Driver CPC training compliance report released
The 2013-14 report on quality assurance and compliance for Driver CPC training has been released by the DVSA and JAUPT, the training approvals unit for the scheme.
The bodies carry out a programme of audits of training centres and courses approved for DCPC periodic training, in a bid to promote consistency, ensure compliance and improve standards.
Course audits are unannounced, and the programme is said to deter ‘short training’ (periods of less than seven hours), while allowing non-compliant training record uploads to be revoked and potential fraud to be identified.
Between April 2013 and March 2014, JAUPT carried out 462 audits of training centres, and 1,005 audits of courses. Serious non-compliance was referred to DVSA, which worked on 135 cases as a result of JAUPT referrals and direct complaints from the public.
Of the DVSA cases, 50 per cent were concerned with course duration, 45 per cent with identity checking and course registration, and 41 per cent with trainer deviation from the approved course plan. Other issues identified included inadequate course preparation, poor centre record-keeping, and poor control over system access.
Further common concerns identified through visits included inadequate internal quality control of trainers, and a failure to identify individual driver needs prior to the commencement of the training – while some centres were suspended for poor administration, and a failure to communicate and comply with audit requests.
The audits have resulted in 133 drivers having training hours revoked, 214 having hours blocked, and 37 uploads being blocked and 13 revoked by the approved centre, as a result of improved processes implemented subsequent to DVSA involvement.
The report said that DCPC training is “generally of a good standard and within syllabus,” that “the majority of approved training centres are compliant with regard to their administrative arrangements,” and that “when training centres have been challenged about their delivery of periodic training courses and their processes and procedures at centre audits, they have taken positive steps to fix issues.”
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) said the report showed industry was “on the right track” with Driver CPC training.
Said policy director Jack Semple: “As we reach the end of the first five-year period for Driver CPC, it is clear that the mainstream haulage industry has not only come to terms with the requirements but is becoming increasingly positive towards it. This report will give added confidence.
“A key finding is that 90 per cent of audits have not identified any serious non-compliance in training, which indicates that our DCPC training is generally on the right track in terms of the quality. “That does not mean that there is not room for improvement and clearly there is a problem with the remaining 10 per cent; but there is a strong platform for development.”
He continued: “A year ago, the RHA successfully urged that auditors should allow a more flexible approach to course delivery, to reflect the issues raised by those on the course, and we are starting to see the benefit of that change. There is more to be done in that respect and we will continue to engage with DVSA/JAUPT in that and other areas of Driver CPC.
“Meanwhile, the big issue for much of the industry is relaxation of the requirement to deliver a seven-hour course within 24 hours. We will be pressing the importance of allowing greater flexibility with the new DfT minister Claire Perry.”
