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Driver CPC concerns over status of 'incidental' drivers

1st October 2009
Page 8
Page 8, 1st October 2009 — Driver CPC concerns over status of 'incidental' drivers
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CONCERNS ARE increasing over the legal status of incidental drivers, who are currently exempt from requiring a Driver CPC qualification, will only be tested in the courts after an accident.

Attendees at a Road Haulage Association conference held in Birmingham last week were told by Nick Carter, deputy chief exec

utive of the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), the body that supervises delivery of the Driver CPC, that a legal case over the definition of what constitutes an incidental driver an employee who drives a truck incidental to their main occupation and is, therefore, not required to take the qualification "was likely': Carter's comments were backed by Ray Wells, stock and logistics manager at Chelsmford, Essex, hot tub installation firm Watkins Distribution UK, who has a team of staff who drive trucks incidentally to their jobs and are exempt.

"What if people are off sick? What if we are short-staffed? And what if there's a situation where I have to drive one of the trucks to drop some equipment off? If I was involved in a serious accident while doing this, I doubt that the courts would look on me favourably because I would, in effect, be a delivery driver, but with no CPC."

He called on the DSA to issue clear guidlines on what constitutes an incidental driver.

Jonathon Backhouse, director at transport specialists Backhouse Jones, believes if the purpose of the journey is not just for haulage, but also involves moving staff and equipment to work to do their jobs, it would probably be part of the exemption.

He adds: "It is for you to prove it and there will be a testing of this in the courts. If you are in any doubt, do the CPC."


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