The canny approach to CPC training
21st October 2011
It has been two years since the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence was introduced, but industry concerns – including an annual driver attrition rate in some sectors of up to 20% – have made industry reluctant to invest in compulsory training.
The Freight Transport Association says that despite a sharp spike in the number of drivers embarking on their Driver CPC training in the first half of 2011, companies are still finding it hard to reconcile the cost of training against already stretched budgets.
“We have detected a reluctance from industry to invest in training their drivers when there is a good chance that by the time the deadline for Driver CPC comes around in 2014 those same drivers might be working elsewhere,” said James Firth, FTA’s Head of Road Freight and Enforcement Policy.
“The widely reported lack of engagement with Driver CPC isn’t simply about companies burying their heads in the sand. These are, after all, professional firms that by and large support the principles behind Driver CPC. As such, we wouldn't be surprised if canny transport firms adopt a lower risk strategy of booking up their training modules now for their drivers to embark on nearer the deadline date.”
According to the Driving Standards Agency, the number of drivers active on the database (which indicates how many have uploaded at least seven hours) rose sharply to over 410,000 at the end of June. However, James Firth says “current intelligence suggests a number of qualified HGV drivers will be well short of the 35 hours mark approaching the 2014 deadline. What this will almost certainly mean for those who haven’t yet begun the process is a lack of choice, especially when it comes to finding good value, quality training.”