Armagedon:
For those of you who don’t read any of the trade press the last few weeks various CRETINS have been threatening dire consequences for drivers who attempt to drive after September 2014 without a CPC.The latest CRETIN is Beverly Bell , when are these people going to get the message ‘Shove your CPC and your lorry driving job those not doing the CPC are making a lifetime choice probably planning to move on and I wish them luck’.Two years before and they are threatening,one year to go it will be ‘come on lads and lasses,please’, and I expect in 2014 they might even end up begging.My French buddy told he spent a week straight off in a classroom,boss paid for it all,and maybe someone can tell does any part of the CPC deal with avoiding ‘rollovers’ seems it might be a useful addition using the info gleaned from this site…and since I am watching tennis expect it will be ‘BRITISH’ Andy Murray if he wins and ‘Scottish’ Andy Murray if he loses,nice earner either way though.
well if you’re not planning on driving once the dcpc is required then they’re not talking to you.
well if all these people listening to cretins that shouldn’t be, do one, then it might bump the wages up enough for me to start listening again
Well it looks like I’ve got 27 months left then after 30 years somebody is going to tell me i am not qualified to drive an hgv so be it.What will I do I haven’t got a clue but I guarantee I am not DOING A DCPC and I work for myself so it looks like my business and truck will be up for sale.
Well if there is a driver shortage in 2014 then you never know, rates might actually go up (but don’t hold your breath).
Also, it can’t be a coincidencel that the government is changing the rules from 2013 so that licence renewal will be every 5 years as well even for under 45’s. Simply means that, come renewal time, if a driver hasn’t got the DCPC registered then no licence renewal.
I actually should retire the same time the CPC comes into force and that will ensure I DO call it a day and I DO hope those who carry on in this industry DO get an increase in wages/salary if there is a shortage but it may end up that Mr Denby’s longer double outfit suddenly becomes an awfully good idea if there is a shortage but who is to say that the CPC will not end up being forged.didn’t a woman last year on telly manage to obtain 25 EU mickey mouse passports and used one to enter the UK through Portsmouth.Shouldn’t think a CPC will pose too many problems and once the novelty wears off…well when were you last asked for your driving licence personally I couldn’t remember and travelling around Europe,I get stopped often but never asked for it.
I imagine much the same reaction was there when the government introduced car driving tests in 1935 and again in the early 70’s when lorry drivers had to take an extra test.
I have been driving since 1918 don’t you know? What do these new government observers think they can teach me?
No-one in the western world can say that the CPC is well thought out and infallible. I used to think that a test at the end was the correct way to go, but after reading so many posts on here, there would be more failures, than drivers giving it up in 2014. I am sure the government know that too. If we lose 2% of the reasonably good drivers, they will be replaced by around 70% of the new drivers who passed the initial CPC.
Those figures mean nothing, but it is my way of explaining it. Some you lose, some you win!
Armagedon:
I actually should retire the same time the CPC comes into force and that will ensure I DO call it a day and I DO hope those who carry on in this industry DO get an increase in wages/salary if there is a shortage but it may end up that Mr Denby’s longer double outfit suddenly becomes an awfully good idea if there is a shortage but who is to say that the CPC will not end up being forged.didn’t a woman last year on telly manage to obtain 25 EU mickey mouse passports and used one to enter the UK through Portsmouth.Shouldn’t think a CPC will pose too many problems and once the novelty wears off…well when were you last asked for your driving licence personally I couldn’t remember and travelling around Europe,I get stopped often but never asked for it.
the threat of forgery is isn’t exactly at the top of the list for reasons against the dcpc. whilst it wont / can’t be a perfect system, the vosa man will be able to check on a computer as quick as you can get your card out of your wallet.
if we never introduced new licenses / laws if there was a threat of forgery or law breaking, the we’d never introduce anything
I think I’m right in saying the DCPC comes into force in sept 2013 for coach drivers ie: one year earlier than for HGV.
It will be interesting to see what happens with them but lets not forget that VOSA are already quite happy to clamp down on uk drivers/trucks while turning a blind eye, it’s too difficult to get a result don’t ya know, to foreign motors. Don’t think it will be any different once DCPC comes into force so I wouldn’t really worry what the Spanish/poles/Romanians are doing.
