HGV Training Blog

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) recently announced changes to the size of the manoeuvring area used to conduct the HGV reversing exercise.

From March 2012 the reversing exercise manoeuvring area will be reduced from 92 by 18 metres to 66 by 11 metres. The new size has been trialled and tested by DSA staff at Cardington in Bedfordshire.

The principles of the reversing exercise itself will remain the same and will not change.

Part of the reason the DSA has decided to reduce the manoeuvring area is to accommodate customer premises. Many DSA LGV test centres are located on VOSA (Vehicle Operator Services Agency) premises. The DSA has had (for many years) an arrangement to rent land from The VOSA testing sites.

As part of an ongoing modernisation program VOSA commercial vehicle testing sites have and are to become ATF’s (Approved Testing Facilities.) As ATF’s come online the local VOSA testing stations will close as will the local DSA LGV manoeuvring areas.

Therefore the DSA is actively encouraging training companies to become approved testing centres. The LGV practical test will still be carried out by an independent person, i.e. a suitably qualified DSA driving examiner. The main problem training companies are encountering when seeking suitable testing premises is size and cost.

To lease or even purchase suitable land and premises covering at least 92 by 18 meters can be difficult to find and extremely expensive. It is perceived that by making the required area 66 by 11 meters this will make more areas suitable and ultimately be cheaper (than 92 by 18) to lease or purchase.

LGV training companies that already have customer premises have already being given the go ahead to mark out their reversing area in the new size 66 by 11 meters. They do not need to wait till March 2012.

www.hgvlgvtraining.co.uk can confirm that Network HGV has ceased trading. Reliable sources within the commercial transport training industry understand the company stopped trading a number of weeks ago.

Customers who call their premium 0844 number are advised the company will re-open on 30th August and visitors to their website are given the impression it’s business as usual.
This is not the case.

Network HGV was a broker or middleman. Although they had a small number of vehicles (in one location), most of the HGV training booked was simply farmed out.

Network HGV are just one of many HGV training brokers who have gone bust. Many wanabe LGV drivers will have paid £1,000′s to Network HGV for driver training which will now never be honoured. Many training companies too will also be owed money by Network HGV.

Those who purchased courses by credit (and VISA debit) card are advised to contact their respective credit card company / bank and seek a refund.

Some good advice from Simon B. at Trucknet.

If you paid via another method (not credit or Visa debit card), or you are past 6 months and still haven’t received a course, you can file a claim at moneyclaim.gov.uk. Fill in the forms as an ‘individual’ and make the Defendant the owner of Network who is Steve Manning.
You can get his address details from companieshouse.gov.uk the company number is 7059211
Also, please make sure you register a complaint at Tower Hamlets Trading Standards. You can call them on (020) 7364 5008.

There are many websites around today that claim to be national HGV training providers yet the simple fact is there are no national HGV training companies. Companies who claim to be national providers are in most part just brokers and middlemen. Why use a broker when it’s cheaper, easier and frankly less hassle to go direct to an independent provider in your area?

To help avoid “using” a broker please read our Tips and Advice page.

Companies like Network HGV, 1st Class Trucking, Clearstone etc. give the commercial transport industry a bad name and leave a bad taste in the month. The reality is the vast majority of independent local training companies are reputable, professional and care.

We will update this post once we know who will be the appointed administrator.

www.hgvlgvtraining.co.uk recently made a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request to the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) regarding Driver CPC training.

We wanted to get an idea of where Driver CPC is to date.
Questions posed to the DSA surround Driver CPC revenue, resource, expenditure, auditing and strategy.

The information given refers to PCV and HGV drivers combined. The DSA does not differentiate (and record) each discipline separately.

DSA responses are shown in bold.

Question 1
What is the total revenue to date DSA has received in respect of Driver CPC training? This includes all driver upload fees, centre approvals and course approvals. Please include any other monies that have also been generated.

DSA response
The total driver CPC income for the 2009/10 and 2010/11 financial years and 1 April 2011 to 30 June 2011 was £7,653,363. A further amount of £509,690 was included in other income in the accounts for 2008/09.

As with normal accounting practice, income is recognised in the accounts when the service is provided and not on receipt of the fee. Please note that this income figure does not include any income or costs associated with the delivery of testing.

Question 2 and 3
Of all the revenue generated please supply a breakdown of where the money received has gone, i.e. how much has been allocated and paid to Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT) to date?
(Q3)
How much has it cost DSA itself to manage Driver CPC? This would include staffing, IT costs, premises (if required), advertising etc. (please supply a breakdown)

DSA response
The cost of running the driver CPC scheme since the 2009/10 financial year up to 30 June 2011 is £ 8,952,545. The amounts paid to JAUPT and DSA’s running costs are shown in the table below:
Paid to JAUPT 1,344,059
Direct costs (includes staff costs) 1,745,468
Systems developments – depreciation 3,255,614
IT Costs 588,443
Finance Costs 391,870
Other Support Costs & Office related expenses 1,627,091
Total 8,952,545
Loss Generated -1,299,182
Total 7,653,363

The costs of operating driver CPC in 2008/09 are not separately identifiable.

Question 4 and 5
If any surplus funds are left after JAUPT and DSA have taken their costs, where has the money gone? Please provide a full breakdown.
(Q5)
Has any surplus money generated from Driver CPC gone to the DfT? If so how much and what has this money been allocated to (a breakdown is required) where is this surplus money now?

DSA response
As can be seen above (response to question 2 and 3), there are no surplus funds. We expect the deficit to be recovered over a five year cycle.

