Proposed changes to professional driver certification is raising concerns across the industry.

Road haulage firm Logistic UK believes the proposals will ‘devalue’ the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC).

The trade body says Government proposals to reform driver training also raise serious safety concerns.

Attracting drivers

The DfT launched a consultation on proposed changes on 2nd March.

Ministers believe the changes to driver training rules for HGV, bus and coach drivers will make it cheaper and quicker in order to attract new drivers.

Following Brexit as well as the effects of the pandemic, the industry has been left with severe shortages in HGV drivers in particular.

The Driver CPC or DCPC was originally introduced by the EU to improve road safety and raise professional standards. It is required to be held by lorry, bus, coach, and minibus drivers in addition to their driving licence.

Driving over regulation

Having left the EU, the Government is exploring how it can utilise new freedoms in regulation. Reducing the costs and length of the training and testing regime could increase choice for drivers and support the industry in retaining and recruiting staff.

The key changes include reforms to the lengthy training format. More flexibility with e-learning and a shorter ‘new periodic test’ could save employees time and companies money. Early DfT estimates say it could see to £460 per test saved.

Alongside this, Ministers believe it will offer an accelerated route for former drivers to return to the sector more easily.

However, Chris Yarsley, senior policy manager for road freight regulation at Logistics UK, is concerned .

“Logistics is a highly regulated industry that places the safety of all road users at the heart of its operations and any changes to the Driver CPC regime must respect that premise.”

Road safety in reverse

Speaking to Fleet News, Yarsley labelled the proposed changes as “bad news” for road safety and haulage operators, as well as drivers.

“Within its own consultation announcement, DfT has said that much of the current industry training relates to issues impacting safety, and that the new, proposed periodic test – which would replace the current 35 hours of periodic training – could result in significantly less training being offered and, therefore, available overall,” he said.

“Operating and driving heavy commercial vehicles is a challenging, complex role and to reduce the training opportunities for drivers when they need to be operating in line with the safest possible practices is simply unacceptable and could compromise the vital safety on which much of our industry is based.”

In fact the DfT has also indicated that the proposals would result in more complexity. These include a two-tier system for domestic and foreign driving qualifications. A new regime would also create confusion for drivers, leading to switching of courses, and therefore increased training time and costs.

“The department’s own plan states that these changes have the potential to create higher overheads,” continues Yarsley.

What’s the true cost

Logistics businesses have already faced a 12.6% rise in vehicle operating costs. They are  also facing a reduction in energy support and are having to invest in decarbonisation technologies in line with Government targets.

“These businesses cannot continue to absorb yet more rising and unnecessary costs”.

“The logistics industry has worked hard to ease the critical driver shortage that dominated headlines in 2021 via awareness campaigns such as Generation Logistics, and the creation of HGV Driver Bootcamps to boost recruitment.

“At a time when industry is trying to attract more people into the sector, and into such highly skilled jobs, any reduction in the professionalism required for the role would be a retrograde step and would devalue the skilled nature of the work required.

“Our members have never questioned the need for a Driver CPC regime and welcome the reputation which attaining the current standard bestows on their businesses and their drivers.”

 

The consultation can be accessed here and runs until April 27.