The CPC course: A ticket to a long, rewarding career
As the reliance of today’s consumer culture on transportation grows faster and faster, an ever-increasing number of consumer goods are being transported by road to get to their destination. In the 2000s, the EU realized that commercial driving as a career had become so popular that it was having effects on road safety and environmental pollution. Over the next decade, they researched and put into action the CPC Licence, which stands for Certificate of Professional Competence. Introduced across the whole EU starting in 2008 for drivers of Coaches and buses, and 2009 for drivers of Lorries, it aimed to promote driving in the EU as a lucrative career, as well as improve fuel efficiency and road safety for everyone on the road. Since then, it has become a compulsory training course for anyone who wishes to drive a coach, bus, or lorry as a profession.
So what does the CPC Course include? And why should you take one? You will see the reasons why going through this course and acquiring the certification might be just the thing you wanted or even needed!
To keep, and retain, the Driver CPC takes 35 hours of periodic training across a period of 5 years. Without this training, that needs 35 hours over a rolling five year period, you cannot drive busses, coaches, or Lorries professionally. If you are a new driver, you first have a period of initial training, After that, all drivers must do 35 hours within 5 years, and 35 hours every 5 years hence.
The CPC Course training includes multiple courses that you can get over the five year period that you are free to schedule per your convenience. These courses include training on subjects that are not related to driving directly but might come in handy over your career, such as first aid. Courses include, but are not limited to
· Operator Hours
· Operating Instrumentation
· Operator Licence Protection
· Vulnerable Road User Awareness
The full list can be obtained on the government website. You can take the same course more than once, offering you the opportunity for CPD, or continuing professional development.
It is absolutely necessary that you always have your CPC Licence when you drive. After your CPC training concludes, you will have a period of time before your hours get uploaded on the gov website. After that, you will get your CPC Licence at home. IF at this point you are ever stopped and asked for your CPC and fail to produce it, you can be fined up to 1000 pounds.
During your CPC course, you must have at least one of the following items
· Valid Passport
· Digital tachograph card
· driving licence with a photo, or your current CPC licence
After this process, when you finally get your CPC, you will be a licensed professional driver, with all the benefits that involves. You will be set for your life, in a career that offers financial stability, good compensation, and a mentally, and physically rewarding job. Congratulations and good luck!
