It's hard to believe but we are rapidly approaching the 2023 expiration date for many driver CPC cards.
Every five years, all bus, coach, HGV and LGV drivers must complete 35 hours (or five days) of periodic Driver CPC training. This ensures all drivers are up to date with the latest road safety standards and are fully licenced to drive heavy goods or large passenger transport vehicles.
This year is the expiry deadline for any driver who joined the original 2008 CPC training cohort.
Drivers with HGV or LGV licences have until 2024 to meet their training requirements.
At CJC Transport Consultants, we suggest now is the right time to check your fleet drivers are up to date on their training needs. A failure to act could create logistical issues later in the year as we approach the expiry deadline. We anticipate we will see an increase in demand for CPC training, so you should be taking proactive steps to ensure your drivers can access the training they need, on dates that suit your business.
You and your drivers can check your Driver CPC periodic training hours via the official government website.
Why is the 2023 date significant for Driver CPC cards?
Driver CPC was first introduced for bus and coach drivers on 10 September 2008, with lorry drivers following on 10 September 2009.
The legislation was a European directive and was applicable to all PCV and HGV drivers across Europe.
This year will see the rolling five-year anniversary of the first cohort of drivers who had to meet these regulations. Statistics published ahead of the first-ever five-year anniversary (back in 2013) showed almost 700,000 drivers had begun their Driver CPC training at some point between 2008-2013. A huge 300,000 drivers had completed the full five-day training requirements by the 2013 deadline. (Source: Moving On blog via gov.uk).
We can’t breakdown how many of those drivers were registered specifically in 2008, nor can we confirm how many of those drivers are still active in the road haulage and passenger transport sector. However, it does show a scale of the number of drivers who will be actively seeking training this year.
Therefore, the sooner you can get your drivers booked onto a training workshop, the more confident you can feel that you have a training date to suit your business and ensure your drivers remain compliant to drive.
It’s been a difficult five years, but your drivers must be up to date on their CPC training
The past five years have been the most tumultuous time we can remember.
We anticipate many drivers may have fallen behind with their training through no fault of their own. The combination of Brexit and the pandemic may have exacerbated staff shortages, which is why it’s essential to ensure your drivers are up to date on their CPC training before their cards expire.
The Covid lockdowns may have made it harder for drivers to participate in face-to-face training. What’s more, with staff shortages commonplace, drivers may have been reluctant to take unpaid time off to complete their Driver CPC training.
As we head towards the expiry date, we can foresee many bus and coach drivers will be rapidly trying to fit in their training so they can continue to work with no disruption. And towards the latter part of next year, we know lorry drivers will also be actively booking in their training sessions to meet their upcoming expiry deadlines.
Any increase in demand for training could make it difficult to fit in with your schedules, which is why we recommend early planning to prevent any issues. The earlier you book your training, the more likely you will have access to a time and date that suits your business and causes minimal disruption.
The government may be reviewing CPC training, but you still need to pay attention to current rules
The government are currently undertaking a significant review of CPC Driver Training. The current rules are designed to meet EU standards, and we’ve previously written about how we believe the training is “due an overhaul.”
The purpose of the review is to see how Driver CPC training can be improved to ease staff shortages across the road haulage and passenger transport sectors. There are fears the current timescales and costs are prohibitive to drivers and can be a significant barrier to those who previously left the profession and may be interested in a comeback.
The review was announced by Transport Minister Grant Shapps in November 2021 and is heavily focused on making CPC training more affordable for hauliers and passenger transport businesses. It’s also looking at whether training should be adjusted for experienced drivers, and whether training should be spread out more evenly throughout the five-year period.
As more news is released about the Driver CPC review, we will keep all of our customers up-to-date.
But in the meantime, it’s essential you continue to focus on your drivers’ training needs and check all records adhere to the current legislation.
CJC Training Courses can plan your Driver CPC training around your needs
Our training courses are designed with your business in mind.
We know training is something you may be putting off. You may be increasingly busy and under logistical pressures and feel it’s difficult to find the time for your drivers to complete their training. You may be worried you don’t have the time or the funds to allocate to your ongoing training. But we know how important it is you are up-to-date with the latest road regulations and your driving skills are maintained.
That’s why we offer exclusive CPC training which is flexible and adaptable to your business needs.
If you have several drivers who need to complete their CPC training, we can offer dedicated group training workshops. These sessions can be held directly at your premises, or off-site at locations throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and Lincolnshire.
Alternatively, you can book individual drivers onto one of our CJC training courses held on specific dates in our new premises near Great Yarmouth.
You can choose between 3.5 or 7-hour sessions, making our training flexible to your business’ logistical needs. What’s more, our CPC training has modules designed for both PCV and HGV licences.
We recommend early booking to ensure the training fits around your work schedules. With careful thought and planning, you can ensure your drivers remain compliant and legal to continue working, with minimal disruption to your schedules.
For more information about our CPC Training, take a look at our latest training dates.