I hold a class 1 and don’t officially need to do the 35 hours until the September deadline.
My question is, I no longer drive but keep my licence just in case. What happens if i don’t do the 35 hours by September?
Do I, if i want or need to drive for a company after September, have to sit some other course(there are mention of modules), or do i simply sit the 35 hour course, at my leisure as and when the need arises?
Apologies if this has been asked before but I did a search and couldn’t find the answer.
not doing your dcpc doesn’t mean you lose your license but your right to drive commercially.
So for instance come september you won’t be able to drive commercially but you would for the next 5 years once you’ve done the 35 hours of ‘training’ and got the blue card.
Thanks for the answers. I am aware it doesn’t affect my licence, I just didn’t want to find out later I have lost the right to simply sit the 35 hour course. I will keep my money in my pocket for the time being. Thanks again
I would clarify this with dvla or who ever.
I"m sure I’ve read a Gov document somewhere. . that if you Have NOT taken up the grandfather rights option your required to sit the DCPC as if your a new driver… That’s why they have given the said grandfather rights to aquiered cpc .
nick2008:
I would clarify this with dvla or who ever.
I"m sure I’ve read a Gov document somewhere. . that if you Have NOT taken up the grandfather rights option your required to sit the DCPC as if your a new driver… That’s why they have given the said grandfather rights to aquiered cpc .
The system will not allow the holder of any LGV category who had it on 09/09/2009 to take the initial LGV dcpc
The grandfather/acquired rights is simply the same as giving the driver a ghost DQC
It means you just have to do 35 hours of approved Periodic Training in order to drive LGV’s. You can do this prior to September this year, to keep your licence ‘valid’ or automatically re-instate it’s validity afterwards by completing said 35 hours (5 x 7 hr modules) after Sept. In that case, you cannot drive professionally until it’s completed and you receive your Driver Qualification Card (DQC) - which has a 5 year expiry date from either Sept 2014 (if completed between now & Sept.) or whenever the training is completed after that date. There will not be any pass/fail modules to do in your scenario - unlike new LGV/PCV drivers.
The “grandfather rights” has given you from September 2009 to September 2014 to gain your 35hrs of DCPC. New LGV drivers have not had this option, and have had to do a compulsory Driver CPC modular course to gain their license.
After this September the first five year period ends for existing drivers, and the second period starts (i.e. another 35hrs before September 2019). But as an existing driver, without your first 35hrs, you wouldn’t be entitled to join in the second period, you’ll have to attend the initial course as a new driver, and then join the 35hr DCPC roundabout…
It would appear that there is no confirmed answer and some say i need to do the 35 hours while others say not! I spoke to a provider of the course who said i didn’t need to do this but to be honest the last reply makes the most sense. So does anyone know who i will need to speak to, to confirm if i should sit the course before september?
If you had any LGV (C1 C1E C or CE) on your licence on 09/09/2009 then you need 35 hours of periodic dcpc before 09/09/2014 if you wish to drive LGVs commercially after that date
If you decide not to do the 35 hours then from 09/09/2014 you cannot use the LGV licence commercially until such time as the 35 hours are completed
Thanks ROG. I disagree that its ‘so simple’. I know it makes no difference to my licence, but as i don’t drive commercially or otherwise, if i don’t do the training i may have to do as khdgsa suggests and miss out and then need to sit another course!
I do appreciate your comments though and will probably look to complete the 35 hours just in case!
m1tch:
Thanks ROG. I disagree that its ‘so simple’. I know it makes no difference to my licence, but as i don’t drive commercially or otherwise, if i don’t do the training i may have to do as khdgsa suggests and miss out and then need to sit another course!
I do appreciate your comments though and will probably look to complete the 35 hours just in case!
Cheers CM
I would also like to see a link and agree it is far from clear. I can’t see how legally, once they have as discussed ‘gifted’ acquired rights to existing licence holders, force them back to square one of doing the initial CPC if they don’t complete 35 hours by this September.
It’s bad enough for labour market flexibility that if someone dips out of the industry for 5 years they’d have to do 35 hours of training before they can get back behind the wheel of a truck vocationally and now some people seem to be asserting the initial DCPC would be required. I don’t think this is correct though as everything I have read suggests 35 hours of training before you can drive again if you dip out of the industry. Therefore, as far as I can see, if you aren’t planning on driving vocationally before September there’s no point in rushing out to do it now.
