Third-party pilots for Driver CPC practical module

The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has launched a pilot programme to explore the feasibility of the Driver CPC practical demonstration module (Part 4) for truck, bus and coach drivers being delivered by external assessors.

The standalone practical test, which focuses on various aspects of vehicle safety and security – including walkaround checks, emergencies, loading procedure and awareness around illegal immigration – is currently conducted exclusively by DVSA examiners.

But the agency’s pilot, which runs until early 2017, explores the practicality of allowing third-party assessors to deliver the module.

“DVSA will continue to offer the test,” said the agency. “However, opening up delivery to other providers would give customers more choice of where they take this test. This will also help to maintain the current national LGV driving test waiting time.”

It promised an update on the outcome of the pilot in due course.

The move reflects a wider divestment of services previously the reserve of DVSA, and is in line with similar exploration currently underway into the possibility of allowing third-party examiners to conduct vehicle annual tests at authorised testing facilities (ATFs), which themselves are already independently owned.

As of this month, DVSA has also made modifications to the questions asked of drivers during Part 4 of the Driver CPC, in order to “keep up to date with modern technology such as digital tachographs” and to “make them easier to understand”.

Questions are still drawn from the source content within DVSA’s official Driver CPC learning materials.