New Online Driver CPC Training is Here to Stay (for now)
COVID-19 has forced us to adopt new methods for interacting with the real world. Zoom has exploded in popularity as people are forced to abandon face-to-face meetings in lieu of digital ones.
For drivers and logistics, this period has put a huge amount of strain on already over-stretched systems. Despite nobody being allowed out to the shops people have been purchasing more goods than ever.
Because of this, and the crucial role that drivers play in keeping the world moving forward the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) allowed training providers to move their Driver CPC courses online.
The move was heartily welcomed by both training providers and the transport & logistics sector who were granted the ability to if not continue business as usual, to at least continue business.
In a previous article after the DVSA made this announcement, we talked about the largely overwhelmingly positive response that moving Driver CPC courses online received.
In this article, as the title suggests we’re excited to announce that online Driver CPC training is here to stay. But how do you book in, and what other rules have changed?
About Driver CPC in a post-COVID world
First and foremost, the fundamental rules surrounding Driver CPC training have not changed and are unlikely to change.
There has been some speculation over the last couple of years about whether Driver CPC might be scrapped when the UK fully exits the EU. However, there have been no suggestions from official sources that this will happen.
It is instead likely that driver qualifications and guidelines will be kept in line with EU guidelines at least for the foreseeable future, to ensure that future trade with the EU is able to continue as seamlessly as possible.
To abide by the current law and keep your Driver CPC, you must complete 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years. Not doing so means you will no longer be able to drive professionally whether that’s lorries, buses or coaches – with some limited exemptions.
If you fail to complete this 35 hours of mandatory training, and still drive professionally, you – and the operator of the vehicle you’re driving – could be fined up to £1,000. Use this link to check how many hours of training you’ve done in the current 5-year period.
Why we love the new online Driver CPC rules
Driver CPC was introduced in 2008 and initially, the industry received a fair bit of push-back.
It was another expense and nearly forty hours of time that drivers would have to take out of their busy work schedule to learn things they felt they already knew.
That being said, it has proved to be effective in its main goals over the last dozen years helping to reduce road incidences and improve not just road safety but operational efficiency too.
Still, finding and setting aside those 35 hours has always been a pain for drivers. By allowing for online courses Driver CPC becomes less time-consuming and more accessible.
Not only that but it actually improves the scope and opportunity for drivers to learn.
For example, it used to be that a driver would be limited by practicality, having to travel would mean they could only attend classes that were near them. This inevitably limited the kind of classes available.
Additionally, online sharing technology means that teaching centres can now more easily than ever share resources and teaching materials.
So, drivers get more choices in lessons paired with more learning material, and all of it delivered in a more time-efficient manner.
How can Drivers Attend online Driver CPC training?
With the transition to online courses this has been one of the most common questions that we’ve received recently.
The answer is by simply following the following four steps.
- Book your spot on one (or more) of our courses
- Receive a confirmation email with some handy resources, including links to the relevant app to download if you’re planning on attending using a tablet device
- We’ll email you a reminder email the day before with a link to the specific training you’re booked in for the following day
- Follow the link at the appointed time to join the class
We hope you find this useful. For more information head over to our dedicated Driver CPC section, where you will find everything you need to get started.