UK Transport Managers fear a major shortage of CPC-compliant drivers after 9 September, research has revealed.
In an independent survey of nearly 200 fleet professionals across the UK by driver CPC training provider Fleet Source, more than half (53%) said they worried about the availability of fully CPC-trained drivers after the September deadline.
The survey also showed that with just one month to go, almost a third of drivers still needed to complete their mandatory 35 hours of training.
“The majority of transport managers who responded to our survey – some 71% – said their contracted drivers had already completed their 35 hours, which is good news, but the deadline is fast looming for those drivers who still need to complete their training,” said Nick Caesari, CEO of Fleet Source.
“The bigger picture is that there is a clear concern in the industry that there will be a shortfall in CPC-compliant drivers after 9 September 2019. Some two thirds of fleet professionals who responded to our survey, rightly said that it was drivers’ responsibility to complete the required training, but employers also know that they must ensure that their contracted drivers are compliant.”
The Fleet Source survey showed that the vast majority of transport managers favoured spreading the required 35 hours training evenly across the five-year period, or across three to four years, rather than playing catch-up in the final year.
“Our customers are already scheduling their next five-year training programmes and we are seeing a marked preference for the one course per year option,” said Caesari.
“We think that will be the trend across the industry, as many respondents to our survey cited difficulty in finding suitable courses and trainers with capacity in recent months, as well as significant price increases from some suppliers.
“We have invested heavily in boosting our supply chain to meet increased demand and retain the same competitive prices all year, providing reductions for clients on volume commitments.
“It is vital that employers, drivers and training providers work together to ensure we minimise the risk of a shortfall in CPC-compliant drivers and create a contract-ready workforce to meet the growing client demand across our industry.”