I’ll admit I already hold my DCPC card and was lucky to have it funded by my company. I personally see it as nothing more that an exercise in drawing some more of our hard earned while playing the “we’re ensuring they get additional training” card.
Don’t forget thought that this is a European directive and most European countries are very good at voting in rules and then completely ignoring them while we in the uk will follow them to the letter regardless of there worthiness.
To those who are not planning on doing the DCPC I wish you luck in your retirement or change of career. To those who wish to continue driving for the foreseeable future then best you accept that your going to need to comply.
neilf:
It will be interesting to see what happens with them but lets not forget that VOSA are already quite happy to clamp down on uk drivers/trucks while turning a blind eye, it’s too difficult to get a result don’t ya know, to foreign motors. Don’t think it will be any different once DCPC comes into force so I wouldn’t really worry what the Spanish/poles/Romanians are doing.
did you not see the foreign dude on tele, with his pants around his ankles being lightened of 30 sheets for stopping on the hard shoulder?
i don’t think it’s as bad as you’re making out, i’ve seen plenty pulled in and plenty parked up
stevieboy308:
i doyn’t think it’s as bad as you’re making out, i’ve seen plenty pulled in and plenty parked up
I totally agree with you stevieboy308. I’m a regular past leatherhead and since the introduction of on the spot fines they’re opening hours have increased massively and they are definitely more inclined to park them up.
My point was trying to illustrate to all of the “the Greek/Spanish/polish won’t bother” merchants that it’s irrelevant. What matters is that our enforcement agencies will be checking up on us and are not going to wave you on your way once you’ve explained " I’ve been driving for donkeys years and there is nothing you can learn me in a classroom".
tallyman:
Also, it can’t be a coincidencel that the government is changing the rules from 2013 so that licence renewal will be every 5 years as well even for under 45’s. Simply means that, come renewal time, if a driver hasn’t got the DCPC registered then no licence renewal.
No it won’t. It will simply mean that you cannot drive an HGV and be paid for it.
If there is one thing I would like to see, it’s a requirement for TM’s to do similar to drivers in order to keep their own CPC entitlement up to date; in other words, ongoing training in legislation etc. I find it farcical that someone who passed a CPC course in the mid-1980’s, and has been outside the industry for say 15 years, can still be qualified to walk back into a TM’s job without a refresher course of any kind.
As I understand it , you will not loose your licence but will not be able to use it commercialy, i.e farmer palmer with his horse box at the weekend won’t need a DCPC as not for hire or reward. We are lucky at our place . The company are paying for our course, we just have to provide our time for free on a Saturday for 7 hours. I know that to a lot of people it seems like aload of ■■■■■■■■ but from what i’ve seen so far some of the older and more experienced drivers are lacking in knowledge about drivers hours regs. I think that if the right info is given then why can’t it be a positive thing ? Why is it people always fear change? May as well accept it and get on with it. No matter what you may have heard, it’s not going to go away!
TM’s to have a CPC your probably right I think it could be extended ad infinitum starting with politicians might help if some had a certificate proving they had SOME ability at something.
neilf:
I think I’m right in saying the DCPC comes into force in sept 2013 for coach drivers ie: one year earlier than for HGV.
It will be interesting to see what happens with them but lets not forget that VOSA are already quite happy to clamp down on uk drivers/trucks while turning a blind eye, it’s too difficult to get a result don’t ya know, to foreign motors. Don’t think it will be any different once DCPC comes into force so I wouldn’t really worry what the Spanish/poles/Romanians are doing.
I’ll admit I already hold my DCPC card and was lucky to have it funded by my company. I personally see it as nothing more that an exercise in drawing some more of our hard earned while playing the “we’re ensuring they get additional training” card.
Don’t forget thought that this is a European directive and most European countries are very good at voting in rules and then completely ignoring them while we in the uk will follow them to the letter regardless of there worthiness.
To those who are not planning on doing the DCPC I wish you luck in your retirement or change of career. To those who wish to continue driving for the foreseeable future then best you accept that your going to need to comply.
rgt1973:
… i.e farmer palmer with his horse box at the weekend won’t need a DCPC as not for hire or reward.
