I’ve been told this by two local Driver CPC training providers today. Neither had any space ahead of September.
I wish people who had pre 97 licenses like me could opt to do initial CPC and cases studies, as the closer it gets to September the more unlikely it is that ‘grandfather’ people who pass their driving test will be able to fit 35 hours in anywhere… I know there will be relatively few of these, but the rules bought in to enable existing drivers to come on board with CPC are becoming an increasing pain for older new truck drivers!
I’m still thinking about doing ADR as a way to get 21 hours CPC…are there any other particularly interesting ways to get it? Don’t suppose forklift or HIAB courses can count towards it can they?
th2013:
I’ve been told this by two local Driver CPC training providers today. Neither had any space ahead of September.
I wish people who had pre 97 licenses like me could opt to do initial CPC and cases studies, as the closer it gets to September the more unlikely it is that ‘grandfather’ people who pass their driving test will be able to fit 35 hours in anywhere… I know there will be relatively few of these, but the rules bought in to enable existing drivers to come on board with CPC are becoming an increasing pain for older new truck drivers!
I’m still thinking about doing ADR as a way to get 21 hours CPC…are there any other particularly interesting ways to get it? Don’t suppose forklift or HIAB courses can count towards it can they?
there are some hiab and fl courses that are dcpc approved but you need to search the jaupt site to find them
th2013:
I’ve been told this by two local Driver CPC training providers today. Neither had any space ahead of September.
I wish people who had pre 97 licenses like me could opt to do initial CPC and cases studies, as the closer it gets to September the more unlikely it is that ‘grandfather’ people who pass their driving test will be able to fit 35 hours in anywhere… I know there will be relatively few of these, but the rules bought in to enable existing drivers to come on board with CPC are becoming an increasing pain for older new truck drivers!
I’m still thinking about doing ADR as a way to get 21 hours CPC…are there any other particularly interesting ways to get it? Don’t suppose forklift or HIAB courses can count towards it can they?
IMO it should have been mandatory for existing drivers to do a minimum of one module per year…then most if not all the forthcoming panic would have been alleviated!!!
Daz1970:
IMO it should have been mandatory for existing drivers to do a minimum of one module per year…then most if not all the forthcoming panic would have been alleviated!!!
As I said…just my opinion.
I teach DCPC and a lot of the centres are getting full. Because training is a small part of my business I will actually only teach another 5/6 courses this year.
I have trained the people who wanted to be trained and the last two Saturday’s I did some freelance for someone the course was full of drivers who just moaned the whole time. I have better things to do with my weekends so apart from a few customers I will gladly stop all DCPC training in a couple of weeks
Surprisingly I thought I was alone turning down work but apparently a few DCPC trainer are jacking it in — doing it properly is hard work — doing it properly to a room full of drivers who won’t even meet you half way just isn’t worth it.
So for all those guys who told me this would never happen or its illegal or whatever — good luck putting food on the table in September.
th2013:
I’ve been told this by two local Driver CPC training providers today. Neither had any space ahead of September.
I wish people who had pre 97 licenses like me could opt to do initial CPC and cases studies, as the closer it gets to September the more unlikely it is that ‘grandfather’ people who pass their driving test will be able to fit 35 hours in anywhere… I know there will be relatively few of these, but the rules bought in to enable existing drivers to come on board with CPC are becoming an increasing pain for older new truck drivers!
I’m still thinking about doing ADR as a way to get 21 hours CPC…are there any other particularly interesting ways to get it? Don’t suppose forklift or HIAB courses can count towards it can they?
IMO it should have been mandatory for existing drivers to do a minimum of one module per year…then most if not all the forthcoming panic would have been alleviated!!!
As I said…just my opinion.
That’s what the Irish Govt did: seven hours a year, every year, so none of this nonsense about it not happening…everyone had to accept that it was happening like it or not, and you had to participate from year one. Harsh, but fair.
Since you can get your qualification to teach dcpc out a coco pops box, I’ll start up a course get it awe accredited by the jaupt bawbags and charge you’s an arm am a leg for me talkin pish and geeing you a cup of coffee and a rich tea biscuit
Some good points above. I still think that people passing Cat C after September who have a pre 97 license should be treated the same as younger blokes and be allowed to to the initial CPC and case studies.
Regarding attitude - I won’t go as far to say that I “want to be trained” i.e. I wouldn’t choose this as I think most of us wouldn’t, but I will certainly respect anyone doing training. The way I look at it is that I have to be stuck in the room for 7 hours, and moaning won’t make it any more bearable for fellow trainees or trainer.
I can also understand trainers throwing in the towel if they get constant abuse for providing a service that we all need.
I am struggling to give bookings to some people. I don’t do Sundays if I can help it and now almost have no Saturday spaces at all.
I have had phone calls this week where I couldn’t offer what they wanted and as an alternative suggested WEEK DAY courses as an option … no chance they are gonna take drivers off the road during the week. Don’t know what they think they will do then.
I have managed to arrange some extra dates at alternative locations via other trainers I know but options are running out. There are still 4 months to go and plenty more yet to even start sorting their DCPC. Some are definitely going to be disappointed.
