CPC Periodic training, 1 day modules

the little trucker

It is now into the fourth year for bus drivers and third year for truck drivers, so I was wondering what people thought of the modules you have attended to date.

What did you think of the content of the module and what would you have liked to see in it to make it more interesting or relevant?

What do you think of having to do a module every year for the rest of your driving career?

Did your trainer read the book from cover to cover?

Please note, I do not work for the RSA but do deliver CPC courses both for periodic training and initial training. PM if you wish?

donkey balls

Myself personally I think having to do a module every year for as long as your driving in a professional capacity for the rest of your career is a load of b*ll*x,After all legislation does not change every year regarding drivers hours WTD etc even though this is an EU wide directive what are both bus&truck drivers going to learn doing a on a one day course for the rest of their careers.
After all you don't see people who have trades like sparks /plumbers having to sit in on a course every year the only people I know of who sit in on refresher courses every year are airline pilots &medics who have a lot more responsibilty than your average driver.

Faith+1

donkey balls wrote: »

Myself personally I think having to do a module every year for as long as your driving in a professional capacity for the rest of your career is a load of b*ll*x,After all legislation does not change every year regarding drivers hours WTD etc even though this is an EU wide directive what are both bus&truck drivers going to learn doing a on a one day course for the rest of their careers.
After all you don't see people who have trades like sparks /plumbers having to sit in on a course every year the only people I know of who sit in on refresher courses every year are airline pilots &medics who have a lot more responsibilty than your average driver.

Very true Donkey. But these basta*ds excuse will no doubt end up on the tried and tested formula "Sure yez drive a 44ton vehicle, you need the training boys n girls! It's a bit like the ole safe pass"

You put a suit on a monkey it's still a monkey. Bunch of money grabbing a holes.:mad:

DriversEd

i'm a professional driver, and, in line with this, i believe that one days training per year is not only ok, i think it should be more rigorous and have consequences if you dont achieve a certain level of preficiency on the day.
at present i think it is a lot like a safepass, a moneyracket in other words. but if we want our profession to be something more than a hobo's game, we need to bring it up in professionalism and in how its perceived by the authorities and the public. everything in this country moves by road, and as such should be done right. there are a lot of commercial drivers of buses and trucks out there that i would employ to drive a tricycle, unfortunately, and the RSA test and the training schools have a lot to answer for ton this issue!!
the CPC training is pretty pointless as is. i think there should be a couple of hours from the authorities like the rsa road crews/gardai traffic cours on what issues they are interested in getting across to us in the industry. some time spent on the material that is there now, but condensed. and then there should be a 'check test' on driving skills which has the consequence of loosing your cpc/license if you have 2 'fails' in a row. why not?
if we want to be working in an industry that looks after itself and us, the only way is improvement and working together, genuinely, with our authorities to make it better. on a cpc day, WE should also be able to get things acroos to the rsa/gardai that we feel is not working or needs tweaking, and issues we are having with other road users while doing our days work.

or am i dreaming??:)

andycapp

personally I think every 3 years is time enough to be doing a module but as this is another form of stealth tax we are going to be stuck with it I'm afraid.
in relation to DriversEd when you say " issues with other drivers " are you suggesting that we police each other for whatever reasons and swell the goverments coffers even more while taking the bread from another mans table because of our misconcieved ideas of their wrong doing? Ie: if we see another driver stopped in the hard shoulder how do we know that man has not done so because of cramp etc? how do we dictate what an emergency equates whilst driving past an incedent? thats what the guards are there for and even at that they must apply to the DPP to proceed in some matters.
Also the RSA is trying to scrap any CPC refresher/training courses they do not control, which they probably will do hence giving them a monoply on this and when they have that the costs will shoot up. It would be interesting to know what your view is on this (the little trucker) as you state you don't work for the RSA.
While we are on the subject can someone please tell me why in the worst ressesion (or anytime) could the theory testing CPC etc etc not be done by an Irish company or goverment body instead of all profits going out of the country?
A safe journey to you all

DriversEd

andycapp, at what point in my message did i suggest 'we' become a police force? but do you think as i actually suggested, it might ot be a bad i dea if we had a little input into how the gardai and the rsa perceive the way in which all road users are actually using the road. after all, aren't we a resource that could also be tapped for problems on our roads, as well as solutions? i think so!
although, since the main problem on our roads is the attitude of drivers, it still might be a mountain to climb trying to fix things!!

the little trucker

My own views are that there is a need for some form of training/awareness for all professional drivers. What I do not understand is why truck/ bus drivers are the only ones to be targeted.

