New directive from EU, all driver must have CPC

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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LINK

I know when I was at Matalan we had driver training, but now it looks like its part of your licence. Is it?

I hav’nt driven artics for some time now, and was wondering if anyone could tell me what this CPC was all about (see link above)

If I go for a job driving artics again will I have to get this training from a third party company to bring my class 1 up to date.

I asked this question on Talksport radio, and a caller rang back and said Its O.K. because he was getting the required training from his company.

Not much help to me, can someone advise what I should do about the CPC training that look as though it soon to be part of your/my licence.

Are there any companys out there that do the CPC training and if so HOW MUCH does it cost?

In the link above says that all drivers must have this training, but what happens if you don’t?

Hope someone can help.

Thanks to all that reply.

Link edited in order to correct the page width. K

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If you pay yourself it is rather expensive :unamused:

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I remember reading about this on the DSA website and this is what it said!!
Hope this helps !!
regards
Tracy :slight_smile:

dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp?cat=362

Compulsory Training for Bus and Lorry Drivers

Driver CPC

The European Union (EU) published a Directive in July 2003 that will require all category C and D licence holders to take part in 35 hours retraining every five years, in order to keep their entitlement to drive professionally. The Directive also gives details of a new initial qualification regime that new drivers must go through before they can drive professionally for the first time.

The Directive will come into force across all EU member states in 2008 for bus drivers, and 2009 for lorry drivers. These new training requirements will have a major impact any company employing lorry or bus drivers as well as the bus and lorry training industries. Companies will need to ensure their drivers keep their training up to date, and records of this are held. Self-employed drivers are also affected. Drivers will not be able to renew their driving licence unless they have evidence that their training is up to date.

The links on the right hand side lead to the text of the Directive and the report on the consultation on Driver CPC that took place in 2005/6. The information here will introduce and explain the Directive and help you assess its impact on your business. If you require any further information on the Directive that is not contained in any of our pages, or if you wish to clarify any implications this may have for you or your company, please contact:
Compulsory Training for Bus and Lorry Drivers

David Shepherd
Implementation Manager
Stanley House
56 Talbot Street
Notingham
NG1 5GU

Tel: 0115 901 5952

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There have been a few posts about it but it’s still a bit up in the air as far as agency drivers are concerned, especially if, like me, you’re only a casual agency driver rather than full-time. I’ve been told by a local training co. that a course will cost anything from £450 - £1000 (they are only just in the process of setting things in motion) & you’ll need it renewing every 5 years, though they invisage the training can be spread over the 5 year period rather than a single block course or whatever the requirements are. I asked one agency I work for (the other said they knew nothing about it!!) & they said they were looking at buying in training for ‘full-time’ agency drivers & having a sliding scale of part-assistance for those who do fewer days, but they also said that they would probably have to insist on sole-agency status for drivers who used more than one so they don’t end up subsidising the competitors. I can see it all getting very sticky & hope that by 2012 I can give up driving completely.

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There’s been loads of stuff lately in the press about this. When it is introduced (the cpc for drivers) it will become part of your initial test. Existing HGV licence holders will automatically be granted it through “grandfather rights”, but will still need to renew it every 5 years with the required 5 days (or is it 35hours) training. As for who pays for it? Well it’s a bit like the digital tachos, it just depends on how kind your employer is. I should also mention that there is an advertisment for HGV drivers in last nights local paper, the Agency states “free digital tachograph card” after 15 days employment, it didn’t say what the pay rate was though.
The issue about driver training every 5 years has been slow to catch up to us really, maybe because we are already quite heavily regulated, who knows, but most other trades require some form of renewable certification/saftey training all the way from Electricians, Railway track workers, Plumbers, Building site workers etc.
Interestingly enough there is no mention of (as they are now) CPC holders having to update their knowledge of regulations to be able to keep up with the fast changing rules we have. Maybe they have them already but i don’t think so. Any existing CPC holders (O Licence holders ) out there know?

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What impact do you think that this will have on the industry?
How do you all feel about this coming in?
I take it that after 2009 that it will be more expensive and longer to get your class 2 and 1 training.
Surely it will have a negative effect on wannabe drivers coming into the industry.
Why does the EU make life so bloody hard for workers and people who want to work in a certain industry.
Also for the employers.

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BIG LEBOWSKI:
What impact do you think that this will have on the industry?
How do you all feel about this coming in?
I take it that after 2009 that it will be more expensive and longer to get your class 2 and 1 training.
Surely it will have a negative effect on wannabe drivers coming into the industry.
Why does the EU make life so bloody hard for workers and people who want to work in a certain industry.
Also for the employers.

I think it will lead us to it being harder to employ drivers without decent pay and conditions, well i hope anyway. I feel it’s a good thing. It won’t have a negative affect at all for wannabe drivers, it’s a free market economy and prices (wages) will dictate to people if its worth doing and not some whim to “drive a big truck”. Go ask some of the influx of Polish workers here if the EU "makes life so bloody hard for workers and people who want to work in a certain industry. "
I’d actually like to be a Corgi registered plumber they’re on good money and good hours, only thing is, i have no experience of plumbing and not seen any one week courses yet for about a grand or less, infact, not even any one week courses!

