I’ve got some questions regarding the CPC test. I don’t actually have a current need for one but feel that one day it might be handy to have.
Is it just a case of learning everything in the book or are there scenarios that you have to interpret and “discuss”
Is it feasible to do as a homestudy for a sensible price?
If I were to obtain said qualification is there a potential market as a freelance CPC holder for a small operator.
I’ve had a look around for some answers but can’t actually find too much out except for training courses who want to offer me a weeks training or whatever.
There certainly is a market for CPC holders, there are a lot of would be owner drivers who need a transport manager to obtain there operators license, also quite a few agencies looking for CPC holders. Vosa and the TC,s are not keen on freelance CPC holders, but there is a market place for them.
I,ve got CPC passenger national.And trust me there is no market out there for me got the wrong one!!.I did it as home study 7 min either end of a service bus route.I first had to learn how to learn again.You forget how after school.I couldnt go into a classroom.I realised that I must have had ADHD ,I cant concentrate for more than 15/20 min at a time.But I can learn at my own pace and get there.I,m looking to do a degree but it will have to be Open Uni.at my own pace.Its worth going for I,m looking at doing Road haulage this year after Hiab.
I combined homestudy and an evening class to obtain my cpc’s, and I have to say that the evening classes were really a waste of time. IMHO home study is the best way to go. I used Freindberry, but I did do mine prior to having to do the case study. However I would think their material will still be good.
As regards agencies wanting cpc holders don’t bank on getting work from them. They are happy to intoduce you to a client if they have one, and charge for their service.
Over the last few years I have been Transport Manager for several small owner operators, until thay have got their own cpc.
There is some work for PSV CPC holders, I was contacted by three coach companies last year to be their TM, but I only take on people who are localish to me, because you are responsible and have to keep a good eye on them.
I did my freight national by borrowing a copy of the David Lowe book and reading it cover to cover then sitting the exam. By some fluke I passed all the modules first time.
There is a market as Smart Mart has said for freelance CPC holders but you have to be very careful who you work for as if you don’t keep them legal and they get caught then the TC could consider you to have lost repute and then your CPC doesn’t count for anything any more.
Quite agree, I have and still do act for a few owner drivers as national CPC holder also act for one as International CPC holder.
The only way to do the job is be careful who you act for, and do it properly, check all their records tacho,s etc, If they don,t run straight withdraw your CPC notifying the TC and the operator by writing, keep it straight and be vigilant and you will be ok.
Did both of mine by home study, National 20 years ago, International 10 years ago.
OK thanks for the info all very helpful, I never have much luck with the search facility.
I am thinking about doing this as adding a qualification rather than having a actual requirement to do so. The way things are it can only be of use but I didn’t want to spend thousands achieving it. Of course the opportunity to earn some more cash is not to be overlooked either.
I’d always realised that using your CPC for someone else’s business would mean that you had to be careful, I guess putting any potential issues in writing to them and outlining what needed to be done and what would happen if things weren’t followed would be the best defense against getting unwanted attention fron the TC’s. Withdrawal would I suppose be a last resort.
try www.cpc-centre.co.uk
freight nat about £60 home study
did mine in Dec just waiting for results
personally I think I should have gone on a course for unit 4
but I’ll judge that more when I get my results
Denis F:
too right, that’s why I only use mine for my own O Licence - its too valuable to let some muppet use it however much they pay !!!
Hi Denis F, IMHO, that’s spot-on.
I’ve acted for a firm who needed to upgrade from ‘restricted’ to ‘standard national.’
We did the necessary paperwork, sent my CPC to the TC (Beverley Bell ) and I was added as TM to the ‘new’ ‘O’ licence.
We got the new identity discs for the vehicles, then the owner thought that he could please himself whilst using me as a puppet government.
That was a very poor move on his part.
I did exactly what Dave the Renegade said in his post above and was removed from the ‘O’ licence with my repute intact BEFORE any problems were discovered by VOSA.
I’ve no idea what happened to that firm, but whatever it was, they brought it upon themselves after I’d left.