Statistics show that drivers of commercial vehicles under 3.5 ton gvw are involved in more accidents compare to drivers of vehicles over 3.5 ton. This is not a surprise as there is probably a hell of a lot more under 3.5 ton vehicles on the road. So it posses the question, why do drivers of smaller vehicles that fall outside the tachograph rules, not do a cpc of sorts each year?

When I deliver module four, to do with driver hours and rest breaks, I am always amazed at how little drivers understand or are aware of the rules. Tacho rules coupled with the working time directive for mobile workers and the road traffic act too. this module always gets the best feedback.

the content could be better in the modules that I facilitate. I am hopefull that the RSA will make the content more relevant.

I don't think driverEd was saying we should police each other, but there are alot of older drivers out there who have never taken a driving test. Having said that, as an ADI i feel the hgv test is a joke. testers are completely unaccountable to anyone.

Bertie Ahern done nothing for the image of hgv's when the tunnel was being built( or drilled, do you build a tunnel?). If the port was blocked and trucks stopped delivering the country would come to a standstill.

In relation to how the course is delivered, it is left to the facilitator to use a little bit of discretion. I do not read the book in full, cover to cover, that would be torture. I am surprised at how many people approach me because they have problems with reading and writing.

Finally, I think the industry will suffer a severe shortage of good young drivers over the next few years. It is so expensive to obtain a licence now, the rules are being enforced more and more which may result in the loss of your licence ( even the B category) and certain companies feel it is appropiate to offer €9.00 per hour for day work or €11.00 per hour for night work. This wage does not reflect a professional competent person who needs to be concentrating 100% of the time, unlike say someone packing a shelve in Tesco store and is probably on more money.

Gene Hunt

On the topic of CPC ,I need a bit of advice, I've done only one CPC module in 2010 missed my second module for this year 2011 due to a serious illness thankfully on the road to recovery but now drivers are on module 3 to cover 2012...how do I go about catching up,can I do module 2 on one day and module 3 the next or is it a case of if you've missed a module you've missed it fullstop?
I'd be grateful for any advice,
regards.

Del2005

Gene Hunt wrote: »

On the topic of CPC ,I need a bit of advice, I've done only one CPC module in 2010 missed my second module for this year 2011 due to a serious illness thankfully on the road to recovery but now drivers are on module 3 to cover 2012...how do I go about catching up,can I do module 2 on one day and module 3 the next or is it a case of if you've missed a module you've missed it fullstop?
I'd be grateful for any advice,
regards.

There's another thread where someone rang the RSA and was told they can do the missed ones and send in a cover letter.

Just a point that came up when I was dong the class. The EU directive and the RSA both say you need to do modues over 5 years. They hadn't said they needed to be done annually. The person doing the course said they knew a few people who'd done all the modules in year 1.

Gene Hunt

Cheers DEL, often wondered??? that as long as you do all 5 modules within a 5 yr period would that be ok ? that said I know fellas that have next yr's module done already so they have 3 done now at end of 2011.......what's the rush!!:D
Cheers again

Faith+1

the little trucker wrote: »

It is so expensive to obtain a licence now, the rules are being enforced more and more which may result in the loss of your licence ( even the B category) and certain companies feel it is appropiate to offer €9.00 per hour for day work or €11.00 per hour for night work. This wage does not reflect a professional competent person who needs to be concentrating 100% of the time, unlike say someone packing a shelve in Tesco store and is probably on more money.

Excellent Points there Trucker. I think Donkeyballs said this before about the ridiculous wages companies are willing to pay for drivers. Why exactly would somebody want the hassle and responsibility of driving a 32t truck for €9 an hour when they can flip burgers or pack shelves for the same amount!

My mate works for Eason's and earns €13 an hour shelving books, Don't think he worries about killing anybody lest he makes a mistake like dropping one! Might hurt his toe though!

the little trucker

The EU left it up to each member state to implement the periodic training. It must be at least 7 hours per module, totalling either 35 hours or 42 hours over a five year period. The content form country to country will not necessarily be the same.

In the UK, France and Poland (their just the one's I know for sure), the periodic training can be done in one week. In Ireland, they decided that we can normally do 7 hours per year ( 1 day per year). this will prevent what is becoming an issue in the UK and France, which is people are leaving to the last week, of the last month of the last year. They are afraid that the system will not be able, not enough trainers or training centres. My view is it will also drive (excuse the pun) UP the price of the CPC for the driver due to supply and demand.

