www.hgvlgvtraining.co.uk is pleased to announce a record number of visitors in a 1 month period.

Between March 25th and April 24th www.hgvlgvtraining.co.uk received a total of 30,329 visitors who viewed 65,913 pages of content.

Roughly equated that’s just over 1,000 visits each day. It’s worth noting too that these figures are generated via Google natural listings and not via sponsored listings.

Google recognises and ranks better, websites that provide really useful, unique, relevant content and that’s what we aim to do here. Since our inception we have created over 1,100 pages of information and resource to help and assist new and existing commercial transport drivers.

As well as provide information we promote and recognise the best independent commercial training companies in the UK. Visitors to this website gain free, unrestricted access to companies that are tried, tested and deliver results.

What makes us different from any other commercial transport training website directory is we don’t list brokers. We are HGV training middleman free. This means you will only find and deal direct with your local LGV, Driver CPC, ADR etc. training provider.

Going direct to a reputable training company as opposed to signing up with a broker will save you time, money and a lot of hassle.

New website on its way.
We will shortly (next 6 weeks) be launching a new looking website for www.hgvlgvtraining.co.uk .

The new site will be easier to use and have a more modern look.

Couple of other things to look out for

Opening up the range of training courses
Currently visitors can only search for HGV training, Driver CPC training and ADR training companies.Soon visitors will be able to search for HGV training, Driver CPC training, ADR training, Fork Lift Truck (FLT) training, Operator CPC training, Lorry Loader training and PCV training providers in their area.

Many of the training providers we currently promote (HGV, Driver CPC and ADR) deliver many of the above additional courses so it makes sense to open up the range.

Read, write and post reviews
A new facility will be introduced to allow visitors to read and post reviews on the training companies we promote on this website. This will increase transparency and promote confidence.

Watch this space

Driver CPC statistics for January, February and March 2012 have been made available online via the Department for Transport (DFT) website.

The information provides statistical data on how Driver CPC training completion is progressing as well as training centre audit information.

Driver CPC Background
Driver CPC was introduced (bus and coach industry) on September 10th 2008 and September 10th 2009 for the commercial goods (HGV) industry.

It’s a European Directive (EU 2003/59) that requires all new and existing professional PCV and LGV drivers to acquire the Driver CPC Qualification Card (DCPCQC.)

For new entrants, 2 extra examinations (theory and practical, Module 2 and Module 4) must be passed to gain the DCPCQC. For existing drivers who gained categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE before 2009 and 2008 respectively (and those who have already acquired the Initial DCPCQC) Driver CPC means completing 35 hours formal training every 5 years.

Therefore most existing bus and coach drivers would have to have completed their initial 35 hours before 10th September 2008 and most existing LGV drivers would have to have completed their 35 by September 10th 2014.

How many drivers need Driver CPC
No one can put a definitive figure on how many professional drivers will need Driver CPC as no one knows for sure how many drivers are driving professionally. DVLA know how many drivers have the appropriate licence entitlement but they do not know if the licence holder is driving commercially. Best estimates put the figure between 650,000 and 800,000 drivers who will need to gain the DCPCQC.

Statistics
The figures and information provided by the DfT represent both PCV and LGV as one.

Periodic Driver CPC Training Hours logged
Between January 2012 and March 2012 a total of 1,317,520 Periodic Driver CPC hours were logged onto the government R&E (Recording & Evidence) system. When comparing these figures to October to December 2011 it shows an increase of over 73 percent (342,902 more hours.) That’s an encouraging start to 2012 and shows the industry is starting to take Driver CPC seriously.

Completed Periodic training and DCPCQC issued
Once an existing professional driver completes their 35th hour of periodic training their DCPCQC is automatically issued to their home address.

January 2012 figures show 2,989 DCPCQC were issued.
February 2012 figures show 5,019 DCPCQC were issued.
March 2012 figures show 4,843 DCPCQC were issued.

It is expected the monthly figure will increase dramatically as the initial deadlines approaches (2008 for PCV and 2009 for HGV.)

Initial Driver CPC Qualification cards issued
New entrants who intend to drive professionally will need the Initial Driver CPC qualification. This consists of passing a theory and practical test (modules 2 and 4.) Once modules 2 and 4 are completed (along with modules 1 and 3) drivers are issued with a Driver CPC qualification card which is valid for 5 years. Within that 5 years and every 5 years after the holder will be subject to Periodic Driver CPC training (35 hours every 5 years.)
Between January 2012 and March 2012 a total of 3,774 Initial DCPCQC were issued.

New Periodic Driver CPC centres approved
Companies that deliver Periodic Driver CPC training must be approved. Centre approval can be obtained direct from the Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training (JAUPT) or via a consortium (e.g. RTITB Mastertrain, Association of Trainers etc.) It is unsure how many approved centres exist as figures published represent organisations approved direct via JAUPT only.