The last session I was on there were a couple of women who only drove a horsebox to competitions at weekends & they will come under the DCPC rules.
I still personally think that because the issuing of licences is far more automated now, it will be like you car tax - if you have no MOT or Insurance on the system then you won’t get you tax disk. In the same way, it will be very easy for them to say ‘No DCPC registered, no licence renewal’, & then put the onus on you to prove that you won’t be driving for Hire or Reward.
gnasty gnome:
tallyman wrote:Also, it can’t be a coincidencel that the government is changing the rules from 2013 so that licence renewal will be every 5 years as well even for under 45’s. Simply means that, come renewal time, if a driver hasn’t got the DCPC registered then no licence renewal.No it won’t. It will simply mean that you cannot drive an HGV and be paid for it.
Just what I was going to say but also, once you done your 35 hours by 2014, what are you going to learn that’s new in the next 35 hours?
rgt1973:
… i.e farmer palmer with his horse box at the weekend won’t need a DCPC as not for hire or reward.
The last session I was on there were a couple of women who only drove a horsebox to competitions at weekends & they will come under the DCPC rules.
I still personally think that because the issuing of licences is far more automated now, it will be like you car tax - if you have no MOT or Insurance on the system then you won’t get you tax disk. In the same way, it will be very easy for them to say ‘No DCPC registered, no licence renewal’, & then put the onus on you to prove that you won’t be driving for Hire or Reward.
Here’s one to throw the cat amongst the pigeons, any truck above 7.5 ton GVW must have an operators licence, I know this to be true as I have one I use as a race transporter & when I recently took an 18 tonner for test it was noticed that the 6yr tacho test was out of date so I made up the story that it was exempt as it was going to be a race transporter. I shouldn’t have bothered!!! At Bromborough test station there’s a VOSA office so the examiner called one of them out and he told me catagorically that ONLY vehicles up to 7.5 ton GVW can be used privately for carrying stuff. (ie race bikes, horses etc) So, walk through the paddock at BSB & all the artics should have ‘O’ licence discs, so I recon the private use of your class 1 would be out the window!!
That said, taking a show truck to a show should be OK as long as your not pulling a low lowder with another truck on it.
schrodingers cat:
Being a bit pedantic (which I am I have to admit ).
You won’t get your licence revoked as you would with the medical, you just need the DCPC card to run alongside it. Boy are VOSA going to earn some money in 2014.
Its still ■■■■■■■■ as it stands though.
I’ve just done my ADR & tanks modules & that adds up to 28 hrs so I still need another 7 before Oct 2014, we were told on that course that if you havn’t done your 35hrs by the due date the HGV entitlement is removed from your licence 'till you get it!!
Ross.
PS, I think the DCPC is a load of old testicles!!
Ross can I ask how many hours in total was the ADR & tanks module ? And what did you cover on the course that was not actually just ADR based that contributed towards 28 hours of the DCPC course ?
I haven’t done any of the course yet so don’t know what is on the course, but surely if you have done an ADR course then that will be for carrying hazardous, does this mean that those who do not carry hazardous will still have to do the same course as you did to get their DCPC qualification or will they be learning different stuff ? If its different stuff then it makes a total mockery of the DCPC in that somebody like yourself who has just done the ADR course gets 28 hours towards their DCPC for learning one thing yet someone else does a completely different 28 hours study. I thought this DCPC was so that everyone knows excactly the same.
Maybe I should spend 28 hours studying rocket propelled engines, just incase one day I have to carry one on my truck…will this count towards better road safety and towards my DCPC
Paul:
Maybe I should spend 28 hours studying rocket propelled engines, just incase one day I have to carry one on my truck…will this count towards better road safety and towards my DCPC
It seems that each day of the 4 on the ADR packages course count as 21hre & the single day on tanks counts as another 7 so nothing different to someone who’s already done their 35hrs!!
The DCPC, is a complete joke!! You can do a day on a load security course (7hrs) every Monday for 5 weeks & hey presto, you’ve got your DCPC 35hrs!!! Beat that!!!
You don’t have to do 5 different courses, you can do all the same or whatever you like so long as it adds up to 35 hrs!!
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