The one thing I haven’t done is increase my rates and I won’t be doing either.
As for some earlier comments regarding attitudes of some attending the courses … I’ve had some obnoxious people on the courses and have had a few occasions to basically say “Look mate … you need this DQC not me. I already have mine. Here’s your money back”. I also include in the course introductions a little speech to point out that as far as I am concerned the course is a ‘participation’ course. Join in, make the most of it and no problems. Cause disruption, be offensive or spoil it for others and I won’t upload the training - or refund your money.
merc0447:
Since you can get your qualification to teach dcpc out a coco pops box, I’ll start up a course get it awe accredited by the jaupt bawbags and charge you’s an arm am a leg for me talkin pish and geeing you a cup of coffee and a rich tea biscuit
Getting a centre approved and a course or tow accredited is neither cheap nor easy.
Sadly, demonstrating the ability to teach or the in-depth knowledge to back-up and go beyond what is on the course to the authorities is not really much of a hurdle…although the reality is that this is the most difficult part. Any fool can read a script and shuffle through a Powerpoint, the real skill in training is to be able to engage the audience, hold the audience and answer questions from a knowledge-base that goes beyond what’s taught.
shep532:
I am struggling to give bookings to some people. I don’t do Sundays if I can help it and now almost have no Saturday spaces at all.
I have had phone calls this week where I couldn’t offer what they wanted and as an alternative suggested WEEK DAY courses as an option … no chance they are gonna take drivers off the road during the week. Don’t know what they think they will do then.
I have managed to arrange some extra dates at alternative locations via other trainers I know but options are running out. There are still 4 months to go and plenty more yet to even start sorting their DCPC. Some are definitely going to be disappointed.
The one thing I haven’t done is increase my rates and I won’t be doing either.
As for some earlier comments regarding attitudes of some attending the courses … I’ve had some obnoxious people on the courses and have had a few occasions to basically say “Look mate … you need this DQC not me. I already have mine. Here’s your money back”. I also include in the course introductions a little speech to point out that as far as I am concerned the course is a ‘participation’ course. Join in, make the most of it and no problems. Cause disruption, be offensive or spoil it for others and I won’t upload the training - or refund your money.
Dont see why you dont treble your rates shep everybody has been aware they need to get qualified for around 5 years. Those who have buried there head in the sand and done nothing but whinge and moan deserve everything thats coming to them. They will pay a big price when they can’t get a place on a coarse. Or have to pay well over the odds to gain thier DCPC.
Them that think it will push up wages are wrong too. The coach / bus industry have got it sorted. No big shortage of PCV drivers and wages have not improved either.
scaniason:
If you’ve got a pre-97 licence, you don’t have to wait until you pass the C category, you can do it against your existing c1 class
I think many drivers and companies who only use C1s with pre 97 drivers are going to get caught out after September this year when they get stopped
If they don’t do routes past a checkpoint the chances of being stopped are vanishingly small. Even if they do go past a checkpoint if they’re green on OCRS the odds of being pulled in are still small.
After an initial crackdown, and with the next deadline 5 years away, I really can’t see how they’re going to keep on top of it and there will constantly be large numbers of drivers either through ignorance, laziness or deliberate non-compliance much like for expired licence photocards.
If you and the company you drive for a 100% squeaky-clean and you never have an accident, then yes you may well get away with it for years.
I have known more than one person earn a living as a driver without even having a licence…although this is increasingly difficult as the police can now check statements such as "I sent my licence off last week when I moved house,’ or “I was driving an ERF last week and it caught fire and all my documents were destroyed.” It was always the ERF bit that made that last one believable (“I didn’t have time to get my bag as the cab was melting!”)
But where the smelly stuff hits the fan is when a driver gets caught without a card, perhaps after a no fault accident…you can bet all his colleagues will then come under scrutiny, the fleet may find its insurance is suspended, and the drivers and the TM will get summoned before the Traffic Commissioner, who at very least is likely to suspend the company’s O licence until all the drivers are fully trained and call the TM’s good repute and professional competence into question. All this is, of course, on top of whatever fines get imposed for the original offence.
gazzaman58:
I teach DCPC and a lot of the centres are getting full. Because training is a small part of my business I will actually only teach another 5/6 courses this year.
I have trained the people who wanted to be trained and the last two Saturday’s I did some freelance for someone the course was full of drivers who just moaned the whole time. I have better things to do with my weekends so apart from a few customers I will gladly stop all DCPC training in a couple of weeks
Surprisingly I thought I was alone turning down work but apparently a few DCPC trainer are jacking it in — doing it properly is hard work — doing it properly to a room full of drivers who won’t even meet you half way just isn’t worth it.
So for all those guys who told me this would never happen or its illegal or whatever — good luck putting food on the table in September.
Do I care — 3 months ago yes — now, not a bit.
Well that’s the thing with classroom learning there’s no guarantee the students will be receptive. Just ask any teacher. I would guess either your material or teaching style isn’t engaging.
I never really understood why numbers of drivers per session were limited. A lecture theatre of 50 drivers would learn more from a good teacher than 5 would from someone who isn’t.
