Warning over lack of Driver CPC hours completed

There is a worrying trend in the number of drivers competing their mandatory Driver CPC training, which they need to stay on the road, according to training company Driver Hire Training.

There is less than one year to go until the Driver CPC deadline – its 9 September 2019 – but it seems that many drivers have not yet signed up to take their training.

“At this time five years ago, the market was hotting up as drivers and employers started to realise that time was running short to complete their training,” said David Slack, commercial director of Driver Hire Training. “Yet official Government statistics show that in July 2018, nearly 220,000 fewer hours were uploaded than in the equivalent month in the last five-year cycle. What’s more, the ‘lag’ in training hours is getting worse.”

Through conversations with its customers and prospects, Driver Hire Training has identified several common themes about why people are not completing their training. These include:

• A belief that Driver CPC will no longer be a requirement after Brexit
• Operational pressures meaning that drivers cannot be released for training
• Limited budget for training
• Not a high priority at the moment.

“We know that at busy times, training can be a low priority,” Slack added. “However, the maths is quite simple. At the current rate, there’s a real danger that there just won’t be enough places available for drivers to complete their training. Even if there are, some training providers may offer poor quality, prices are likely to rise, and the operational impact of taking drivers off the road for several days could be enormous.

“As for Brexit, operators must not fall into the trap of believing that Driver CPC is going away. The Government has made it very clear that the rules are not going to change before the CPC deadline. And if Brexit does become very difficult, making changes to the Driver CPC isn’t going to be an early priority! Drivers will need to have their Driver CPC up to date – and if they don’t, they will not be able to drive commercially.”