WRITE TO: Commercial Motor, NINE Sutton Court Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 4SZ EMAIL: christopherwaltontaroadtransport.com P LETTER OF THE WEEK
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Let's learn from the Driver CPC
I READ with interest your comments on the substantial revenue generated by the DSA in relation to Driver CPC (CM 1 August). The industry has a direct interest in how the DSA can improve value for money by reducing costs and improving services. The wider costs to the industry of Driver CPC thus far are already greater than those imposed by the DSA and, as a result, the value for money issues are even more relevant. It is hard to see how costs of training can be significantly reduced, but there is much
that employers can do to make Driver CPC training more worthwhile.
In the UK, we have adopted a fairly open approach to training, in which employers are able to choose and design courses most suited to their drivers and their businesses. In the new review of the Driver CPC by the European Commission, a much more standardised and proscriptive view is proposed, which could stifle the potential benefits of regulated driver training. Different countries have different approaches to
Driver CPC and doubtless we can learn from each other.
However, the potential for development and for improving both the image and reality of driver training is much greater using something like the UK's model. We should not be overly surprised or disappointed that not all has gone well in the first Driver CPC term — but we should look for ways to do better next time and give Europe a lead. Jack Semple RHA director of policy