News

Cambrian Fuel Card Services Support Driver CPC
The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) has now become a reality. This is legislation, which requires an initial qualification for new drivers and also for HGV drivers to participate in 35 hours of training over a period of five years.
The training required is not set in stone and there is no qualification to be gained meaning the directive is based on attendance. The training does however need to include safe & fuel efficient driving, cover the legal requirements and the health & safety aspect.

The lack of direction is good as it allows companies to train their own drivers according to their real business needs and can aid their own productivity. The flip side is that because there is no set outline of what a training course should include this provides a conundrum for employers as to what to include and in what percentages. Companies must work alongside training providers to ensure they get the most out of any courses their drivers attend. There are benefits to be had by companies, if they put their drivers through the right training, such as fuel savings and reduction in vehicle wear and tear and one recent employer consultation saw 87 per cent of companies seeing a potential benefit in improvements in road safety.

Most companies offer ongoing training for staff and see the benefits of this and this new legislation allows employers to offer drivers the same benefits. Some companies obviously already carry out some training and that’s great and they can now align that with Driver CPC and can also aim towards some recognised qualifications such as NVQs. One company that takes training seriously, Cambrian Fuel Card Services is convinced this is good for the industry and are at present looking to provide a professional training program for drivers to run alongside their traditional fuel card business.

This legislation has been applicable to drivers of Passenger Carrying Vehicles for the past 12 months, and while other services may operate differently they at least have some data to make informed decisions. Companies now have to opportunity to train their drivers and develop their skills making the sector more professional and cost effective. Watch this space for more information as it comes out and for information on the training courses provided by Cambrian Fuel Card Services when they are available.