hi
I have had my class c license for around 25 years, but haven’t used it for about 20. I now have the chance to drive for my company and so i have got myself a digi card and had a medical and now only require my periodic cpc.
I am trying to get my employer to pay for this but they require me to do a driving assessment before they will obviously commit to paying for it, but others at work are saying I can’t do the assessment without having a valid cpc.
Anyone know the score here, any help greatly appreciated.
No problem. Of course you can have the assessment as that isn’t driving professionally.
You then have two options for obtaining driver cpc. You can go down the “initial” route. This is Mod 2 (case studies test at the theory test centre) followed by Mod 4 (practical demonstration test at the driving test centre - vehicle required). These are both pass/fail.
Or you can go down the “periodic” route. This is 35 hours - normally classroom. No pass/fail. Bigger time commitment though.
All the best with it, Pete 
Peter Smythe:
Of course you can have the assessment as that isn’t driving professionally
I am not so certain Pete
The assessment is part of the commercial running of the company and is not under any of the DCPC exemptions listed
I am going to call the DCPC hotline and see what they think …
There are loads of exemptions that are also part of the commercial running of the company.
Pete
I think the assessment would be exempt DCPC as long as the vehicle is empty
Called the hotline and they are 50/50 on it and we agreed it would have to go to court for a definitive which is unlikely to happen unless there was a serious incident
They are 50/50 on just about everything and exactly the answer I would have expected!
But let’s just try to apply logic. The powers that be state that a bricklayer can load his truck with bricks, drive it to site, lay bricks and bring the truck back. All without driver cpc as the driving is incidental to his main employment. They don’t state anything about proportions of time ie he could drive 4 hours to site, lay 2 bricks and return. Legal.
So I would happily go to court with anyone having an assessment prior to employment as a driver. How can it possibly be wrong?
Pete
Peter Smythe:
The powers that be state that a bricklayer can load his truck with bricks, drive it to site, lay bricks and bring the truck back. All without driver cpc as the driving is incidental to his main employment. They don’t state anything about proportions of time ie he could drive 4 hours to site, lay 2 bricks and return. Legal.
That would not be - incidental - so illegal
Sorry ROG, don’t agree. That was the example quoted by DSA at the conference in 2007 when the driver cpc was being introduced. I asked the question about how much driving in relation to other activities and they were stumped. But, at that time, the consensus amongst the great and the good on stage was that it would be exempt.
It’s along the lines of if you’re carrying goods or equipment that you are going to work with, it’s incidental. But deliver eg some bricks to another site on the way and you are then a driver and need driver cpc.
But until there is a test case, no-one will really know.
I still believe the OP does not need driver cpc for an assessment.
Pete
As far as the OPs question is concerned I agree with Peter, the OP hasn’t said what his usual job is but presumably it’s not driving and it’s certainly not driving HGVs, as driving HGVs isn’t his main job and he’s not carrying goods while on an assessment I can see no reason why he would need a DQC for a driver assessment.
Crikey. This has opened a can of worms.
I work in a warehouse but want to transfer to transport so driving is not my main employment now but I am hoping for it to be.
The transport managers said he needs to sort out the cpc first to do the assessment. I don’t know if its company policy or wether he thinks I do need it first, but it looks like it’s win win for me.
Many thanks for your replies guys.
The main thing is to impress at your assessment. I would suggest (I cant believe I’m saying this) that you book as many free CE assessments as you can find to give yourself time on the road. You have the provisional and this would probably be invaluable for confidence.
Like you say, you cant really loose with the cpc.
All the best with it, Pete