Driver Certificate of Professional Competence

From 10 September 2008 drivers of passenger carrying vehicles requiring a category D1, D1+E, D or D+E have needed to undertake regular periodic training if they are driving for commercial gain or in the course of a business. This was extended to all drivers of goods vehicles requiring a category C1, C1+E, C or C+E from 10 September 2009.

For existing drivers, this periodic training will amount to a total of 35 hours over a five year period. This training must be taken at an accredited centre and must be in blocks of at least 7 hours.  In practice this will amount to a day a year over that five year period although it would be possible to take the 5 day period in one chunk.
 

ACT DRIVER CPC COURSES

The following courses will be offered by ACT Control Solutions.

List of courses:

Course M1 Drivers Hours Law - To provide an understanding of the relevant legislation and sufficient knowledge to comply with said legislation.

Course M2 Digital Tachgraph for Drivers - To provide the knowledge necessary to use the equipment competently and within the legal framework.

Course M3 Daily Checks - To provide the knowledge and practical experience necessary for the safe operation of goods vehicles on the road.

Course M4 Carriage of Goods Documentation - To know and understand the documentation requirements within EU and domestic legislation regarding haulage by road.

Course M5 Manual Handling - To provide the necessary information to prevent physical risk and comply with the relevant legislation.

Course M6 Health, Road & Environmental Safety - To provide the necessary information to prevent risk within the road transport environment and comply with relevant legislation.

Course M7 Customer Care and Market Place - To be able to adopt behaviour to help enhance the company image and to have an understanding of the economic environment of road haulage and the organisation of the market place.

Course M8 Safe and Efficient Driving - To know and undersatnd the characteristics of the vehicle and to make optimum use of it under varying road and traffic conditions.

 

 

As with most legislation of this type there are several exemptions and these are as follows:

(a) vehicles with a maximum authorised speed not exceeding 45 km/h;

(b) vehicles used by, or under the control of, the armed forces, civil defence, the fire
service and forces responsible for maintaining public order:

(c) vehicles undergoing road tests for technical development, repair or maintenance
purposes, or of new or rebuilt vehicles which have not yet been put into service;

(d) vehicles used in states of emergency or assigned to rescue missions;

(e) vehicles used in the course of driving lessons for any person wishing to obtain a
driving licence or a CPC, as provided for in Article 6 and Article 8(1);

(f) vehicles used for non-commercial carriage of passengers or goods, for personal
use;

(g) vehicles carrying material or equipment to be used by the driver in the course of
his or her work, provided that driving the vehicle is not the driver's principal activity.