They do not show how many centres are approved through a consortium. In the 1st three months of 2012 a total of 43 new Periodic Driver CPC centres were approved by JAUPT. This brings the total to 1,157 centres approved (via JAUPT) to deliver Periodic Driver CPC Training.

It is estimated between 300 and 650 centres are approved via a consortium, therefore in total between 1,457 and 1,807 training companies are approved to Periodic Driver CPC training.

Period Driver CPC Courses completed
A completed Driver CPC course means a 7 hour approved course was delivered and recoded.

January 2012 recorded 8,886 courses delivered.
February 2012 recorded 9,285 courses delivered.
March 2012 recorded 9,016 courses delivered.

This makes a total of 27,184 courses delivered in the 1st quarter of 2012. The number of person attending these courses totalled 182,974.

27,184 courses attended by 182,974 means (on rough average) 6 to 7 drivers attended each course delivered.

DCPC audits
Each (consortium and JAPUT) approved Driver CPC training centre is subject to at least one audit inspection within 5 years of attaining approval. DfT figures published only show January and February 2012. Statistics for March have been omitted.

A total of 244 audits were carried out in January and February 2012 equating to 122 audits per month. It’s encouraging to see a high number of audits being carried out in comparison to the previous year (2011.)

Total number of drivers active since Driver CPC implementation (September 2008)
Total number of drivers active represents the total number of drivers that have started their Driver CPC training. Up till March 2012 this figure stands at 512,687.

We have well and truly broken the half a million barrier however going by estimates (and that’s all they are) between 137,313 and 337,313 drivers have not started any Driver CPC training.

That represents a large section of professional drivers that have, for whatever reason not begun acquiring their DCPCQC. With less than 18 months before the first deadline (PCV) the clock is certainly ticking.

Find Driver CPC Training near to you
Our website promotes over 90 quality independent Driver CPC training companies all over the UK. These experts can advise, assist and deliver professional Driver CPC Training wherever you’re located.

Please visit our Driver CPC Training provider search page and find your nearest five.

Posted 18th April 2012.

Following on from tippers we take a rather large step up, while staying mostly but not entirely within the construction industry, the low loader, usually the only way of transporting the giants of construction and engineering, travelling at a steady pace along motorways and crawling along pre arranged specified routes. With the vehicle comes a cast of many.

These will range from wide load escorts (special vehicles driven in front and at the rear of wide or long loads to alert other road users creating both early warning and safe passing indication for other drivers) to some loads requiring a second man in the cab.

Assuming you have gained the relevant LGV licence, that being category C+E or class 1 in old money, and you are confident in your skills and abilities, then an interesting day’s work is just a series of ratchet chains away.

There are some significant differences between low loader trailers and any other. Everything from the design of the trailer, including wheel base and axel configuration, but the main point being the importance of keeping the ride height and the center of gravity as low as possible so that you can control the stability of loads with height issues, as well as loading and unloading with some using ramps or hydraulic beaver tail to others that will drop the front at the swan neck.

Whichever the trailer loading method, it must be done with patience and caution as you are loading large machinery, you can quickly lose sight of the trailer from the cab of the machine, typical of rubber tire machines such as loading shovels and dump trucks.

Therefore, the use of a banks man to assist in loading will in most cases prove a necessity. Once loaded, the machine will need chaining down, assuming there is nothing to drive the machine up against such as fitted chocks or the swan neck (these help but in no way take the place of any of the chains that are needed).

Everything that you would have learned about securing a load is more important now than ever as one single item can, and probably will, weigh more than most other combined loads. It is critical that the load is pulled both forward and backward to counteract the forces of momentum; stopping the load from moving backward when you move away and forward under braking. There will, on most machines, be chain down points.

Horizontal chains both front and rear are needed, pulling the load down to assist when cornering, acting against centrifugal force and stopping the load from sliding off.

Being aware of loads that have pneumatic tyres have the added problem of bounce and roll so it would be wise to eliminate this, as the smallest amount of movement at the start will get worse after a few miles. Therefore, checking occasionally after setting off giving the load a short time to settle is advisable.

Other considerations may be if you are loading construction machinery, soil, stones and or general site spoil. When dropped onto the bed of the trailer, it must be swept or cleared off, as if any of this was to fall from the vehicle when you are on the highway it will end in prosecution.

If you are moving machinery with digging arms (that is to say digging machines or JCB type machines) ensure that the digging arm cannot rotate in transit and any buckets and attachments are secured, not forgetting the doors.

So, as first stated, it is arguably mostly heavy plant that’s moved by low loaders. You will see everything from train carriages to multi million pound yachts. The most natural progression from here will take you to abnormal loads or convoy exceptional, requiring movement orders and routing as width, height, weight and length will have to be considered.

The planning, concentration and skill needed for moving some of the loads that you see crawling along our motorways make abnormal load movement some of the most demanding and rewarding in the industry.

For more information on how to acquire HGV entitlement please contact your local training provider.