Hello Ladies and Gentlemen
It has become apparent that a driver who recently left and went for a job with another company has been driving without a valid DQC. It expired in January.
He was agency who has a copy of all drivers cards.
The haulier also required a weekly statement of validity for all cards; licence, CPC DQC and Digi card. It is not known how the said driver declared the validity of his CPC DQC.
The haulier are now asking for a photo copy of all drivers cards.
Would the haulier have exposed themselves to any liability or did the driver alone risk penalty for driving without a valid DQC?
Thank you for considering this
SD
Just because the agency had a copy of the one that expired in January, doesn’t necessarily mean he hasn’t got a cpc, just they haven’t got a copy. Plus I didn’t think they ran out like that. Mine runs until 9/9/19 even though I completed the last 7 hours in March 14
It can’t possibly have expired in January, if he completed five DCPC modules then he will have a valid card until 2019, if he didn’t sit through five then he never had a card.
If for whatever reason he doesn’t actually have a card then he needs to apply for a replacement, that wouldn’t mean that it’s expired, just that it’s been lost or misplaced
Rentadent:
It can’t possibly have expired in January, if he completed five DCPC modules then he will have a valid card until 2019, if he didn’t sit through five then he never had a card.
He could have completed the initial DCPC in January 2011, that would give him a DQC expiring in January 2016.
Speedy Duck:
The haulier are now asking for a photo copy of all drivers cards.
They’ve been a bit sloppy for not doing this earlier in my opinion, transport companies can’t afford to be that sloppy with checking drivers qualifications to drive these days.
I thought the dcpc ran in blocks, 09/14, 14/19 and so on, meaning if he passed in 11 it would only run to 14
OVLOV JAY:
I thought the dcpc ran in blocks, 09/14, 14/19 and so on, meaning if he passed in 11 it would only run to 14
It runs in blocks of 5 years from when you passed the initial DCPC, or if you had acquired rights from September 2009 (for goods vehicles), if you let the DCPC laps it’s 5 years from when the 35 hours periodic training is completed.
OVLOV JAY:
I thought the dcpc ran in blocks, 09/14, 14/19 and so on, meaning if he passed in 11 it would only run to 14
Not if he didn’t have acquired rights. I passed 2010 and mine runs out 2020.
F-reds:
OVLOV JAY:
I thought the dcpc ran in blocks, 09/14, 14/19 and so on, meaning if he passed in 11 it would only run to 14
Not if he didn’t have acquired rights. I passed 2010 and mine runs out 2020.
Talk about over complicate it. You’ve got 80% give or take who’s all run out on the same day, then others all over the shop. Not much joined up thinking. Would’ve been easier to put newbies on the same time frame as us with grandfather rights. At least it’s easier for companies to manage
OVLOV JAY:
Talk about over complicate it. You’ve got 80% give or take who’s all run out on the same day, then others all over the shop. Not much joined up thinking. Would’ve been easier to put newbies on the same time frame as us with grandfather rights. At least it’s easier for companies to manage
Every bodies driving licence expires at different times and operators need to monitor these so it’s not that complicated. I suppose you are right though, it’s complicated keeping track of it all.
As for the original question - if the driver wasn’t caught at the time then I doubt anything will come of it. If the driver was caught - this normally has DVSA at the operators premises within a week and a check of their procedures for licence and CPC checks. This is then usually followed up by a further check and maybe tachos and maintenance.
Just looking through my wallet I’ve got a photo card licence, digi, cpc, adr and an sia card. All with different expiry dates. Times that by 70 drivers and you can see how the odd one might slip the net with an operator. Our lot have an outside company that monitors the licences, and the digi cards flag up on the remote downloads. The licence costs a bit to monitor but they say it’s worth it to not miss a trick. All our sia and cpc cards expire together, as no newbies on here, so it only leaves the adr cards, which the driver will know, as you don’t want to be carrying hazardous with no brief
OVLOV JAY:
Would’ve been easier to put newbies on the same time frame as us with grandfather rights. At least it’s easier for companies to manage
I don’t see how that could work to be honest, it would mean someone completing the initial CPC in say 2013 or 2018 would have 12 months to do 35 hours periodic training, even without considering the extra cost it simply wouldn’t be practical.
