Any of you guys done this recently?
How hard is it?
I think I would describe it as pretty hard. You certainly have to study and it does cover a wide range of topics.
Personally I found the main ‘compliance’ bit pretty simple - that is all the rules & regulations, tachos, hours, maintenance. Some of the other stuff such as financial, contract law and maybe even employment law I had to work harder at.
I would always suggest buy a home study pack - have a read through, then go on the OCR website and try a few old exams then decide for yourself.
shep532:
I think I would describe it as pretty hard. You certainly have to study and it does cover a wide range of topics.Personally I found the main ‘compliance’ bit pretty simple - that is all the rules & regulations, tachos, hours, maintenance. Some of the other stuff such as financial, contract law and maybe even employment law I had to work harder at.
I would always suggest buy a home study pack - have a read through, then go on the OCR website and try a few old exams then decide for yourself.
Cheers mate.
Sorry I should have explained a bit more in my original post.
I am already booked on a two week course in the new year and I have just been going through some pre course reading. Transport of animals, permits and passes needed etc. Jesus what have I let myself in for lol
It is a hard slog. The Operator’s CPC is an RSA level 3 exam, meaning that it is the equivalent of a GCSE A level, or an NVQ level 3 exam. You can’t just turn up and have a snooze in the corner like the DCPC. Having said that, if you apply yourself to it, do preparation, homework and revision, there’s no reason why you won’t pass. Good luck!
Did mine this year, Got a study book, and David Lowes Transport Managers Handbook,
took them with me and sat & read them whilst waiting on the bay,
Give yourself a section at a time & just pace yourself, keep reading & it will sink in,
Then get some past papers & do one every now & again
If you are on a course, they will teach you how to go about it
Good Luck with it 
Cheers for the advise guys.
Rather worryingly I’ve just been looking at the examiners reports on the OCR website and for all the exams in 2015 there was only a 48% pass rate! I’m paying for it all myself too so here’s hoping lol
Did a 2 week course at a local college for the Standard National ticket in 1984. Bought the Cromer Publication Road Transport Manual; I think it was about £100 for the base version at the time and was advertised in most of the truck mags. It covered all the current regs, ( tacos, C & U, lighting etc etc ). They sent out monthly updates on new and changed legislation.
I found it a good investment and helped get me get the C.P.C.
Good Luck with yours.
It is not easy, drink lots of coffee to stay alert and awake, no beer at night, ok, one is ok.
The exam will include a mock scenario, based on the day to day running of a transport firm, it may include financial questions, and questions of things going wrong and what do you do to rectify it.
Don’t worry if you forget anything, the brain has a knack of bringing facts back like a filing system.
Pretty much as other have said, it’s a lot to take in, for most who’ve been drivers for long enough the EU drivers hours aren’t to bad, but there are plenty of other bits to the course and if you’ve not done any studying for a few years (since leaving school) getting your brain back into that mode can be a challenge. In some ways I was lucky as I’d done a bit of Business studies in the past so a lot of that was revision.
I think taking a 2 week course is a good way to do it, as you’ll be shown exam techniques and what type of answers they’re expecting, which might give you the few extra points that make a pass on the day. In the mock exams I lost points as my answers were a bit to brief, so I learned how to pad the answers out.
But saying that you still need to know your stuff and do plenty of studying at home to pass and although the written exam is 2hrs 15 now I believe, (they added 15 minutes so you had time to read the exam paper first) you’ll probably need all that and still want a bit more and the multiple choice might seem easier, but read the questions properly and don’t rush them. (I am assuming it hasn’t changed to much in the last couple of years)
Do as many past papers for practice as you can. Amazing how many questions get recycled.
Many of us have done the course / exams ourselves, and the conclusion is …
You have to be crazy to undertake it. You’ll feel mentally exhausted at the end of the lot, & be begging the crowman to carve you a new head, because your head will have melted due to the sheer amount you have to learn.
I’ve stated before, your only focus if your undertaking this is focus solely on it and nothing else. Every hour not eating/sleeping you should be studying the CPC 110%+, every distraction during it is a moment that could make you fail. time spent down the pub, with family etc isn’t advised. No time between the course & exams should be down time, read, re-read, & re-read everything again, not until you have a pass certificate in your hand should you stop studying. Highlighting trigger phrases in the course notes may help you remember a particular point, this is Especially useful if you spend the moments prior to doing a particular sections exam. Standing outside the prior to a exam drinking coffee, smoking, & talking bollix with your fellow candidates is wasted study time
I did mine as a residential course - somewhere near Shrewsbury I think. From memory, the pass rate there was under 50%, but it’s a great feeling if you pass. Like all these things, you have to learn loads of stuff that you will either never need again, or will look up if you need it. I too bought Lowes and Croners.
Pierre has it right. Turn the phone off and give it 100%.
Santa:
Turn the phone off and give it 110%.
FTFY
The idea of a residential course is good, likewise locking yourself away in a hotel far from the personnel distractions of life/family is extreme but is a good idea
I done it two years ago with not much haulage experience and never driving a truck before: I don’t know if that was good thing as what I was getting told was I I knew about haulage.
I done two week course with the FTA and passed both first time.
The multi guess was quite straight forward just revise the old book you get given with all the bank of questions.
The written test is quite cheeky but I got a pass so can’t be that bad I’ve not got one GCSE. Although I did revise a lot and it paid off in the end.
I wouldn’t listen to the horror stories on how hard it is:
If you study and put the time in effort in you will pass it.