40 years in driver training. Because the government haven’t got their act together to regulate the industry, Joe Public is left at the mercy of clever websites, often disguising the fact that there are no trainers and no vehicles behind them. Some of these sites tell bare faced lies - eg claiming accreditation.
I am constantly mentioning that there is no legal requirement for an LGV instructor to be trained, let alone registered and qualified. But, to hold accredited status, the employer has to have 100% training staff who are on the DVSA register. The accreditation would be in jeopardy without this being adhered to.
I am totally professional in my approach to driver training. Everything has to be the best or I don’t want to know. This goes from the honest, truthful sales and customer service team, includes the quality, specification and maintenance of vehicles, the training and ongoing monitoring of the training staff. The premises have to be top notch to give the best possible learning environment.
The DVSA Accreditation takes all this into account. But it is possible to reach accreditation standard without the huge investment route that we’ve chosen.
There are perfectly good trainers out there who aren’t qualified and certainly not accredited. But it’s difficult for anyone to know who these folks actually are. Yes, they will all produce recommendations. But, without being cynical, that’s not hard in this t’internet age.
I am bewildered as to why any good trainer doesn’t follow the accreditation route. 8 years ago, we trialled the “private test centre” model for DVSA. At that time, many trainers hadn’t got a full size, correctly marked reversing area on site. We had. Since then, the size of the area has been reduced so that more trainers can have their own test centre. With that in place, it’s not difficult to move to accredited status. Maybe they consider it’s more difficult than it maybe is? Have they actually made any enquiry about it? Or it is just assumed that it’s not worth it.
The public shouldn’t be confused. Anyone, yes anyone, can have a test centre. This does not have anything whatsoever to do with being accredited. It is simply one of the requirements.
There are benefits. Some blue chip companies will only deal with accredited centres. The DVSA produce the list of accredited centres.
For me personally, it’s good to know that we continue to do the job properly, professionally, to a standard that is laid down by DVSA.
Any unhappy customer can go to DVSA and complain about our performance; this simply doesn’t work unless you deal with an accredited centre. (Hasten to add this has never happened to us!).
The cost is not huge - it’s £500 +VAT per year. If that’s too much for anyone, then maybe they should consider another career path.
Yes, the hurdles are there - but they are there to be jumped. It can be done if the trainer has the will.
For me, I have to assume that trainers who haven’t done so are naïve enough to think it doesn’t matter, or they cant be bothered with the perceived hassle, or they’re simply not bothered about their ongoing reputation.
IMO this is a crying shame and, whilst I’ve offered to help folks through the system, I’m still waiting for a call. The fact that others becoming accredited would possibly make a mess of my claim to be the only accredited centre between Luton and Carlisle doesn’t matter. I’m more interested in getting the standards recognised.
As I mentioned earlier, there are perfectly good trainers out there. Indeed I speak with some on the phone and exchange emails, texts quite often. There is no animosity on my part. I just wish they would get on with it and get accredited. The more trainers on the register, the more the “others” will feel left out and maybe think again.
In the meantime, the only quality control that is transparently available, is the DVSA Accredited LGV Centre register.
Pete
If I was a driver trainer I’d want to be on that list. Jumping through hoops is worth it if it separates you from the ‘others’ and demonstrates your commitments/standards.
I queried this with JAUPT asking why they don’t have a list of ‘accredited’’ DCPC training companies - apparently we are ‘all’ approved already - doesn’t say a lot for the approval system does it?
I asked why they can’t have a bronze/silver/gold type system or some kind of OCRS based system to ‘rate’ DCPC training centres against some kind of standard and give the customer a choice … Let them see those that go the extra mile. Apparently they couldn’t possibly recommend individual companies … … … Funny because the same DVSA do seem to ‘recommend’ certain driver training companies via their accredited list!!!
There is some obvious misinterpretation going on…
That list is suppose to be a list of accredited sites - not persons but sites…
Peter is on that site because he paid for his own concrete and certified it…
One of wallace sites is in there because they bought old stationary lorry and does Module 4 and HIAB on it at that one place…
Probably few of other companies in there have either bought concrete or lorry for Module 4…
Other Wallace sites are mistake as they don’t have anything at those adresses apart from lorry parked in rented car park…
So stop discussing acreditation of trainers - persons or schools - ltd companies that list is about physical things that are certified to have some examiner to come and point at them asking questions to student…
Grown people should be able to understnad difference otherwise some of you again make idiots out of yourselves in public place where some people might make some opinions about you based on what you say…
Sorry kyk but you are totally wrong. Having the “concrete” is a very small part of the accreditation process. As I pointed out there is no connection between a test centre and an accredited training centre.
