Some Companies Helping with CPC Driver Training

As of 10 September 2014, all HGV drivers operating vehicles in excess of 7.5 tonnes will be required to complete CPC driver training and carry the appropriate certification with them whenever they are working. To make it easier to complete the training, a small handful of companies are helping by subsidising the cost.

One such company is the LV Group’s Britannia Rescue, a company offering breakdown cover and its related services to subscribers. They provide rescue services through a network of agents who send out their own vehicles to breakdown sites.

According to a Britannia Rescue official, the main problem for individual drivers is that the law holds those drivers responsible, not their employers. In many cases, the financial burden of completing the training falls on the individuals as well. By offering to subsidise training, the company hopes to encourage more of its agent’s drivers to get serious about completing training before the deadline arrives.

According to some news reports, a large percentage of current HGV drivers have yet to start planning for their CPC driver training. What’s holding them back? They are waiting to see whether the regulations will be strictly enforced against PCV drivers whose deadline for certification already passed. If the regulations are not being enforced there, some HGV drivers will undoubtedly be willing to take the risk themselves.

That’s not a wise idea by any stretch. Drivers found in violation could be fined up to £1000 per instance; some could even lose their licenses and/or jobs. There are already reports of PCV drivers receiving the maximum fines, though exact numbers have not been released.

Come Train with Us

We applaud LV Group and Britannia Rescue for being willing to help drivers within their agent network complete CPC driver training. We wish all companies could afford to subsidise training for their drivers, but we also know that is not practical in every case. We urge every driver, regardless of the availability of subsidies, to take the new requirements seriously.

We offer comprehensive CPC driver training that is fully compliant with all UK and EU regulations. Our 35-hour course will ensure you meet all your obligations as an HGV or PCV licence holder. However, we do recommend you make plans to attend classes as soon as possible. The closer we get to the next September’s deadline, the less space will be available for new students.

The HGV Training Centre is one of the UK’s leading providers of commercial driver training. We train individual drivers and fleet operators for all sorts of vehicles, including tipper trucks, articulated lorries, box trucks, vans, buses and coaches, horseboxes and more. We even provide trailer training for casual drivers who might tow a caravan or a personal utility trailer.

We offer our training at more than 45 facilities around the country, all staffed by professionals who are the best at what they do. We hope you will consider the HGV Training Centre for all your driver-training needs.