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UK haulage companies are being encouraged to book their drivers in for compulsory CPC training before it’s too late. The deadline for the second phase is fast approaching, and truckers need to remain aware that their ability to do their jobs may suffer if they fail to meet it. The RHA has warned that failure to complete the obligatory Certificate of Professional Competence training will result in the loss of the driver’s DQC (Driver Qualification Card). Booking your drivers in now is vital if you want to keep your business in check, so here are some further details about CPC to make sure you understand the ins and outs. The Legal Requirements For drivers using HGVs for haulage work, 35 hours of CPC training must be completed over a five-year period. If this fails to be accomplished, the driver is deemed incompliant and will have their DQC taken from them, which will mean they are unable to legally carry out any haulage work. If a trucker is caught driving professionally without their DQC up to date, fines of up to £1000 can be issued by DVSA. The Clock Is Ticking There’s no time like the present to book your drivers in for the training. The second phase deadline is early September 2019, and although this may seem like plenty of time, it will soon creep up. Plus, more and more hauliers will be booking onto the course as the deadline approaches, and sooner or later there will be very few places left. This will be particularly problematic for fleet managers with multiple drivers to make compliant, so the RHA isn’t wrong - there really is no time to lose. Additional Brexit Warnings Throughout some parts of the haulage work industry, there have been rumours that the CPC will no longer be required post Brexit, on 29th March 2019. Although this could solve a few issues for the drivers still to complete the training, the RHA have confirmed that the rumour is definitely not true. Having a Certificate of Professional Competence will still be necessary after Brexit if you wish to legally drive HGVs. Do Not Hesitate The time is now for CPC training – if you’re a fleet manager in the haulage work industry, it is highly recommended that you arrange training days for your drivers as soon as possible. Since the training is a legal requirement, many drivers leaving it until the last minute could be left without a valid DQC, which in turn will leave them without a job (as well as the possible £1000 fine). Look after your workers and maintain excellent standards within your business by booking onto the courses way ahead of the deadline – you certainly won’t regret it come September. Search around your local area for suitable courses and get your drivers compliant! Author Plate Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage work with available drivers. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
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