A leading industry training provider has urged drivers to continue with their dangerous goods (ADR) courses remotely after the DVSA ordered classrooms in Tier 4 areas to be closed and exams suspended to help control the spead of Covid-19.
Speaking to motortransport.com, Vicky Corridan, owner of Corridans in North Lincolnshire, said: "I lead a single campaign to have ADR courses allowed via my virtual classroom. It's what the DVSA now like to call remote delivery. This has been successful, having been given the go-ahead at the start of December.
"I have already run one remote course with more lined up for January.
"I asked for support in this but received none from the industry bodies I believe should have got behind it.
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"Drivers do not need to be doing any of their course face to face. This includes the Petroleum Driver Passport (PDP). This can also be done remotely for refesher candidates and the practical can be done with social distancing; there is no need for trainers to be in the cab currently. There are also other options for our machinery and first aid courses to be part remote training.
"The big point here is that training can still be done all over the country remotely," Corridan stressed.
"A lot of drivers would want to do it remotely but wouldn't be aware that there is even that option. It hasn't been publicised. I'm sure that even drivers in Tier 2 and 3 would like to do it that way if they knew they had the option.
"Doing the course virtually really is like being in the classroom with me. On the first course, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) invigilator and the head of the SQA logged in to see how it was going. They were both really pleased and said they hoped word would get out that this is a very good alternative that's still a very engaging way of training."
