Driver C.P.C. Training

Down Forklift Training is now an Approved C.P.C. Training Centre. This means that we will be able to look after not only your workplace transport training requirements, but also your driver training requirements.

What is Driver CPC?

The Driver CPC is for LGV and PCV drivers who drive professionally throughout the UK. It has been developed as a requirement of the EU Directive 2003/59, which is designed to improve the knowledge and skills of professional LGV and PCV drivers throughout their working life. There are two parts to the legislation:  

• The Initial Qualification that must be achieved by new LGV and PCV drivers along with their vocational licence to enable them to use their licence professionally.
• Periodic Training, which involves all professional drivers undertaking 35 hours of training every 5 years. 

When will the Driver CPC scheme start?

The Driver CPC for PCV drivers was implemented on 10th September 2008, and for LGV drivers it was implemented on 10th September 2009. 

Who will be affected?

An individual's circumstances will determine how they acquire the Driver CPC.

• New drivers acquiring a PCV vocational entitlement (D1, D1+E, D, D+E licence) after the 10th September 2008 and/or an LGV vocational entitlement (C1, C1+E, C or C+E licence) after the 10th September 2009 will have to obtain the initial Driver CPC in addition to their licence to drive professionally.
• Existing drivers who already hold a vocational licence on the 10th September 2008 (PCV) or the 10th September 2009 (LGV) are exempt from the initial Driver CPC. This is known as "acquired rights".

Both new and existing drivers must complete a total of 35 hours Periodic Training within the 5 years following their ‘acquired rights’ or initial Driver CPC to keep their Driver CPC valid. This is only required if the driver is using their licence professionally. PCV drivers exempt from the Driver CPC via acquired rights will have to complete their periodic training by September 2013 and LGV Drivers exempt from the Driver CPC via acquired rights will have to complete their periodic Driver CPC by September 2014.

New drivers who undertake a National Vocational Training programme are able to split their licence acquisition and initial Driver CPC acquisition by up to one year whilst still being able to drive professionally. If the initial Driver CPC acquisition is delayed, the driver would have to return to the DSA test centre within one year in order to complete it and carry on driving professionally. An example of a National Vocational Training programme would be an Apprenticeship in Driving Goods Vehicles. Drivers intending to use this concession will have to register with the Driving Standards Agency.  

There are a number of Driver CPC exemptions associated with the Directive. These are listed below:

• Vehicles with a maximum speed not exceeding 45 Kph
• Vehicles used by the armed forces, civil defence, and emergency services
• Vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance
• Vehicles used in states of emergency
• Vehicles used in the course of driving lessons or examinations
• Vehicles used for non-commercial carriage of passenger or goods – for personal use
• Vehicles used for carrying material of equipment to be used by the driver in the course of his or her work, providing that driving the vehicles is not the drivers’ principle activity

Ultimately, it is up the driver and their employer to decide if they are covered by these exemptions, and if necessary, justify it to the competent authority.

If you would like to know more about Driver CPC Training or if you are interested in carrying out any CPC Training to please do not hesitate to contact our office at any time, and we will be more than happy to discuss your training requirements with you.

The CPC training modules that we are proposing to carry out this year are broadly listed as follows;

Module 1 - Driver Safety Awareness - 7 hours duration.

Module 2 - Digital Tachograph, Drivers Hours & Working Time Directives - 7 hours duration.

Module 3 - Manual handling & Customer Care - 7 hours duration.

Module 4 - Driver Health & Safety, Loading & Unloading, PPE & Risk Assessments - 7 hours duration.

Module 5 - Maintenance, Daily Checks, Speed Limits, Driving Regulations & Signs & Restrictions - 7 hours duration.

Selected modules will run on pre-determined dates throughout the year. These dates will be determined by communicating with our customer database and working in so far as reasonably practicable with the customer’s requirements. Saturday training WILL be available, this will enable the customer to have the choice of either vehicle down time or driver extra hours. We as a training company would envisage a minimum of 8 drivers per course. This figure will obviously be made up from various companies delegates.