New EC directive could drive smaller food firms round the bend
The Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification reflects an EU directive 2003/59, which states that all truck drivers with Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) and Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) licenses must complete a minimum of 35 hours of specialist training before September 2014, and every five years after they achieve the qualification.
Significant impact
According to the latest Department of Transport (DOT) statistics from 2009, food, drink and tobacco made up approximately 33% of goods moved, across all commodity groups.
Chris Sturman, ceo of the Food Storage and Distribution Federation (which represents logistics firms) told FoodManufacture.co.uk the regulation could harm small to medium-sized firms and the haulage industry, due to potential driver shortfalls and training costs.
He added that companies should be doing more to prepare for the implementation of the directive.
The CPC website lists current training rates at £36 per hour, or £252 for seven hours or one day of training. Alternatively, full course approval for one driver at a certified centre for five years costs £1,500.
30% driver shortfall
Speaking at a conference on the new directive at the House of Commons last week, Dr Mick Jackson, ceo of Skills for Logistics – the sector skills council for the UK freight industry – estimated that UK truck drivers will be almost 30% short in terms of completed driving hours by 2014, which he said would mean a significant shortage of qualified drivers.
Beverly Bell, a traffic commissioner for the North Western Traffic Area (which covers areas such as Greater Manchester and Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire and Lancashire), warned that operators would be called to a public enquiry if drivers did not complete the course.
Mike Bousfield, HR director at logistics company Gist said that the training should be considered as an investment, rather than an unnecessary cost. He added that it would provide greater profit and sustainability.
