Every day, Europe’s coach drivers transport millions of passengers from destination to destination across the continent. Some of those drivers operate exclusively in the UK; others work throughout Europe. Yet all of them have one thing in common: they have been CPC trained and certified according to government regulations. All of them carry a CPC card demonstrating compliance.

If you are hoping to become a qualified coach driver anywhere within the European Union, CPC is not voluntary. It is required by law. In order to obtain your commercial driving licence, you must undergo CPC training as part of your complete training package offered by a company such as the HGV Training Centre. After that, you must receive 35 hours of additional CPC training every five years. Again, this is not voluntary. Regulations make it mandatory.

An Explanation of CPC Implementation

There was no CPC mandate in the UK prior to 2008. Furthermore, Europe did not even begin talking about it until the turn of the 21^st century. Prior to 2000, becoming a coach driver in the UK was a matter of undergoing practical skills training and taking two tests. This is not to say that the lower standards meant drivers were not as capable back then. Quite to the contrary, many of those drivers are still on the road operating as safety today as they ever had in the past.

So why was CPC implemented? EU leaders began talking about CPC requirements in the early 2000s. They were motivated by the knowledge that commercial driving careers did not embrace the same kind of professional development programmes other employment sectors were already utilising. Lawmakers felt that some sort of professional development was necessary to ensure competency and proficiency among HGV and PCV drivers. They came up with the CPC requirements as a result.

It helps to understand the thinking by knowing the definition of the term ‘competence’. According to the Cambridge Dictionaries, competence is defined as “the ability to do something well.” The word ‘competency’ means, “an important skill that is needed to do a job.”

By combining these two definitions, it is clear to see that those who developed the regulations understood that professional driving requires a particular skill set not everyone possesses. More importantly, they wanted to ensure that skill set is continually developed in order to make drivers the best they can be.

CPC Requirements for Coach Drivers

Beginning in 2008, all new drivers intending to earn the necessary Category D licence to drive a coach were expected to undergo CPC training alongside their theory and practical skills training. Drivers already possessing licences were given acquired rights, meaning they did not have to be CPC certified until 2013. They were allowed five years to explore their options before deciding whether to continue working as professional drivers or not.

With the 2013 deadline now past, CPC requirements are now the same for all coach drivers. The requirements are as follows:

• Initial Training – New drivers undergo CPC training culminating in a case studies exam requiring an 80% passing grade. The exam presents seven real-world case studies with multiple choice questions accompanying each one. The point of the exam is to test the student’s ability to apply sensible solutions to problems he or she is likely to encounter in the workplace.
• CPC Cards – The successful student will be awarded a CPC card proving both training and the exam have been completed. That card must be carried with the driver at all times when working. It must be presented to any officials with legal authority upon request, and the card is only good for five years.
• Remedial Training – During some point in a driver’s fifth year of CPC certification, he or she must undergo an additional 35 hours of training to earn a new CPC card. The requirements for carrying the new cards are identical to those applying to the old card.
• CPC Exceptions – The rules in the UK differ slightly from those elsewhere in the EU, leading to the possibility of some exceptions. However, the government recommends UK drivers simply assume they do not qualify for an exception. A driver or operator who believes qualifications for an exception exist should seek legal counsel for further clarification.

Safer, More Competent Drivers

At the HGV Training Centre, we are fully aware that there is no shortage of drivers not pleased with having to be CPC certified. We understand their concerns about costs and lost working time that are now the inevitable result of the regulations. So we do our best to make sure all of our students have access to convenient and cost-effective training when they need it. Whether we train a coach driver or a tipper truck operator, we are committed to making CPC classes affordable and friendly.

In the end, CPC training is all about producing safer, more competent drivers. As a coach driver, this is especially important for you. Every passenger who steps foot on your coach is trusting you with his or her life. You owe it to those passengers to be as proficient and competent as is humanly possible. That is why you undergo CPC training.

A Training Solution You Succeed With

Why should you choose the HGV Training Centre for your initial driver training and CPC certification? Because we offer a training solution that you can succeed with. Consider some of the following benefits of training with us:

• Financing – We are one of the few UK training companies offering to finance on every class we teach. We do so by utilising the services of a financing partner known as Pay 4 Later. Training with us means you can finance your courses now while deferring payment until you start working.
• Job Placement Assistance – Every driver who completes our training programme is given access to our up-to-date jobs database as well as job placement assistance. We not only want to see you trained, but we also want to see you working as a coach driver as quickly as possible. So we invest ourselves in helping our students find work.
• Personal Support – The HGV Training Centre wholeheartedly believes in providing personal support to each and every student. We do our utmost to ensure each driver that comes through our doors progresses at a rate that ensures the successful passing of tests and full understanding and retention of the material learned
• Multiple Locations – As one of the largest providers of commercial driving training in the UK, we offer dozens of convenient locations for you to choose from. You can avoid long commutes by taking your training close to home, and you do not have to go off to university for months at a time.

So, you’ve been thinking about becoming a coach driver. You will need CPC training to obtain and keep your licence, but it is nothing we cannot help you take care of. All you need to get started is a willingness to learn, a full car licence, and reasonably good health. We can get the ball rolling right away by furnishing you with the information and paperwork you need to complete your medical exam and apply for your provincial entitlement.

Please note that contacting us today means you could be ready to look for work just a few months from now. Why delay any longer? We provide all of the training and support you need to become a professional coach driver in a very short amount of time. You will then be on your way to a long and rewarding career interacting with wonderful people and travelling to destinations throughout the UK and Europe.

Further Information on CPC certification

To learn more about CPC certification and the training courses offered at our driver training centres please select from our other articles below:

• Low Cost Bus Driver CPC Training Course
• Get Certified Fast With Our Intensive CPC Courses
• Find Low Cost – Top Quality – CPC Driver Training Courses
• The Road to Your CPC Qualification Begins Here
• UK Wide – Low Cost Professional CPC Training Courses
• Driver CPC Certification Training – Top Quality UK Wide Courses
• What Is CPC Driver Certification and Who Needs It?