JAUPT Approved Centre
AC00582
Driver CPC Aims:
- Improve road safety.
- Recognise and accredit skills for professional bus, coach and lorry drivers.
- Encourage drivers to continually update their skills and knowledge.
- Raise the status of bus, coach and lorry drivers to promote driving as a career.
If you want to drive a bus, coach or lorry for a living, but don't have a full
vocational driving licence yet, you will need to take the Driver Certificate of
Professional Competence (Driver CPC) initial qualification tests.
This applies to the following licence categories:
- buses and coaches - categories D, D1, DE and D1E
- lorries - categories C, C1, CE and C1E
Bus and coach drivers who hold a relevant vocational licence gained before 10
September 2008, and lorry drivers who hold a relevant vocational licence
gained before 10 September 2009, do not need to take the initial qualification. This is because they are deemed to hold 'acquired rights'.
The initial Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) qualification
is split into four parts. These include the theory and practical tests you will need
to pass before you can gain your full vocational driving licence.
The other two parts are optional, and only need to be taken if you want to get
the full Driver CPC that will allow you to drive buses, coaches or lorries
Professionally.
This gives you the flexibility to obtain your vocational licence only, or to gain full
Driver CPC at the same time.
The two Driver CPC theory tests are:
- part one - theory test (multiple choice and hazard perception)
- part two - case studies
The practical tests are:
- part three - licence acquisition (practical test of driving ability)
- part four - Driver CPC practical test (vehicle safety demonstration)
To get the full Driver CPC qualification, you will need to pass all four parts. If you
want to get a vocational licence, but will not be driving for a living, you will only
need to take and pass part one and part three.
What order can the tests be taken in?
You must pass part one before you can take part three, and pass part two before
you take part four.
However, you can choose to do the theory test or case studies in any order. You
can also take the licence acquisition test before the Driver CPC practical test, or the other way around.
Driver CPC initial qualification part one - theory test
The first part of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC)
initial qualification that you will need to pass is the theory test.
This is made up of two separate tests: multiple choice, and hazard perception.
Both tests are done on a computer at a Driving Standards Agency (DSA) test
centre. They can be taken in any order, and can be done on different days or on
the same day.
To pass the multiple choice part, you will need to answer 100 questions, and
get at least 85 right.
For the hazard perception element you will be shown, on a computer screen, a series of 19 video clips showing developing hazards. You will need to use the computer mouse to indicate the hazards as soon as you see them develop. You must score at least 67 out of 100 to pass this part of the test.
The theory test will take you about two and a half hours to complete. When you arrive at Pennine Distribution Limited’s Driver CPC Training Centre, you will need to present either your photocard driving licence and its paper counterpart, or your paper driving licence and your passport.
You will be given the result of each test after you have finished.
Driver CPC initial qualification part two - case studies
The case studies test is optional if you only want to get a vocational licence and
do not want to drive for a living. You must take it if you want to drive professionally and qualify for a full Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC).
The case studies test is a computer-based exercise. You will be given seven case
studies based on real-life situations you're likely to come across in your working
life. Examples could be driving a bus in icy conditions, or being asked to carry
out non-driving work when you're due to take weekly or daily rest. The aim is to
test your knowledge, and how you put it into practice.
Each test is made up of seven case studies, each one with six to eight questions,
with a possible maximum score of 50. The pass mark for the PCV test is 40 and
the pass mark for the LGV test is 38 (to be reviewed September 2010). The case
studies test will take about one and a half hours to complete.
Drivers who already hold a Driver CPC for one category of vehicle (ie PCV or
LGV) and wish to obtain a Driver CPC for the other category, will need to take a
part two case study conversion test consisting of 10 case studies with a total of 50 questions. Driver CPC initial qualification parts one, three and four will need to be completed in full.
Driver CPC initial qualification part three - practical test of
driving ability
You will need to have passed the part one theory test before you can take the
practical test of driving ability for larger vehicles.
If you want to drive buses, coaches or lorries, you must pass the practical test
before you can apply for a full vocational licence, regardless of whether or not
you want to get a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence.
The test will take an hour and a half, with at least an hour of driving. The examiner will assess your driving in a variety of traffic conditions, and on several different types of road.
The practical test is made up of two parts. The first is a reversing exercise, and is
done at the test centre. The second takes place on public roads. It may include
driving on motorways, depending on where you take your test. You will have to
carry out exercises specific to the type of vehicle you drive. For example, if you're driving a bus or a coach, you will be asked to stop at a bus stop and move
away when the examiner tells you to.
The practical test also includes an eco-safe driving assessment which involves the examiner taking note of how you control the vehicle and plan your driving. This assessment does not count towards the result of the test, however the examiner will give you feedback at the end of your test.
Driver CPC initial qualification part four - vehicle safety
Demonstration
Passing this test is compulsory if you want to obtain a Driver Certificate of
Professional Competence (Driver CPC) that will allow you to drive lorries, buses
or coaches for a living. It is optional if you only want to get a vocational driving
licence, and do not want to drive professionally.
This test takes about half an hour. You will only be allowed to take it if you have
already passed part two of the Driver CPC initial qualification, the case studies
theory test.
To pass, you will need to show your knowledge and ability in the following areas:
- ability to load the vehicle, paying attention to safety rules and using the vehicle properly.
- security of the vehicle and its contents.
- ability to prevent criminality and trafficking in illegal immigrants - for example, what you should do if you have returned to the vehicle after taking a comfort break on a ferry or at a border crossing.
- ability to assess emergency situations.
- ability to prevent physical risk.
- ability to complete a physical, walk round vehicle safety check.
Lorry tests may also use a piece of equipment called a Load Securing
Demonstration Trolley (LSDT) that will allow you to demonstrate your ability to
secure loads. The test consists of five topic areas covering the Driver CPC syllabus and in order to pass you will have to score 15 out of a possible 20 points in each topic area (75 per cent) and an overall score of 80 per cent.
After you have passed the Driver CPC initial qualification
Tests
After you have passed all four modules of the Driver Certificate of Professional
Competence (Driver CPC) initial qualification, you will be entitled to a Driver Qualification Card (DQC). This proves that you hold Driver CPC.
Testimonials:
I learnt more in the seven hours course than in seventeen years of driving.
It really opened my eyes about the job I’ve been doing for the last ten years.
Mr A Mather
Very good course with a friendly approach. Delivered well by a professional team.
Mr A Dale
Click here to download a printable copy of the Driver CPC Initial Qualification Syllabus.