I passed my car test in 1972 and have driven up to 7.5t professionally in the past, last time approx 10y ago.
Decided to do things properly and have just passed Cat C this month, so now need to get CPC as I have never done any other training.
I am a bit confused as to which route of CPC I must take, Initial (i.e. sitting modules 2 and 4) or Periodic ( i.e. completing 35 hours of approved CPC training)
The way I read this document Become a qualified heavy goods vehicle (HGV) or bus driver: Getting qualified - GOV.UK I should have acquired rights and go down the periodic training route. But I spoke to Pearson who run the test bookings as modules 2 and 4 were not coming up as an option to book on their web site. They have now done an eligibility check and inform me that I am “eligible” to take modules 2 and 4. What does that mean?
Can anyone definitively tell me the correct path to CPC?
Periodic for you - the system will not allow you to do the initial
Pearson are not the people to ask - the DVSA are 0191 201 8112
Many LGV schools have their C and CE courses approved for dcpc hours but you need to ask
courses approved for dcpc cost a little more
2 to 1 on approved dcpc courses get twice the hours than 1 to 1 because you are in the cab for twice as long
generally 14 hrs for 1 to 1 and 28 hrs for 2 to 1
I was fairly sure that what you say is correct, but thanks for confirming it. Reading all the different stuff out there can be confusing.
I have 14 hours CPC certified already from two days of Cat C training, so just 21 to go!
which area of UK are you?
I’m in Leeds.
What made you decide to do this near age 60 ?
Truck driving has always been a fall-back for me. I’ve been lucky enough to be in fairly well paid work for most of my career.
In the next year or two I could look at retirement quite seriously, but my pension is such that I would need some kind of top-up work. Driving seemed to be a viable option for me, but the last spell I did involved driving e.g. overloaded Transits on multi-drops of photocopier paper in a city centre, sleeping in a 3.5t cab overnight with no proper bunk, carrying Argos flat-pack furniture up three flights of stairs, etc. I guess you know the story . I thought that at age 60 a slightly easier and better paid job, doing say a couple of nights trunking a week with no hand-balling would be more up my street. So I am working my way up to C+E.
In the worst case if the jobs do not work out, I will of course have spent some money, but improved my general driving skills and had some fun along the way. Also it shuts my kids up when they start on about older drivers not being able to pass theory tests, hazard perception and the rest .
. I thought that at age 60 a slightly easier and better paid job, doing say a couple of nights trunking a week with no hand-balling would be more up my street. So I am working my way up to C+E.
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