New training is now available from Fleet Source to help commercial vehicle drivers and operators protect themselves from the risk of immigrant stowaways at borders.
Said to be a UK-first, the dedicated ‘Clandestine Entrants: Awareness, Security and Enforcement (CEASE)’ course can help fleet operators and drivers maintain their safety and security, and avoid fines for carrying a ‘clandestine entrant’; a person who hides in a vehicle to avoid UK immigration controls.
The Driver CPC accredited course is designed to educate and inform drivers about the risk of people attempting to hide in, or on, their vehicle illegally. It covers subject matters such as clandestine entrants’ tactics, vehicle security, effective walkaround checks, personal security and what to do if a clandestine entrant is identified.
The course is more weighted towards to HGVs but the content is also applicable to other operators and drivers.
Fleet Source CEO Nick Caesari explained: “Every year, an average of 8,500 people are detected entering the UK illegally using road transport. HGVs are the vehicle of choice, as there are so many places to hide. Border Force can’t check every vehicle, and so the real number of clandestine entrants will be much higher.”
Hauliers found to inadvertently have Clandestine Entrants on their vehicle face significant penalties. The UK has increased the fines significantly to force the transport industry to take action to reduce illegal entry, resulting in both fleet operators and drivers now being fined up to £10,000 per clandestine entrant, or £6,000 if a vehicle is identified as being insecure, even if no clandestine entrants are found.
Caesari added: “If a clandestine entrant is discovered on a vehicle, the fines that an operator and its drivers will face can be financially crippling, especially considering the tight profit margins that most operators work under.”
Drivers can face other, even more serious problems. Clandestine entrants, often exploited by people-smugglers and desperate to escape threat, suppression and poverty, have threatened and even attacked drivers when they’re discovered.
Mathew Smith, national fleet manager for Sunbelt Rentals, whose drivers piloted the CEASE course, commented: “The potential danger for drivers is a major concern. Educating our drivers on how to keep themselves protected and their vehicles safe is paramount.”
Caesari concluded: “Although the Border Force Civil Penalty Scheme mandates training as a requirement, there is a lack of detailed information from the UK government as to what this should include. Our new dedicated training course tackles this issue by giving drivers the guidance they need to maintain their safety and security, reduce the risk of clandestine entrants, and avoid being fined.”
