Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC)
Special Offer!
Streetwise training have reduced their module fees to £65.00 per day. This cost includes the JAUPT download fee and VAT.
We do offer discounts in block bookings as follows:
- 2 days – £120.00
- 3 days – £160.00
- 5 days – £240.00
For more information on discounts on block bookings or if you would like a course conducted on your site please call or email Stephen Williams.
For any other course information telephone 01978 856665 or info@streetwisetraining.org.uk Courses are currently running in North Wales and the North West areas. All drivers who attend will receive an A4 certificate.
What is a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence?
From 10 September 2009, professional lorry drivers who drive vehicles weighing 3.5 tonnes or more will need to hold a Driver CPC.
Under a new European Union Directive, professional bus and coach drivers need to hold a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) in addition to a vocational driving licence. The rules apply to drivers of vehicles with more than nine seats.
New drivers can obtain their Driver CPC by passing a series of initial qualification tests – theory and practical. This must then be followed by 35 hours of periodic training every five years if they want to keep their Driver CPC after that period.
There are different rules for drivers who obtained their vocational licence before 10 September 2008, or 10 September 2009 for lorry drivers. They will hold Driver CPC by ‘acquired rights’, and will need to complete the required amount of periodic training over a five-year period.
Driver CPC is valid for five years. New drivers who have qualified via the initial qualification route will receive a Driver Qualification Card (DQC), which they can show as proof that they hold Driver CPC. Existing drivers will receive their DQC when they have completed their 35 hours of periodic training.
What does the Driver CPC cover?
The Driver CPC aims to improve road safety by helping drivers of buses, coaches and lorries maintain and develop the skills and knowledge they need. It covers things such as knowing how to load a vehicle safely, and how to comply with relevant rules and regulations such as drivers’ hours.
Who needs a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence?
Drivers acquiring a vocational licence for the first time, and who wish to drive for a living, will have to complete the initial qualification for Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC). This applies to:
- bus and coach drivers whose occupational licence was obtained on or after 10 September 2008
- lorry drivers whose occupational licence will be obtained on or after 10 September 2009
The initial qualification can be taken at the same time as your vocational driving test. If you pass, you will be issued with a Driver Qualification Card (DQC), which looks similar to a photo driving licence.
Once you obtain the Driver CPC, you must complete 35 hours of periodic training within the next five years to ensure it stays valid.
To book a course or for an information pack, email our head office at 01978 856665 or info@streetwisetraining.org.uk
