Commercial driving is one of the fastest growing businesses in the U.K. and this is not expected to go down any time soon. Positions for truck, coach and bus drivers are endless and many people are venturing into this as a career. There are however various requirements you need to meet before you are allowed to drive in this industry, one of the most important being the certificate of professional competence. This certificated also known as the CPC is required for all lorry, coach and bus drivers before they are allowed to drive in the U.K. streets. To acquire this certificate you will have to go for CPC driver courses.
CPC driver courses are split into four parts which are:
Part 1; multiple-choice tests covering hazard training-This involves answering at least 100 questions on the theory where you are supposed to get at least 85 questions correct. There are also 100 questions on hazard perception and you will be required to get at least 65 questions correct.
Part 2; case studies-this one is based on scenarios and case studies and is also very important to CPC driver courses.
Part 3; drivers ability to operate a vehicle-this test will last up to an hour and is supposed to show how you handle yourself in different conditions and situations on the road. You will be tested on different roads where your driving skills should be showcased well in order to pass.
Part 4; safety test and demonstration-this is the last module and is meant to ensure you maintain both the vehicle’s and load’s safety during transportation.
If one is thinking of taking driving as a career, then they will need to pass the four parts of the CPC driver courses. On the other hand, if one is only looking for a vocational driver’s license then you will only need to pass the first and the third part of the CPC driver courses. This way, you get the chance to decide whether to take one certification at a time or both of them at the same time if you are in it for commercial purposes.
Every driver will be required to undertake the CPC driver courses every five years in order to keep their certification and it will be illegal for them to drive without one especially for commercial purposes.
There are various CPC driver courses for different types of businesses. For instance, the Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) training mainly focuses on goods such as coal, wood and food. Though the training is similar to the above mentioned CPC driver courses, the prices will vary. Just so you know; the LGV industry has a very huge shortage of drivers and anyone who can put up with the UK weather and terrain is welcome to try the CPC driver courses which put them in a position to get these jobs.
The periodic CPC driver courses that are to be taken after every five years take 35 hours to complete. These ones are meant to keep the driver current as far as driving skills and knowledge is concerned.
TDI CPC Courses is the author of this article on Cpc Courses. Find more information on Cpc Driver Courses here. |
