Driver CPC

What is Driver CPC?

Driver CPC is being introduced across the European Union to maintain high driving standards and improve road safety.   All professional bus, coach and lorry drivers must hold a Driver CPC if they want to drive for a living.

All drivers will need to complete a minimum of 35 hours of periodic training within every five year period.  The training will require attendance at courses but will not require drivers to take or pass further examinations.

How you gain your Driver CPC will depend upon whether you are a new or existing driver.  If you are an existing driver you will have ‘acquired rights’ as you already hold a vocational driving licence (C, C1, CE, C1E, D*, D1*, DE*, and D1E*) on the relevant start dates.  Bus and coach drivers will hold acquired rights up until 9 September 2013 and lorry drivers until 9 September 2014.  To keep your Driver CPC and continue driving professionally beyond this date, you will need to undertake regular periodic training.

New drivers will need to pass a new initial qualification to gain their vocational driving licence and qualify for their Driver CPC.  For a new driver, their requirement to undertake a minimum of 35 hours’ periodic training to retain their Driver CPC will start once they have passed the initial qualification.

What is Periodic Training?

Periodic training is continuing professional development for bus, coach and lorry drivers. It carries on throughout the professional driver’s career – no matter how infrequently they drive.  The minimum length of a training course is 7 hours.  Where a course of 7 hours is split into two parts the second part must start within 24 hours of the completion of the first part.  It is important that you allow yourself enough time to complete your training within the five year period. There is no advantage in delaying your periodic training.  The sooner you train, the sooner your knowledge and skills will be refreshed and updated, which will enhance your professionalism.  Driver CPC requires you to complete a minimum of 35 hours of periodic training during every five year cycle for as long as you wish to continue driving professionally.

Periodic training is designed to complement the individual driver’s work and be relevant to their every day job.  Courses may include SAFED (Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving) style training, defensive driving techniques, first aid, health and safety, driver’s hours regulations and tachographs.  Courses will also enable drivers to keep up to date with changing regulations.  The syllabus broadly covers:

• Safe and fuel efficient driving

• Legal requirements

• Health and safety, service and logistics

Only approved courses taken with approved training centres will count towards periodic training.  The approval process for courses is managed on behalf of the Driving Standards Agency by the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT).  DSA will provide a central database to keep records of the periodic training completed by each driver.  It is the responsibility of the training centre to enter records onto the database (there will be online access for drivers to enquire on their own training records).

CSS Skills Centre

CSS Skills Centre, the new training division of CSS, is a JAUPT-approved Training Centre (AC00613) and has its first course ‘Drivers Hours and Tachographs’ (CRS1393/613) registered and approved by JAUPT.  ‘Drivers Hours and Tachographs’ will cover drivers hours rules, analogue and digital tachograph charts, records and operation, and enforcement and penalties.  This course will be accredited towards the Driver CPC, a certificate will be issued and the DSA database will be updated to reflect the training completed.

Courses can be held at the CSS Skills centre in Braintree or on a client site if appropriate.  Costs will be dependant on numbers and location.  Whether an individual or company we can cater for all your needs so contact us now on the numbers provided to discuss your requirements and check available course dates.

CSS Skills Centre,

Charles Leeks House,

7 Coggeshall Road,

Braintree CM7 9DB

Tel:    01376 330700

Fax:   01376 326569

Email: train@csspeople.co.uk