www.hgvlgvtraining.co.uk was set up several years ago to promote and recognise those HGV, Driver CPC and ADR training companies that go the extra mile and choose to invest in the DSA instructor or/and centre approval.
The companies we list via this website are committed and passionate about delivering APPROVED, professional, quality LGV, Driver CPC and ADR training.
Below is a heartfelt post from Michelle Carrod of Roadtrain Herts
“I am writing this post in a general sense to all those who are, or should be, concerned with what is written below. I am also writing this post to those organisations that might have an interest or whom might be able to help and inform the public to the perils of underhanded business practices and the lack or seeming lack, of the Government and its agencies to ensure the safety of the general public. I am writing about HGV/LGV training.
Most people will be aware that if you pay for driver training for a car in this country the person giving you tuition should be qualified under a scheme run by the DSA. The instructor once qualified and checked then becomes an ADI (Approved Driving Instructor.)
However to be able to teach someone to drive a 44 tonne articulated vehicle no such scheme is in place. The public may get someone who has an appropriate licence that gives them tuition, but whom generally will have no teaching qualifications and will not have been vetted by the DSA.
I know my times tables, have attained a reasonable academic level but would not be allowed to teach primary school kids maths (quiet rightly so), unless properly trained and qualified for the task. This being the case why should anyone wishing to train HGV/LGV drivers, not have to undergo some form of vetting or teaching qualification?
Shouldn’t potential HGV/LGV drivers be afforded the same protection as those of a primary school child or that of a person first trying to obtain their licence? There is a DSA voluntary scheme to which our company, Roadtrain and a very few belong, however many, many more falsely train under its banner and it is this I wish to move on to next.
To those organisations (DSA) (Dept. of Transport) who should be responsible for the public’s safety, I ask this question.
Why are companies allowed to blatantly lie about their credentials, and use Govt. standards which they have not attained, to advertise?
I ask why has something not been done about it and the public at least warned of these sharks?
These sorts of practises are not limited to just a few companies but now many that advertise on the internet, brazenly use the words DSA registered training centres and trainers (when they are clearly not) with complete impunity.
This makes a complete mockery of the whole system and those that suffer are the public whom on seeing those words believe they are getting someone to train them that (wrongly) the DSA has vetted. We Roadtrain ARE an actual DSA accredited centre. We pay a lot of money every year in training our staff, keeping our vehicles and premises up to standard and ensuring these standards are maintained.
A big chunk of this money goes to (you guessed it) the DSA. This allows us to advertise the fact we are registered and that candidates will receive the best training. But as a businessman (a frustrated one) I am beginning to question the point of it all and wonder whether in fact the DSA, Dept. of Transport, or the Govt in general, really take large vehicle driver training seriously?
Why are companies allowed to blatantly advertise the fact they are all qualified and accredited when they are clearly not . Brokerages have also cottoned on to this fact and have sprung up dramatically in the last 12 months or so feeding of the lack of knowledge and protection the public has.
This would seem to be a great story for a newspaper or television. HGV/LGV training is not cheap and the Govt. and European law has made it a lot more expensive and complicated to get and hold this licence entitlement.
Isn’t about time we made it compulsory for trainers to be qualified and logged so as the public can be sure of getting some sort of guarantee for the money they invest? It should also be, at the very least, the DSA’s duty to stop or to at bring to the attention of the public what to look for when choosing an HGV/LGV training provider and the fact there is much false advertising around.
At my company, Roadtrain we pride ourselves in providing quality training, which has been vetted by the DSA. There are few companies like ours (members of www.hgvlgvtraining.co.uk) and I congratulate the ones that have bothered but there are not many of us. They, like me during these difficult times must be wondering WHY HAVE WE BOTHERED? Answer’s on a post card please.”