Question 6
To date how many Driver CPC training centres have been audited? Of this number how many have required extra visits (due to non conformances from the 1st audit?)

DSA response
Up until 31 July 2011, 442 centres have been audited and 36 centres have required a follow up visit.

Question 7
How many centres have to date lost approval?

DSA response
No centres have lost approval to date. This information is correct as of 31 July 2011.

Question 8
How many complaints have been raised by persons (or companies) attending Driver CPC courses to JAUPT or DSA to date? How many of these complaints have been investigated and what have been the outcomes?

DSA response
DSA has received a total of 178 complaints about CPC and all of these will have been reviewed. To establish how many of these complaints specifically are about attending CPC courses would involve reviewing all 178 complaints. JAUPT have received 19 complaints which are investigated on a case by case basis. The majority of these relate to loading of information onto the recording and evidence (R & E) system and non issue of attendance certificates.

Again, we do not hold a central record as to whether these complaints were upheld and in combination with the searches of DSA complaints; this information is exempt from release under section 12(1).

Question 9
What is the exact staffing levels (and positions) of those working at DSA and JAUPT solely on Driver CPC?

DSA response
Staffing and positions of those working for JAUPT (periodic training element of Driver CPC) are as follows:

• JAUPT Manager
• JAUPT Assistant Manager
• Senior Area Co-ordinator
• Course Approval Specialist
• Quality Assurance Co-ordinator
• Area Co-ordinators x 3
• Office Assistant

During peak periods, up to 3 temporary administrative staff have also been used.
JAUPT also contract the services of 13 associate auditors. JAUPT are also planning to contract the services of up to 7 additional associate auditors over the next 2 – 4 months and to recruit an Audit & Inspection Manager, Data Compliance Co-ordinator and Audit Resource Planner.

To give an accurate reflection of the resource for DCPC working for DSA, it would be inappropriate to reply with those “working solely” on DCPC for some members of staff. For completeness we have included the percentage of time each post spends working on DCPC and these are as follows:

• Post Test Operations Head of Branch – approx 40-50%
• Senior Post Test Operations Manager – 100%
• Post Test Operations Manager – 100%
• Post Test Operations Officer – 40%
• Post Test Operations Admin Support – 50%
• Post Test operations Compliance Manager – 100%
• Post Test Operations Compliance Officers x 3 – 100%
• CPC service manager – 100%
• CPC system administrator – 100%
• CPC system support officer – 100%
• CPC enquiry team manager – 100%
• CPC team officers x 7 (part time)
• Management Information Analyst – 20 %

In addition, the team will draw on the expertise of other branches within DSA on a case by case basis which is hard to quantify but we draw on considerable support from DSA Policy, Standards & Regulations, Information Assurance and Finance.

Question 10
Advertising costs. How much to date has been spent by the DSA on advertising. I would also appreciate how much has been spent on a yearly basis.

DSA response
Since 2006, we have spent £ 789,870 promoting Driver CPC. This figure includes costs associated with advertising in the trade press, outdoor advertising, radio advertising, direct mail, print, online/digital marketing, events and public relations. The term advertising includes a number of associated areas and costs. If you were to confirm what costs you associate with advertising we shall consider providing these costs on a yearly basis.

Question 11
How many Driver CPC training hours has the DSA assumed will need to be completed to get all the required drivers (PCV and HGV) training hours completed by 10.9.2013 and 10.9.2014?

DSA response
We have estimated that 590,000 LGV drivers and 166,000PCV drivers will require a DCPC card. Our estimate is that 26,460,000 training hours will need completing.

Question 12
What is the DSA strategy to ensure all Drivers get their hours completed in time? Does the DSA have a strategy?

DSA response
It is the responsibility of individual drivers to ensure that they comply with the requirements of Driver CPC and it is in the interests of their employers to ensure that they do so. DSA will continue to communicate those requirements to keep drivers informed about their responsibilities, the benefits that Driver CPC will bring and the consequences of non-compliance.

The communications strategy will focus on delivering key messages, that Driver CPC is here to stay and will not be abandoned; that it will be enforced; that the quality assurance regime for trainers is being strengthened and will be active in its enforcement of quality standards. To achieve this, DSA will use a variety of nil cost channels, which may include for example radio interviews, press interviews, social media and other online communication.

The training industry also has a key role to play in encouraging drivers to comply in a timely manner and meetings are being arranged to identify the elements of support DSA can offer – largely around clarification of issues and providing ‘official’ guidance in order to enable the providers to overcome some of the perception barriers and deliver positive messages about the training on offer and the need for timely take-up.

Question 13
If as I suspect no centres have lost approval is the DSA happy with the current auditing process?

DSA response
The current audit process has identified centres for follow-up visits and further investigation. In the main, the majority of centres that have been audited are performing to the standards required with only a minority requiring further intervention. The audit process has been significantly developed and an increase in unannounced audits to courses will be rolled out over the coming months.

Question 14
How many unannounced audits taken place and please supply a breakdown of the results?

DSA response
To date there have been 7 unannounced audit visits. The most common non-compliance issues identified were lack of understanding around identification requirements and issues with uploading onto the R & E system. Appropriate advice and action has been taken in each case with follow-up visits where required.

Question 15
Does DSA have any plans to limit the number of approved training centres?

DSA response
We have no plans to limit the number of approved training centres; we need to ensure demand for periodic training is met as we approach the end of the first five year cycle of periodic training.

Posted: Sunday 11th September 2011