It may be better in some ways for companies but definitely not for drivers.
tachograph:
OVLOV JAY:
Would’ve been easier to put newbies on the same time frame as us with grandfather rights. At least it’s easier for companies to manage
I don’t see how that could work to be honest, it would mean someone completing the initial CPC in say 2013 or 2018 would have 12 months to do 35 hours periodic training, even without considering the extra cost it simply wouldn’t be practical.
It may be better in some ways for companies but definitely not for drivers.
They should’ve been made to complete 35 hours before passing a test, then allow it to run to 2019, the same as an older driver could do 35 hours in 2009 and get a card to 2019. They missed a chance to make it simple. Posts like the op’s will become a common problem over the next couple of years. Yet another farce where the dcpc is concerned
Initial CPC’s only covered underage drivers til driver CPC came in anyway, then they had to do the same 5 hours. It’s always been the same actually, except in the ‘olden days’ you had to get a company to put you on young drivers scheme.
With today’s technology it’s not hard to be on top of expiry dates for anything. Databases are simple to setup.
With CPC if the operator is proactive organising at least 1 course every year they will generally be where they need to be. OK there’s a bit of time and effort involved.
Having said that - I have a fair few coming through with expired or expiring in a few days cards. They then have to do 5 days in a row or over 2 weeks meaning time off and then sit and moan that it’s everyone’s fault but there’s. They ignored it all for 5 years.
In my opinion - the last 18 months from 2018 to 2019 are going to see the same as happened in 2008/2009 - drivers having to take any old course they can find and probably all crammed in because they have left it and left it.
If I was still running transport I’d make sure the majority were on course number 2 or 3 by now and set staged deadlines by which point everyone needs to be to a level - within reason. When employing new drivers I would check their current position and if needs be not employ anyone who is too far behind - especially nearer the deadline.
Of course there are licences, CPC, ADR, HIAB, CSCS, FORS SUD, SIA, CRB, FLT and probably more.
I am sure many other jobs (nurses, teachers, construction) face similar issues.
OVLOV JAY:
. Yet another farce where the dcpc is concerned
I’m sorry - the only farce is the operator and driver both not doing simple checks.
The last one I dealt with was a Romanian driver with a UK licence. The operator asked to see his DQC when he employed him. The driver said it hadn’t arrived yet but he had 5 certificates in Romanian. The operator accepted that - what a ■■■■.
Driver got caught. Seemed he’d only completed 14 hours, the other certificates were just NVQ type things.
Sometimes operators are their own worse enemies.
The whole thing is a farce. If it’s not a waste of time, why can you sit 5 7hr long first aid courses with no testing and get a qualification? It’s a job for the boys card
shep532:
In my opinion - the last 18 months from 2018 to 2019 are going to see the same as happened in 2008/2009 - drivers having to take any old course they can find and probably all crammed in because they have left it and left it.
In my experience, the pinch point came in the Summer of 2014, but for exactly the reason you gave.
And I’ll share your prediction for 2019. 
dieseldave:
shep532:
In my opinion - the last 18 months from 2018 to 2019 are going to see the same as happened in 2008/2009 - drivers having to take any old course they can find and probably all crammed in because they have left it and left it.
In my experience, the pinch point came in the Summer of 2014, but for exactly the reason you gave.
And I’ll share your prediction for 2019.
Dave you are quite right (as usual) and I put the wrong years. I meant 2013/2014. 
OVLOV JAY:
The whole thing is a farce. If it’s not a waste of time, why can you sit 5 7hr long first aid courses with no testing and get a qualification? It’s a job for the boys card
I’ll agree there should be a compulsory 1 course a year and a limit to repeats. I’ll also agree there should be an exam/test/assessment that can be failed.
But - anyone who attends multiple courses of the same type over a short period isn’t exactly the brightest fella eh? I might go and see a film at the cinema twice if it was really good - but 5 times■■? I’d be an idiot.