What vehicles can I drive without Driver CPC?

You don’t need Driver CPC if the vehicle you’re driving is:

• Being road tested after repair, maintenance or technical development
• New or rebuilt and not been put into service yet limited to a top speed of 28mph

What are the vehicle uses where I don’t need Driver CPC?

You don’t need Driver CPC if the vehicle you drive is:

• Used for non-commercial carriage of passengers or goods for personal use
• Used to carry material or equipment you use for your job – but driving the vehicle can’t be the main part of your job
• Used for driving lessons for anyone who wants to get a driving licence or a Driver CPC
• Used by, or is under the control of, the armed forces, civil defence, the fire service and forces responsible for maintaining public order
• Used in states of emergency or for rescue missions

How many points can I receive from DVSA under the new Graduated Fixed Penalty system? Could I find myself disqualified becasue they gave me 12 or more points at the same time?

There are two quite seperate issues here. Firstly, a DVSA officer can only issue up to a maximum of three fixed penalty notices as a result of a single inspection. It would however be technically possible for a driver to pick up a total of six such notices if, for example, a Traffic Examiner issued the maximum three notices for drivers’ hours offences and a Vehicle Examiner issued a further three notices for construction and use offences (tyres, lights, etc.) at the same time. Each examiner may, however, only issue one “endorseable” offence at any one inspection. If there are more than three offences then DVSA have advised their examiners to send the matter for prosecution. As now, police officers and DVSA officers can only issue fixed penalties for endorseable offences if the issue of those penalties does not take the driver to a total of 12 points or more – all such cases will automatically be sent to court to provide the driver with the opportunity of pleading to keep his/her licence.

I am required to carry 28 tachograph charts plus the one for the current day. Does this mean 28 actual charts or the last 28 calendar days?

A driver is required to carry his/her digital card if s/he has one even if they are driving a vehicle fitted with an analogue instrument. As well as this, the driver is required to carry the chart for the current day (which should be in the instrument) and charts “used by the driver in the previous 28 days”. The words in italics are those used in Article 15, paragraph 7, EC Regulation 3821/85 as amended by EC Regulation 561/2006. If you think about this logically this must be the case or a casual driver perhaps only driving once or twice a month, would need to carry charts going back for 14 months or more! If a driver were to keep charts for this long, s/he would be breaking the law as in Section 97C of the Transport Act 1968, which states that records must be returned to the employer at the latest by 42 days after their use.

I hold a Restricted Operators licence as I only carry wood products made at my own factory. Occasionally my vehicle is used to carry raw materials from my suppliers to my factory. I have been asked if I can supply these products to an existing customers’ site in France. As this is a restricted licence, I do not have a Transport Manager. Can I do this work on a restricted licence?

Yes. A Restricted licence permits the holder to carry his/her own goods both nationally within the UK or abroad. The type of work you describe would certainly be within scope of a restricted licence.

How often is a driver required to download his digital driver card?

A driver must download his/her digital driver card at least every 28 days. Driver cards will, in fact, retain much more than 28 days of information but the driver would commit an offence if the card is not downloaded at least every 28 days.

Do Forklift operators need training ?

Yes. It is a legal requirement that all operators have recognised training for the equipment being used.

Do Forklift operators have to be retested?

Yes. Under Health & Safety guidelines operators of forklift trucks should be retested at regular intervals, normally every 3 years.

Is there an age requirement for forklift operators?

Yes. Operators must be over the minimum school leaving age of 16, unless operating in dockyards where the minimum age limit is 18 years old.

Can training be completed on our company premises?

Yes. On-site training is a good idea; it gives operators practice in their own working environment.

Do forklift operators need a car driving licence?

No. A driving licence for a car is not needed unless forklifts are being driven on the public road.

What is a Banksman?

This is the person that directs the operation for drivers of cranes or whilst reversing or manoeuvring larger vehicles on a work site. The Banksman is the eyes and ears of the vehicle driver. The Vehicle banksman communicates to the driver either via standardised hand signals or via a radio.

How do I pay for my training course?

For your convenience we offer you several ways to pay for your training course. You can pay by Purchase Order, Company or Personal Cheque, BACS or CHAPS (Bank transfers) or by Credit / Debit card. We also accept a payment plan should you wish to pay in advance in instalments.

What happens if I want to cancel my training course?

Course Cancellation – Full refund less 20% will be made for written cancellations received at least 10 working days prior to commencement of the course. Later cancellations or non-attendance of the course will render the client liable for the total course fees. No shows on the day of training will result in No refund.

With the changes to HGV licensing that the Government has announced, do I still need to pass the HGV Theory & Hazard Perception tests before booking practical vehicle training and taking my driving test?

There has been no changes to the rules, you are still required to attend a medical with a qualified Dr and complete the D4 Medical Form, this has to be sent to the DVLA with the completed application for a provisional HGV licence using form D2. You are then required to book and pass your HGV Theory and Multiple choice tests prior to practical vehicle training. (COTS Training can help you book these tests – 01792 587250)

I have a car driving licence only (Category B).  When can I attend training for my Category C+E (Class 1) without having to pass my Category C (Class 2) test first?

We are still waiting for confirmation from the Government as to when we can book tests for drivers wanting to sit their Category C+E Test – we are expecting an announcement sometime in November 2021 with some further guidance, until then if you want to obtain your C+E licence you still have to pass your Category C test first.

When can I start training to take my C+E test straight from a car licence, how long is the course likely to be?

For drivers with no previous experience in driving HGV’s the course will be 6 days, on day 1 we will undertake the training in a Category C rigid vehicle for a full day on a 1:1 basis. From day 2 onwards the training will be completed in a C+E vehicle with the test scheduled for day 6. The total training will be 24 hours in cab plus 1 hour for the driving test.