CPC-compliant driver shortage worries

UK transport managers are worried that there will be a massive decrease of CPC-compliant drivers after the September 9 deadline, analysis from an independent study shows.

Under 200 fleet professionals took part in the study, led by Fleet Source, in which over half (53%) said they were worried about a possible reduction in fully CPC-trained drivers next month.

 
The data revealed that nearly a third of drivers still had 35 hours of mandatory training remaining.

Nick Caesari, CEO of Fleet Source, said: “The majority of transport managers who responded to our survey - some 71% - said their contracted drivers had already completed their 35 hours, which is good news, but the deadline is fast looming for those drivers who still need to complete their training.

“The bigger picture is that there is a clear concern in the industry that there will be a shortfall in CPC-compliant drivers after 9 September.

 
“Some two thirds of fleet professionals who responded to our survey, rightly said that it was drivers’ responsibility to complete the required training, but employers also know that they must ensure that their contracted drivers are compliant.”

Those who took part in the study preferred spreading the 35 hours of training across the five-year period between deadlines.

Caesari added: “Our customers are already scheduling their next five-year training programmes and we are seeing a marked preference for the one course per year option.

“We think that will be the trend across the industry, as many respondents to our survey cited difficulty in finding suitable courses and trainers with capacity in recent months, as well as significant price increases from some suppliers.

“We have invested heavily in boosting our supply chain to meet increased demand and retain the same competitive prices all year, providing reductions for clients on volume commitments.

“It is vital that employers, drivers and training providers work together to ensure we minimise the risk of a shortfall in CPC-compliant drivers and create a contract-ready workforce to meet the growing client demand across our industry.”