If you done a module in year one, but missed year two, you will need to "catch up" in year three. The RSA say you must send in a letter to them explaining why you missed the year, eg being sick, out of work or out of the country.

I would recommend you book your next CPC as soon as possible, make a copy of the letter that you send to the RSA and then come in again as soon as possible to do the third module.

I am sorry for the long winded posts but I am trying to give the correct advice or back ground as simply as i can.

Faith+1 , I have met a lot of drivers who are deciding to stay on the dole because the money and responsibilities do not stack up.

Faith+1

the little trucker wrote: »

Faith+1 , I have met a lot of drivers who are deciding to stay on the dole because the money and responsibilities do not stack up.

To be honest I couldn't blame them, I obviously don't make policy but I think the minimum rate for lads starting out should be €13ph while €18ph for the more experienced drivers.

I'm actually surprised some logistic companies haven't jumped onto this bandwagon called "Jobsbridge" and recruited drivers to work for free?

And I can't see this improving in the new year with the VAT increase, the rising cost of Diesel and the over supply of drivers out of work.

Del2005

Faith+1 wrote: »

To be honest I couldn't blame them, I obviously don't make policy but I think the minimum rate for lads starting out should be €13ph while €18ph for the more experienced drivers.

I've a friend who was in the motorbike courier game and gave it up as it's as bad, it was costing him to work some days.

I'm actually surprised some logistic companies haven't jumped onto this bandwagon called "Jobsbridge" and recruited drivers to work for free?

And I can't see this improving in the new year with the VAT increase, the rising cost of Diesel and the over supply of drivers out of work.

There was a delivery driver up on "Jobsbridge" but I think that was for a chipper not a HGV.

The rush to the bottom line is going to bite back soon enough. Paying barley above minimum wage for difficult jobs in control of heavy equipment is just asking for trouble. But the "solution won't be increased pay or better conditions, it'll be increased regulation!

Faith+1

Del2005 wrote: »

The rush to the bottom line is going to bite back soon enough. Paying barley above minimum wage for difficult jobs in control of heavy equipment is just asking for trouble. But the "solution won't be increased pay or better conditions, it'll be increased regulation!

Hmmm that sounds expensive and if they're not going to increase wages it's probably going to be at a cost to the driver.

donkey balls

It will be a very long time before the industry picks back up again and the only way it will happen is by people leaving the industry and younger lads not wanting to work in the industry due to some employers paying less than someone working in the local fast food place.
As for the CPC training once a year I have asked the RSA what modules will we be doing after the 1st five years is up they told me that we would simply have to re do them all again,Which imo is a load of b@ll@x what is the driver going learn by repeating a course after all the legislation does not change that often and if it does all the employer has to do is pass it on to their employees.
Another thing that made me laugh when doing one of the modules was the fact that between the 10 drivers on the course we had over 200 years experience combined,And all of a sudden were not professional drivers because we have to sit in on one day course telling us how to drive etc.

Faith+1

donkey balls wrote: »

Another thing that made me laugh when doing one of the modules was the fact that between the 10 drivers on the course we had over 200 years experience combined,And all of a sudden were not professional drivers because we have to sit in on one day course telling us how to drive etc.

Whats a truck???:pac:

donkey balls

So remember lads this is what you might have to do after forking out a lot of money&time doing car theory tests to car test to CPC case studies to truck test and then work for zilch,I nicked the link of the ah forum on the job rob site I mean jobridge scam.
http://www.candidatemanager.net/cm/Micro/JobDetails.aspx?&mid=YFBW&sid=BAZUU&jid=FFDUYEV&site=Greenstar&a=mSPSz7HAkT0%253d&b=wD7bQG4veQE%253d

Faith+1

donkey balls wrote: »

So remember lads this is what you might have to do after forking out a lot of money&time doing car theory tests to car test to CPC case studies to truck test and then work for zilch,I nicked the link of the ah forum on the job rob site I mean jobridge scam.
http://www.candidatemanager.net/cm/Micro/JobDetails.aspx?&mid=YFBW&sid=BAZUU&jid=FFDUYEV&site=Greenstar&a=mSPSz7HAkT0%253d&b=wD7bQG4veQE%253d

Damn, They say they are looking for someone energetic and a team player. That's me out