TTC applauds Government reform of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) qualification
As a leading provider of Driver CPC periodic training across the UK and a key supporter of the Department for Transport’s review of and consultation on Driver CPC qualifications, TTC welcomes the move to reduce the minimum course length from 7 hours down to 3.5 hours and decoupling of e-learning from trainer-led courses.
“These changes, which recognise that time is money but not at the cost of safety, will protect drivers and fleet operators striving to achieve best practice and improve operational efficiencies,” said Jim Kirkwood, CEO of TTC (pictured).
“We anticipated that the Government’s consultation would ultimately lead to a step-change in the process of renewing and regaining DCPC qualifications, but we are particularly delighted with the increased flexibility with which drivers will soon be able to achieve the required 35 hours of periodic training.
“In preparation for reform, we have already introduced a wide variety of 3.5-hour modules into our Driver CPC periodic training programme. These shorter, sharper blocks of learning allow us to cover multiple core subjects within the current 7-hour course structure offering more effective and cost-efficient use of training hours for drivers and their employers. The format of our 3.5-hour modules are perfectly placed to be adapted to meet shorter Driver CPC training course requirements. In addition, reducing the minimum duration of courses by half gives operators and drivers the flexibility to cover more subjects within their 35 periodic training hours, better meeting individual driver needs and increasing levels of engagement.
Supporting the DfT’s decision to consult further on the introduction of a new periodic test as an alternative to 35 hours of training, Jim Kirkwood concludes, “Moving to periodic testing as alternative for domestic drivers would be a significant shift and not one that can be implemented without ensuring that any new testing framework is robust and doesn’t put drivers, operators and other road users at risk.”