My advice to anybody thinking of putting their CPC on the line is to think very carefully about the possible consequences of working for a rogue. Then if you trust them, you still need to be very vigilant.
I always wondered why these folk don’t get their own CPC…hmmm…
There were three potential reasons for considering doing this,
Firstly if I get fed up of being on the road or taken off of it (ie redundancy), it would open up a further avenue of becoming a full time TM
Secondly so that if I ever decided to go it alone and buy my own motor it’d be in the bag and ready.
Thirdly when the country gets going again and things get more prosperous there may be people or organisations who have a need to put vehicles on the road, if they haven’t got a CPC but are proposing to get it, they may want an interim to get them off the ground.
It’s pretty much in that order with option 3 being a possible extra earner in the right circumstances.
I’ve ordered a home study course, if nothing else I’ll learn something new.
Good for you, go for it. You can never have to many qualifications, if you have your CPC, let one or two of your mates in transport know you have a CPC, and people will seek you out. Never go to them !
OK I’ve had a look around the OCR website and I think it’s all within my capabilities (he says now!) however the one thing I cannot find any mention of is when and where the exams take place. It seems to overlook the fact that people may want to do this independantly of a training provider. Anyone got any ideas.
8wheels:
OK I’ve had a look around the OCR website and I think it’s all within my capabilities (he says now!) however the one thing I cannot find any mention of is when and where the exams take place. It seems to overlook the fact that people may want to do this independantly of a training provider. Anyone got any ideas.
I think it’s usually March, June, September and December
the RHA do a exam only option for exams at Peterborough, Bradford or Reading
I’m sure other training providers must book exam only
That’s good advice Denis, most training providers (= exam centres) will accept ‘external’ candidates.
A quick phone call will do just fine and it’s a yes/no type answer.
However… if a training provider does accept ‘external’ candidates, there will be an ‘admin’ fee in addition to the standard exam fees published by OCR on their site.
As we all know, some places will try and have a laugh, but the right questions during the 'phone call should leave the caller with sufficient info upon which to make their decision.
I assumed that the exams would be taken independantly of the training provider as per theory test etc. I’m sure that DTT did the CPC course when I did my Class 1 there, it’d be the logical place to start looking.
8wheels:
OK thanks for the input, it just wasn’t obvious.
Hi 8wheels, you’re right mate, it isn’t obvious at all.
8wheels:
I assumed that the exams would be taken independantly of the training provider as per theory test etc. I’m sure that DTT did the CPC course when I did my Class 1 there, it’d be the logical place to start looking.
It is allowable that the instructor who taught the course is also the exam invigilator, but many providers have a policy of having a different person do the exam invigilation.
FYI, OCR aren’t really that fussy about where CPC training is carried out, hence the home-study option.
It’s also possible that you could hire a private tutor and do your studies in the comfort of your own front room!!
The part that’s non-negotiable is that ALL exams must be taken at an OCR approved exam premises, which is why you’ll probably end up at a training provider’s classroom to sit the exams.
The providers who are approved to conduct the exams usually have a framed OCR certificate on display that says that it’s an approved exam center and showing the ‘center number.’ IIRC, this is six digits. The center number must also be written on the exam forms.
Please don’t be too concerned at this stage, because you will receive a full explanation in the exam briefing from the invigilator just before the exams commence.
I wouldn’t want to make a premature comment on the package you’ve chosen, so I won’t, but it’s fair to say that I’ve mentioned before on the forum that the quality and content of home-study packs can vary. I’d also offer you these tips:
Please visit the OCR website which is accessible from the CPC sticky at the top of this forum.
Please take the opportunity to read any past papers you can find.
Please read the Chief Examiner’s reports to gain insight as to how and why people fail their CPC exams.
Pay particular attention to the way they want you to present the case study answers.)
Given that you’re going to enquire about taking the exams at a provider’s premises, please take the opportunity to enquire as to whether they’ll allow you to attend a ‘revision’ day if they offer one. I would recommend that a revision day is very much in your interests.
) and I was added as TM to the ‘new’ ‘O’ licence.
