We are firm believers that Driver CPC is a good thing, for people in logistics and for the wider public as it creates a more efficient and safer industry.
So the news that the government is planning to maintain and enhance Driver CPC will be good for the industry as the changes will make it a more flexible, accessible qualification. The changes will make it easier for former drivers to get back into driving professionally and easier for current drivers to renew training.
The updates will also make sure those considering a career in logistics know that there is a pathway for them, and there is ongoing investment in personal development.
The fact that it will become possible to do modules non-consecutively makes Driver CPC more flexible and accessible for drivers, with 3.5 hours of learning a good way to keep people engaged with the training. Whilst no timescales have yet been announced, Driver Hire are ready for the new model, as we already have a set of 20+ 3.5hr modules covering a wide range of topics, which we know from driver feedback are useful for drivers in their professional lives. We will embrace the proposed reform.
The changes which have been announced at this stage have been minimal; we will continue to monitor and work closely with the relevant authorities on any future changes, and we hope that the new government can find some time in their packed agenda to bring forward the reforms to Driver CPC, as we believe these changes will have a positive impact on our industry.
In the meantime, whilst for many drivers the latest five-year cycle ended in early September, the current Driver CPC remains important and should stay on drivers’ radars. This is because many professional drivers are not tied to the September deadline. We advise these drivers to check when their Driver Qualification Cards are due to expire, and put a plan in place now for which training they will need and which course they will book and when, so as not to leave it to the last minute.
Driver Hire once again saw sky high demand for training places in the lead up to the September deadline, with drivers looking to complete all five days of training in one go, just weeks before their qualification cards ran out. We strongly advise spreading the training out and doing ongoing training over the five-year period, for example, one day per year, rather than risking courses being full during peak demand, and their qualification cards expiring.
We are delivering over 1,000 driver training days every week, and we will be able to deliver the quality, high value training drivers need.
John Keelan Edwards, MD, Driver Hire Training