I don’t know how the listings have included all the Wallace sites; maybe that should be taken up with the powers that be.
that list is about physical things that are certified to have some examiner to come and point at them asking questions to student…
WRONG!
Grown people should be able to understnad difference otherwise some of you again make idiots out of yourselves in public place where some people might make some opinions about you based on what you say…
Other grown people, kyk, should be able to understand the post that I put up explaining the situation. If, however, you’re not able to understand it then stop making daft comments and talk about something that perhaps you actually DO understand.
Pete
Oh, really…
Peter Smythe:
Many of you will know that I’m proud to be one of the handful of DVSA LGV Accredited Training Centres in the UK. The list is here:
dft.gov.uk/fyn/lgv.phpPete
Peter Smythe:
Sorry kyk but you are totally wrong. Having the “concrete” is a very small part of the accreditation process. As I pointed out there is no connection between a test centre and an accredited training centre.Pete
You have been advertising here stating that your main advantage is that your trainees can have their test on the same concrete as they train on, this statement you have just wrote contradicts that - so how is it actually? Are your trainees taking their test on your concrete?
If Yes - is it accredited test centre or acredited training centre then?
Wallace claims their Park Royal Steele road accredited TEST center because they invite examinor to their property, he conducts Module 4 test on trainee using Wallace lorry on Wallace land and gives certificate if they pass. Where other training companies takes trainee - puts trainee into lorry, drives to DVSA test centre and examinor conducts Module 4 test on DVSA land with DVSA rachet straps, bars, frames, ropes on trainee…
So…
I believe you are on that list because you are allowed to have examinor to come to you instead of taking trainees loaded into trucks to examinor in his territory.
Wallace is there because of Steele road where they are allowed to invite examinor and do Module 4
Fire & etc ones are there because they train their own staff for their own standards on their own locations under special rules
Some of the few other company names are ther because of the same reason as Wallace…
So either you are the only one in UK that is accredited to have full C, C+E tests to be conducted on your property or there is big mistake with terminology… and not by me in this case for sure…
Just to precise - we are discussing situation when examinor comes to you on your concrete and trainee does reversing etc on your land with your cones on the same land he trains on.
And the others in that list are accredited only for testing on HIABS or smth - not C, C+E.
Isn’t both? I did my training for my C on the same concrete that I took my test on.
kyk:
Oh, really…Peter Smythe:
Many of you will know that I’m proud to be one of the handful of DVSA LGV Accredited Training Centres in the UK. The list is here:
dft.gov.uk/fyn/lgv.phpPete
Peter Smythe:
Sorry kyk but you are totally wrong. Having the “concrete” is a very small part of the accreditation process. As I pointed out there is no connection between a test centre and an accredited training centre.Pete
You have been advertising here stating that your main advantage is that your trainees can have their test on the same concrete as they train on, this statement you have just wrote contradicts that - so how is it actually? Are your trainees taking their test on your concrete?
If Yes - is it accredited test centre or acredited training centre then?
Wallace claims their Park Royal Steele road accredited TEST center because they invite examinor to their property, he conducts Module 4 test on trainee using Wallace lorry on Wallace land and gives certificate if they pass. Where other training companies takes trainee - puts trainee into lorry, drives to DVSA test centre and examinor conducts Module 4 test on DVSA land with DVSA rachet straps, bars, frames, ropes on trainee…
So…
I believe you are on that list because you are allowed to have examinor to come to you instead of taking trainees loaded into trucks to examinor in his territory.
Wallace is there because of Steele road where they are allowed to invite examinor and do Module 4
Fire & etc ones are there because they train their own staff for their own standards on their own locations under special rules
Some of the few other company names are ther because of the same reason as Wallace…So either you are the only one in UK that is accredited to have full C, C+E tests to be conducted on your property or there is big mistake with terminology… and not by me in this case for sure…
Just to precise - we are discussing situation when examinor comes to you on your concrete and trainee does reversing etc on your land with your cones on the same land he trains on.
And the others in that list are accredited only for testing on HIABS or smth - not C, C+E.
It’s just a trumpet blowing exercise yet again from “sir” Peter!
Sponsored site on here, and countless treads regarding this and that, people with nothing between the ears would be taking all this crap in and thinking this is the only way to go!
The one man band outfit is just as good, get in, learn how to drive, do a test and what ever else you have to do to get your license and get a job and drive to the best of your ability, that’s all there is to it!