Driver CPC – complacency not an option, warns FTA04 December 2013

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is warning HGV operators that complacency about Driver CPC deadlines is not an option, if they want to avoid heavy fines or possible 'O' licence suspension.

The warning follows figures released from the new Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which show that although drivers are complying with the legal requirements of Driver CPC, from April to October 2013 there were 35 fixed penalties issued for Driver CPC offences.

The DVSA has also taken drivers and operators to court for non-compliance, and at least one operator has been fined the maximum £1,000 for causing or permitting a driver to go on the road without a valid qualification on several occasions.

The deadline for bus and coach drivers with acquired rights passed in September. The deadline for HGV drivers to complete 35 hours of periodic training is 10 September 2014.

"If you're still thinking the Driver CPC might go away, think again," warns James Firth, FTA's head of road freight and enforcement policy.

"The message is clear – the 10 September 2014 deadline will happen. VOSA is already enforcing it, and failure to comply could see you landed with a £1,000 fine and your licence suspended," he continues.

"What the DVSA is telling us suggests that anyone thinking of taking the risk will be pretty much on their own out there."

According to Firth, the FTA is still hearing suggestions that some HGV drivers and operators are waiting to see if action is being taken against non-compliant PSV drivers.

"If you haven't heard anything, it's probably because most people are complying," he advises.

Author
Laura Cork

Related Companies
Freight Transport Association Ltd

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