{"id":47426,"date":"2014-09-10T08:31:13","date_gmt":"2014-09-10T08:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=bdd1d6f71b0c72040714f2f8239e187b"},"modified":"2014-09-10T08:31:13","modified_gmt":"2014-09-10T08:31:13","slug":"news-story-driver-cpc-deadline-reached","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=47426","title":{"rendered":"News story: Driver CPC deadline reached"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"govspeak\">\n<p>The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (<abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr>) was introduced in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2008 for bus and coach drivers<\/li>\n<li>2009 for lorry drivers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>New drivers who drive for a living had to start taking the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/driver-certificate-of-professional-competence-cpc\/the-driver-cpc-initial-qualification\">Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr> initial qualification<\/a> from then.<\/p>\n<p>Existing drivers were given \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/driver-certificate-of-professional-competence-cpc\/having-driver-cpc-through-acquired-rights\">acquired rights<\/a>\u2019 which took their previous experience into account.<\/p>\n<p>To stay within the rules, both new and existing drivers must then do 35 hours of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/driver-certificate-of-professional-competence-cpc\/driver-cpc-periodic-training\">periodic training<\/a> every 5 years.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"making-roads-safer\">Making roads safer<\/h2>\n<p>Yesterday (9 September 2014) was the deadline for existing lorry drivers to finish their first 35 hours of training.<\/p>\n<p>This means that from today (10 September 2014), all professional lorry, bus or coach drivers on Great Britain\u2019s roads have proved their skills and taken training to keep themselves up to date.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/driver-cpc-syllabus\">Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr> syllabus<\/a> aims to keep drivers up to date on things like how to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>load vehicles safely and securely<\/li>\n<li>make sure passengers are comfortable and safe<\/li>\n<li>apply the rules about professional driving, eg drivers\u2019 hours<\/li>\n<li>assess emergency situations and give first aid<\/li>\n<li>optimise fuel consumption<\/li>\n<li>prevent trafficking in illegal immigrants<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"most-drivers-met-the-deadline\">Most drivers met the deadline<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/statistics\/driver-certificate-of-professional-competence-cpc-statistics\">latest figures<\/a> show that 664,000 drivers have now done their first block of training. This compares to industry estimates suggesting there are between 425,000 and 675,000 professional drivers in Great Britain.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"drivers-who-havent-finished-their-training\">Drivers who haven\u2019t finished their training<\/h3>\n<p>If you had acquired rights and haven\u2019t yet completed 35 hours of periodic training, you\u2019re not allowed to drive professionally again until you complete it. <\/p>\n<p>Any training you\u2019ve already done stays valid for 5 years from the date you took the course, and isn\u2019t lost because of the deadline. <\/p>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<p>You can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/check-your-driver-cpc-periodic-training-hours\">check your Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr> periodic training hours<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/driver-cpc-training-courses\">find approved training courses<\/a> online.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"driver-qualification-card\">Driver qualification card<\/h2>\n<p>You get a driver qualification card (<abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr>) when you pass the Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr> initial qualification or complete 35 hours of periodic training.<\/p>\n<p>You must carry this while driving a large goods vehicle or passenger-carrying vehicle professionally.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image embedded\">\n<div class=\"img\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"You can get a \u00a350 fixed penalty for driving professionally without having your DQC with you.\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/image_data\/file\/30486\/driver-qualification-card.png\"><\/div><figcaption>You can get a \u00a350 fixed penalty for driving professionally without having your <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr> with you.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"waiting-for-your-dqc\">Waiting for your <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr><br \/>\n<\/h3>\n<p>You can still drive professionally if you\u2019ve just completed your periodic training and you\u2019re waiting for your <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr> to arrive. <\/p>\n<p>You should contact the training centre where you did your training if it isn\u2019t showing on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/check-your-driver-cpc-periodic-training-hours\">your record<\/a> 5 days after taking it.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"lost-stolen-or-damaged-dqc\">Lost, stolen or damaged <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr><br \/>\n<\/h3>\n<p>You must email the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (<abbr title=\"Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency\">DVSA<\/abbr>) if your <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr> has been lost, stolen or damaged.<\/p>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/driver-certificate-of-professional-competence-cpc\/driver-qualification-card-dqc\">Find out more about the <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"enforcing-driver-cpc\">Enforcing Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr><br \/>\n<\/h2>\n<p>Driving without a <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr>, or failing to produce it, carries a maximum fine of \u00a31,000 for both the driver and the operator licence holder. <\/p>\n<p>These offences will be referred to the Traffic Commissioner who will then consider what action to take. This could include suspending the driver\u2019s licence and\/or the operator\u2019s licence. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"keeping-skills-up-to-date\">Keeping skills up to date<\/h2>\n<p><abbr title=\"Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency\">DVSA<\/abbr>\u2019s Chief Executive, Alastair Peoples, said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>I would like to thank the bus, coach and haulage industry for their support, including the drivers and operators who have committed to the training and the wider industry who have been invaluable in helping with the introduction of Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr> has a lot to offer and, by keeping their skills up to date, professional drivers are helping to make Great Britain\u2019s roads among the safest in the world.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"real-risk-of-action-against-drivers-and-operators\">Real risk of action against drivers and operators<\/h2>\n<p>Joan Aitken, lead Traffic Commissioner on Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr>, said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Traffic Commissioners want to congratulate the <abbr title=\"heavy goods vehicle\">HGV<\/abbr> industry on reaching this milestone. Trainers, drivers and employers have worked hard to ensure drivers are qualified in time and Traffic Commissioners look forward to seeing the same high level of compliance that was shown by the bus and coach deadline a year ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">For those operators and drivers who have not caught up with this deadline, then the message has to be &#8211; get this sorted now. Failing to complete the hours and be equipped with drivers holding the <abbr title=\"driver qualification card\">DQC<\/abbr> runs the real risk of action being taken against drivers and operators.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"support-from-the-haulage-industry\">Support from the haulage industry<\/h2>\n<p>The haulage industry has also shown support for the scheme and has helped to encourage operators and drivers to meet the deadline.<\/p>\n<p>James Firth, Freight Transport Association (<abbr title=\"Freight Transport Association\">FTA<\/abbr>) Head of Road Freight and Enforcement Policy, said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><abbr title=\"heavy goods vehicle\">HGV<\/abbr> drivers operate in a safety-critical environment, and it is important that they are well informed about the rules surrounding the industry. Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr> provides the framework to deliver appropriate and correct information to every single driver in the haulage industry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\"><abbr title=\"Freight Transport Association\">FTA<\/abbr> is congratulating its members who have ensured their drivers are compliant with the new obligations and have recognised the importance of continued professionalism and training.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Jack Semple, Road Haulage Association (<abbr title=\"Road Haulage Association\">RHA<\/abbr>) Director of Policy said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"last-child\">Five years on, we can see a progressive evolution in attitudes to Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr>. Hauliers increasingly talk in terms of benefits to their businesses and, following these comments, the <abbr title=\"Road Haulage Association\">RHA<\/abbr> has launched a competition to promote value in Driver <abbr title=\"Certificate of Professional Competence\">CPC<\/abbr> training.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"last-child\">The industry has the opportunity to progress towards genuine continuing professional development, which enhances drivers\u2019 skills and knowledge and helps to transform both the perception and reality of the profession of lorry driving within a progressive service industry.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The deadline for lorry drivers with acquired rights to finish their first 35 hours of Driver CPC periodic training has now passed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47426"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47426\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}