[PR] Consultation on Certificate of Professional Competence for Professional Drivers

RSA Launches Public Consultation on Certificate of Professional Competence for Professional Drivers


The Road Safety Authority (RSA) today Thursday 16th August 2007 launched a public consultation document on the planned introduction of a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) for Professional Drivers.

“The Driver CPC, as it is known means that professional drivers will need to have additional training if driving for a living in addition to the requirement to have a driving licence,” explained Noel Brett, Chief Executive, RSA. “Its purpose is to set and maintain high standards of safety and driving among drivers of trucks and buses across the EU.”

“In Ireland in 2005 there were forty six deaths and eighty serious injuries as a result of crashes involving either trucks or buses. Improving driving skills will lead to fewer casualties on our roads giving greater protection to more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists the very young and older people.”

The consultation process will last for eight weeks from 16 August 2007 and gives the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes. A consultation document outlining the proposals for the introduction of Driver CPC is available from the RSA website (www.rsa.ie) or can be obtained from: THE DRIVER CPC UNIT, ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY, MOY VALLEY BUSINESS PARK, BALLINA, CO MAYO. Or you can e-mail your comments to cpc@rsa.ie.

A Professional Driver for the purposes of this consultation document is a person who drives a truck or bus for a living and has one of the following categories of licence: C1, EC1, C and EC (truck) and D1, ED1, D and ED (buses).

Driver CPC is an EU legal requirement. The EU has encouraged its members to provide better training for professional drivers. Many professional drivers in the EU are working without the benefit of training or the opportunity to regularly refresh their skills. As a result the EU introduced Directive 2003/59/EC which makes it compulsory for European member states to have a Driver CPC for professional drivers. It is the intention of the RSA to introduce the Driver CPC with the least amount of disruption to the road haulage and passenger transport industries. The new rules give a number of options on how the Driver CPC can be implemented. The requirement is contained in EU Directive 2003/59/EC which can be accessed on line at www.rsa.ie.

Please note that drivers of taxis with a capacity of 8 people or fewer are exempt from the new rules. Also, the Driver CPC should not be confused with the CPC in Road Transport which is directed at transport managers.

Public notices highlighting the consultation and explaining how people can participate will appear in national newspapers on Friday 17th August 2007.

Directive 2003/59/EC of the European Parliment and of the Council


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