Daz1970:
It means you just have to do 35 hours of approved Periodic Training in order to drive LGV’s. You can do this prior to September this year, to keep your licence ‘valid’ or automatically re-instate it’s validity afterwards by completing said 35 hours (5 x 7 hr modules) after Sept. In that case, you cannot drive professionally until it’s completed and you receive your Driver Qualification Card (DQC) - which has a 5 year expiry date from either Sept 2014 (if completed between now & Sept.) or whenever the training is completed after that date. There will not be any pass/fail modules to do in your scenario - unlike new LGV/PCV drivers.
Yes, this was kind of how I understood it but it’s very messy as it seems to mean that existing drivers will be locked into their DQCs all expiring simultaneously, if they comply with obtaining the training on time, but anyone that leaves it late gets effectively rewarded for doing it late and will miss the mad rush in five years when the bulk of the people that did it in time have to renew by.
Surely anyone that gets it after Sept should still be given a card that’s is backdated to start from Sept or it seems very unfair on those that have got the training done on time?
Daz1970:
It means you just have to do 35 hours of approved Periodic Training in order to drive LGV’s. You can do this prior to September this year, to keep your licence ‘valid’ or automatically re-instate it’s validity afterwards by completing said 35 hours (5 x 7 hr modules) after Sept. In that case, you cannot drive professionally until it’s completed and you receive your Driver Qualification Card (DQC) - which has a 5 year expiry date from either Sept 2014 (if completed between now & Sept.) or whenever the training is completed after that date. There will not be any pass/fail modules to do in your scenario - unlike new LGV/PCV drivers.
Is there a link to where this is officially stated? Just want to see it in black and white somewhere, to help me plan when I take my dcpc. Currently on a long term non driving contract so also not driving commercially at moment, but obviously want to ensure I00 percent I could take the 35 hours after September.
No offence to anyone, but it is a ‘biggie’ for those of us in this situation.
Daz1970:
It means you just have to do 35 hours of approved Periodic Training in order to drive LGV’s. You can do this prior to September this year, to keep your licence ‘valid’ or automatically re-instate it’s validity afterwards by completing said 35 hours (5 x 7 hr modules) after Sept. In that case, you cannot drive professionally until it’s completed and you receive your Driver Qualification Card (DQC) - which has a 5 year expiry date from either Sept 2014 (if completed between now & Sept.) or whenever the training is completed after that date. There will not be any pass/fail modules to do in your scenario - unlike new LGV/PCV drivers.
Is there a link to where this is officially stated? Just want to see it in black and white somewhere, to help me plan when I take my dcpc. Currently on a long term non driving contract so also not driving commercially at moment, but obviously want to ensure I00 percent I could take the 35 hours after September.
No offence to anyone, but it is a ‘biggie’ for those of us in this situation.
My understanding was just do 35 hours anytime before you can drive commercially once the sept deadline has passed. That was before this thread and the seemingly persistent idea there’s some disadvantage to not doing it before Sept. They might have got the idea from a DCPC course.
When the authorities responsible for implementation have a track record of issuing contradictory advice it’s not surprising confusion reigns though.
I agree liberty_guy your situation is the same as mine. The cost near me is £99+vat so don’t want to pay if i don’t need to. We all interpret things differently, this as seen above is no different!
I would also like to see a link and agree it is far from clear. I can’t see how legally, once they have as discussed ‘gifted’ acquired rights to existing licence holders, force them back to square one of doing the initial CPC if they don’t complete 35 hours by this September.
No driver can do initial dcpc if there are or were in the periodic dcpc system
m1tch:
I agree liberty_guy your situation is the same as mine. The cost near me is £99+vat so don’t want to pay if i don’t need to. We all interpret things differently, this as seen above is no different!
Cheers CM
I am still looking, but have yet to find any official statement on any site that says those with drivers with acquired rights and are not currently driving commercially, will be able to just do those 35 hours after the September deadline, if they decide to drive commercially again…
I can get a week’s dcpc course for under £300 in this part of the world and they still have spaces available, but wonder if it is a pointless exercise (at the moment) if it is I can just get the dcpc after September by doing 35 hours training?
There is undeniably a lot of confusion over this entire dcpc issue and a lot of conflicting information out there. If anyone can point those of us who are currently not driving commercially in the direction of the statement that says we can just take it after September if the need ever arises, we would be most grateful… Thanks.
LIBERTY_GUY:
I am still looking, but have yet to find any official statement on any site that says those with drivers with acquired rights and are not currently driving commercially, will be able to just do those 35 hours after the September deadline, if they decide to drive commercially again…
