mixer driver:
With the TC getting a little strict for hire in TM I think I’ll do my CPC. It shouldn’t really effect me as my TM is only on his own and mine operator licence and we’ve only one truck each but you never know what else they will bring out in years to come.
Hi mixer driver,
When a change as big as this is first proposed, there is usually a consultation period and a lead-in period, so that it doesn’t come as a nasty sudden shock.
I think this is as far as they’ll go for quite a while.
TBH mate, I can’t see much of a problem with the set-up that you’ve got at the moment.
If you wish to press ahead, I have some thoughts on your questions. (I used to teach CPC.)
mixer driver:
I’ve few questions about CPC training course:
- with the change in December of the international and national all becoming one thing, I don’t want to risk only passing one or two and having to do all three again, so would it make sense to wait?
I think this is a double-edged sword mate.
On the one hand, you just need a National CPC, but you’d have to be pretty determined and have plenty of self-discipline to pass all three present exams by the cut-off date, but it can be done.
On the other hand, if you wait, you’ll have to study loads of international stuff that you’ll probably never need. The course will involve longer downtime for yourself and therefore more expensive in two ways.
mixer driver:
2) anyone reccomemd a good CPC training course?
I’d recommend a structured classroom course using EOS training notes, but where the instructor doesn’t simply read the student notes out aloud to the class in the manner of a newsreader.
mixer driver:
3) any good reading material to give me a head start?
I’d caution you against a “head start,” because it’s always best to get the relevant (up-to-date) notes that actually go with the course that you will take. The relevant notes are designed with the next exam in mind, so my fear for you is that if you study some random notes, you might then find that you have to ‘unlearn’ something. ‘Unlearning’ is far harder than learning.
mixer driver:
4( are they easy?
I’m making absolutely no assumptions about you, but “easy” is relative to your own standard of education.
Please don’t take that the wrong way, because I mean that if you have one or more “A” levels (or equivalents or better,) then you’ll probably find a CPC course will be reasonably “easy.”
A CPC course presently has the same degree of difficulty as an “A” level.
That’s not to say that it takes the same length of time (it doesn’t,) but it’s just to give you a rough idea of the standard.
I hope that helps. 