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Thanks for you reply Mike-C.
I can see where you are coming from but I was not referring to the EU making it easier for EU citizens being able to work in EU countries. Sorry, I should of been more clear.
I meant EU legislation rules for industry in general. Rules for this and rules for that!!
In general it seems to me that a lot of people are getting cheesed of with all this legislation from the EU. I’m not just talking about the transport industry…

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Mike-C:
I think it will lead us to it being harder to employ drivers without decent pay and conditions, well i hope anyway. I feel it’s a good thing. It won’t have a negative affect at all for wannabe drivers, it’s a free market economy and prices (wages) will dictate to people if its worth doing and not some whim to “drive a big truck”. Go ask some of the influx of Polish workers here if the EU "makes life so bloody hard for workers and people who want to work in a certain industry. "
I’d actually like to be a Corgi registered plumber they’re on good money and good hours, only thing is, i have no experience of plumbing and not seen any one week courses yet for about a grand or less, infact, not even any one week courses!

My thoughts exactly, well apart from the plumbing bit. :wink:

For years the complaint has been that we are seen as unskilled, lower than the low etc and now there is something that is designed to raise the standard and people still complain. Can’t win eh? :wink: :smiley:

That isn’t a dig at posters on here who have expressed reservations, just an observation in general.

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Coffeeholic:

Mike-C:
For years the complaint has been that we are seen as unskilled, lower than the low etc and now there is something that is designed to raise the standard and people still complain. Can’t win eh?

No, you can’t win unless you are already a driver and have got a five year grace to do your CPC and your wages have been driven up because of it due to a lack of drivers because it will put a lot of wannabes off!!
What happened to ‘We all started from scratch?’
Unskilled??
■■■■■■■ hell mate…
I had my medical…
I’m studying for my theory etc.
I’ve got to go for class 2 then 1…
My mate at work is saying ■■■■■■■ hell, you got your work cut out for you!
I wouldn’t say it is seen as an unskilled job anymore!! Or ever was in my eyes!!!
The reason it is seen as the lowest of the low is because of past history and legislation. Laws upon laws being introduced etc = something is wrong with the industry and needs more laws to make it safer blah blah etc!!! The EU for you?? If something is wrong elsewhere then all of the EU must suffer!!

I hope I made some sense!! :smiley:

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If some idiot takes a corner too fast in Belgium and overeturns his truck then the rest of the EU gets punished for it through more legistlation…
Total bollox!

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Thank you, to all that replied.

But do you really think the job is going to benifit from these new regulations.
They just seam to be making more work for the pen pushers, and much harder for anyone (fool enough) to think of becoming a truck driver.

Has anyone calculated the total cost of becoming a truck driver today, in december I’ve got my medical between £50.00 and £70.00 then the new digi tacho, £38.00. That ok I can live with that cost. But in five years time it could cost anything from £450 to £1000 and then theres the other £70.00 for my medical again. Lets just call it around £500. Then theres all the time off and more loss of pay, or holidays I have to use to take the training needed to keep up with the rest of the pack.

And you can bet your life, there will be more addon’s to come from the EU.

And on top of all that, if I do return to driving a truck again theres all the ■■■ ■■■ that go’es with it. Low pay, bad conditions, speed cameras, tacho law, safe parking, long hours, early starts, late finishers, and there the good bits :wink:

Maybe one of you can tell me WHY you drive trucks for a living. I started back in the 1970’s running out of ireland,(Derry Bro’s) and finished in 2002 running out on Matalan. Sod that WTD

But really, WHY DO WE PUT UP WITH IT■■?

Oh, I’m not having a go at anyone. Just asking a question.

DO you work in this industy for the money, hours, company, type of truck you drive■■? WHY

I did it because I could earn good money. Yes very long hours, but well paid. When the good money stopped.
So did I.

Thank you, to all that reply.

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It doesnt cost anything if you come to work here from abroad, all you need is your own countries driving licence (preferably HGV) and work for a lower rate then its job done.No need for the training UK drivers need.

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This will be just another piece of Brussels legislation that only Britain will implement. As Jammymutt says, if you are not a british driver the rule won’t apply to you because there is no way the authorities will want to verify if the foreign drivers qualifications are valid or not. How many foreign drivers observe the WTD for instance.

Regards
Westie

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westie:
How many foreign drivers observe the WTD for instance.

Probably a similar percentage to the British drivers who observe it! I think once it was announced that VOSA where taking a softly softly approach at first, it’s almost like a green light to igore it until you get told.

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I was recently in for an agency at the same time as a Polish driver & all he had was a smart-card type licence - in Polish. He reckoned that was all he needed if the employer had a card reader! Needless to say he was sent packing but does anyone know if any other countries do already use a smart-card licence?

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yep,but existing driver have it easier