Can a driver attend Periodic Training before obtaining a full vocational licence?
No. A full vocational licence (LGV/PCV) must be held before the attendance of Periodic Training is valid.
Who is responsible for ensuring that a driver completes their Periodic Training?
It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that they complete the Periodic Training requirement, which includes meeting any costs. Equally, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that their company and drivers comply with current legislation. Many companies already invest in training for their staff and will also apply this to Driver CPC however this is a decision made at the employer’s discretion.
If a driver uses both PCV and LGV licences professionally, do they need to complete Periodic Training twice?
No. The Directive states that the holder of a vocational licence for PCV / LGV needs to complete 35 hours of Periodic Training in a five year period.
Does the 35 hours Periodic Training have to be completed in one block?
The driver has the flexibility to determine when the 35 hours Periodic Training will be attended. For example, a driver may complete a 7 hours per year, 35 hours in one year, 14 hours in the first year and a 21 hours in the fifth year etc, etc.
What happens if an existing driver completes their Periodic Training early?
A LGV driver who has until September 2014 to complete their Periodic Training for example, may complete their Periodic Trainng early e.g. 35 hours completed in 2010. This driver would be issued with a Driver Qualification Card (DQC) with an expiry date of September 2019. In order to renew the DQC in 2019 the driver will need to have completed another 35 hours of training between 2014 and 2019.
Within the definition of the Working Time Directive, does course attendance for Periodic Training count as work?
The Working Time Directive states that if a driver is paid by their employer whilst attending training, then the hours would count as working time. Therefore if the driver is being paid whilst attending Periodic Training it would be counted as work.
Will it be possible to focus the training on individual and employer needs?
The flexible nature of Periodic Training allows Approved Periodic Training Centres to develop courses tailored to needs of the driver/employer (subject to meeting the criteria laid down in the syllabus contained within the Directive).
Are there any tests that must be taken for Periodic Training?
Periodic Training is recorded as hours of attendance and does not contain any formal tests, exams or assessments.
How does Periodic Training apply to new drivers who must also complete the Initial Qualification?
Over the five years following the driver acquiring their licence and Initial Qualification, they must attend 35 hours of Periodic Training. The driver must continue periodically to attend 35 years Periodic Training every five years to maintain their Driver CPC.
How does Periodic Training apply to existing drivers who are exempt from the Initial Qualification?
Existing drivers who held a vocational licence prior to the 10th September 2008 (PCV) or the 10th September 2009 (LGV) are exempt from the Initial Qualification and must complete their 35 hours of Periodic Training by September 2013 (PCV) and September 2014 (LGV).
Can drivers do the same courses each year?
Theoretically, this is possible. However, employers will be seeking value for money and repetition of the same courses will not be beneficial.
What if the 35 hours of Periodic Training is not completed within 5 years?
Periodic Training can be carried out at anytime over the five year period but drivers are encouraged to spread the sessions over the required 5 years e.g. 7 hours per year. Failure to complete the Periodic Training by the fifth year would mean the driver could continue into the next year, but the training completed in the first year would be disregarded. For example:
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1st year = 14hrs
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2nd year = 7hrs
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3rd year = 0
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4th year = 7hrs
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5th year = 0
= 28hrs completed with 7hrs remaining
If a driver continued into the 6th year to complete the required 35 hours they would have to disregard the 14hrs they gained in their first year. The driver would now have to complete 21hrs (7 hours already required to complete 35 hours plus 14 hours disregarded from their first year).