Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC)

What is the Driver CPC?

The Driver CPC is a scheme for LGV (and PCV drivers) who drive professionally throughout the UK. It is being 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.

When will the Driver CPC scheme start?

Legislation to underpin the Driver CPC will be in place by 22nd March 2007 and the Driver CPC for LGV drivers must be implemented by 10 September 2009.

How will the Driver CPC affect me?

Depending on your individual circumstances will determine how you acquire the Driver CPC.

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

What will happen once I have my Driver CPC?

Irrespective of when or how a driver obtains the Driver CPC, he/she must complete a total of 35 hours Periodic Training within the following five years to keep the Driver CPC valid. LGV Drivers acquiring the Driver CPC via acquired rights will have to complete their periodic Driver CPC by September 2014.

The story so far...

Skills for Logistics has been involved in all the working groups that have been meeting, normally on a monthly basis, over the last year. These working groups also have representatives from a number of different stakeholders who have an interest in the Driver CPC, including the RHA, FTA and the trade unions. Extensive development work has been required for the extra testing that is required by the Initial Driver CPC. This has included increasing the bank of theory test questions to allow for the increase to 100 multiple choice questions, developing new hazard perception clips and developing the case studies that are part of the initial qualification. For the practical test and extra 10 minutes has been added on, plus a new 30 minute ‘show me, tell me’ module had to be developed to meet the requirements of the initial driver CPC.
Another strand to the work as been to develop the process for approving training providers and courses for the delivery of Periodic Training. The Periodic Training working group have written a document called the ‘Guide to Periodic Training for Employers and Training Providers’, designed to inform all those organisations who are interested in becoming approved to deliver Periodic Training. The DSA have given the job of running the approvals process to the two sector skills councils, Skills for Logistics and GoSkills. A jointly run organisation, the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT), has been set up to manage the approvals process and work is just beginning to develop all the process and infrastructure required.

What happens next?

Work is still ongoing with developing theory test questions, hazard perception clips, case studies and the extra practical test module. All of these strands of work are being led by the Driving Standards Agency with input from a variety of stakeholders. The theory test questions will be increased in stages over the next 18 months until the initial Driver CPC comes into force in for PCV drivers in September 2008, when the full 100 question theory test will have to be taken by both LGV and PCV drivers. LGV driver will not have to do the case studies and the extra practical test modules until September 2009.
The Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT), managed by Skills for Logistics and GoSkills, is responsible for putting the final touches to the ‘Guide to Periodic Training for Training Providers and Employers’ so it is ready for publication. Publication is planned for the beginning of February 2007. Once this document has been published, training providers will be able to submit applications for centre and course approval to the JAUPT.
Approval for training centres will last 5 years, although if applications are made before September 2009 the initial approval period will actually last until September 2014.
Approval of courses will be either every year or every 2 years, depending on the result of the recent consultation paper issued by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). Courses must be at least 7 hours long (excluding breaks), and if more than 7 hours will need to be in multiples of 7 hours up to a maximum of 35 hours. The start date for course approval will be September 2009 whenever the course is actually approved prior to this date, although any courses that are approved during 2007/8 will need to be resubmitted in September 2009 (without additional charge) to ensure they are still current

Information provided from Skills for Logistics: www.skillsforlogistics.org

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