This is reproduced from the latest Newsline from the Confederation of Passenger Transport:
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6 September 2013

The deadline of midnight on Monday 9 September is fast approaching for those drivers who took advantage of the original acquired rights when the Driver CPC scheme commenced in 2008. This Newsline Special reports on a number of related issue that will be of interest to our Members.

What the deadline means

Drivers will need to be able to demonstrate that they have completed 35 hours of accredited DCPC training if they are to be able to drive for hire and reward beyond the deadline. This is demonstrated by presentation of a Driver Qualification Card (DQC). Those drivers who have not completed their 35 hours by 9 September will be committing an offence if they drive on a regulated activity after 10 September and the operator will be putting their O licence at risk of revocation by the Traffic Commissioner for permitting the offence to take place.

CPT has been warned that early enforcement of these requirements can be expected.

Not completed the 35 hours of training?

CPT is aware that there are still some of drivers who have not completed all their 35 hours of training required to receive their DQC. In some cases there are very good reasons for this. Members should be aware that as long as the date of the first module undertaken is still within 5 years, it is permissible to carry over training hours beyond the deadline as long as no actual driving takes place until the DQC has been issued. This would assist operators where, for example, it has not been possible for a part time or casual driver to take part in a particular training course.

Remember though that any periodic training that has been completed more than 5 years ago will no longer count towards the current accumulation of hours.

Don’t have your driving licence?

CPT has also been contacted by members who have drivers that had been unable to attend booked Driver CPC courses because they were not in possession of their driving licence companion document/photocard. It is a statutory requirement that these documents are provided prior to commencement of a course. CPT is aware that some drivers are unable to do this because a question has been raised during a licence renewal. This is often related to a vocational medical issue. While this may well be a reason not to issue new licence documents immediately, it should not be a reason to preclude a driver from attending a DCPC training module.

Consequently CPT has agreed with DVLA that where renewal is being sought, existing vocational licence documents will now be returned to drivers, once an issue has been flagged up. This will enable candidates to present their licence to accredited trainers so that they can satisfy the statutory requirement and upload candidate details.

DSA seeks feedback on Driver CPC

Comments requested by 16 October 2013

DSA is asking for views from the freight and passenger transport industry ahead of an EU assessment of Driver CPC periodic training. Members will recall that the EC last month launched a public consultation about Driver CPC training; DSA is asking for industry feedback to help inform will the British government’s response to this consultation. Have your say by replying to DSA’s online survey.

And remember, this is only the beginning

The 9 September deadline is only the beginning – the process is continuous and operators should now be keeping a close eye on DCPC renewal dates for all their staff ongoing.









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My advice is to amend the words "hire and reward" to include any operation for "financial activity". That includes charity, not for profit etc; regardless of the status of the operator or company or individual running the service according to the latest EU advice.

Being in a farming area too something has just occurred to me. What is the situation with 'Works Buses'. There are several old nails near me driven by Eastern Europeans as farm pickers' transport. The driver is being paid so this must be professioanl use.

Hold on there's a big farmers' Parliamentary lobby..

if driving the buses at start and end of day is not their main job then they are exempt i wouls say given the various examples quoted on the VOSA/DSA site, bit like the sscaffolder who drives the truck to and from the site/job?

Mark

My bus number (if any): rm1414 sort of

So, I drive part-time for Bloggs Buses doing a school run morning and afternoon. My main job is bus restoration. I still need a DCPC.

A teacher drives the kids to school, teaches all day, drivers the kids to game during the day, teaches, drives the kids back home after going via the theatre in town, total 20 hours on duty. The school minibus crashes on the motorway killing loads of kids, because the teacher is tired. The teacher didn't have a PCV, no DCPC, no drivers hours record.

The case against proper licencing becomes weaker the more you think about it. Think back to 1996 and the M40.

your above example agreed Roy as it is two seperate jobs.
If the driver of your picker bus is a picker or foreman or whatever and he works on site with all that he picks up then quoting the scaffolder/driver example that the DSA have used then I put it to you that no DCPC required.

Mark

My bus number (if any): rm1414 sort of

I have been looking for this product/service and I found this one owner operators I am not sure about the quality or the origin of their offering. Has anyone have looked into this before? If you have any other options you know are worth the time to check out, please post them here. Thanks!

My bus number (if any): 123123

Seems to be American so not much use in the UK and of not much relevance to bus operators anyway.