Study for CPC at home
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L OPERATORS need to hold a rtificate of Professional Corntence — or have at least one their staff pass the CPC examition. For hire or reward uliers, for example, this ?ans one CPC holder at each erating depot.
Now, for the first time, Corn?rcial Motor, in conjunction th Transport Driver Training 3her) Ltd, is offering you the portunity to study for your rtificate of Professional Corntence in Road Haulage 3tional) by joining a home iciy course. The cost: £93 inding VAT. Most people in the road transport industry find the first section the easiest. For instance, asks one question, if a driver drives a vehicle subject to the national rules hours for seven hours, he may then drive a vehicle subject to the domestic rules for: 3 hours, 31/2hr, 4hr, or not at all?
Then later on come sections with what many find more difficult questions. How do you calculate the load on each axle? It's Payload x distance of centre of load to rear axle = Wheelbase front axle payload.
Get's more involved doesn't it? Don't be put off. "Take a relaxed attitude," advises Eddie Pargeter. "Join the course, read the notes a few times and try answering the questions and see how you get on," he tells students. "We'll mark your papers, point out how you've gone wrong where necessary. Most people are good on one section even to start with, but hopeless with another. On C and U Regs many people in road transport are usually very good — out on social legislation and company law they're generally pretty poor.
"After they've received the second and fourth pack they'll receive a complete RSA-type exam from us of 60 questions to be answered in 90 minutes,"
TDT has previously been holding attendance courses on the CPC: out of 116 students, 96 passed first time. Equally good, or better figures, should be ob
tainable via home study — you can study at your own pace, and feel confident through scoring in the simulated exam before the real thing in October (or if necessary at a later date). Students so far at day courses have generally been aged between 21 and 35 years, but the oldest has been a 63-year-old man taking his first exam since he left school, and the youngest the 19-year-old son of a haulier. So it's open to all.
Remember, most firms need more than one person — employer or employee — to hold a CPC; if a company's existing sole CPC holder leaves, then the firm has just six months to find a replacement: no CPC holder, no renewed operator's licence.
Gaining a CPC is also a good first qualification for those wishing to enter the haulage industry. Around ninety per cent of goods in the United Kingdom are sent by road, either by ownaccount operators of hire or reward hauliers.
The CPC is vital — but a lot of people are failing the Royal Society of Arts exam. In 1979 the RSA exam was taken by 12,865 persons — and 5,460 failed it, Make sure that you don't add to this number: join the CM/TDT home study course — it could mean the continuance of your business, a better job, or an entre into road transport for the beginner. You're one up, who
ever you are in road transport, with a CPC.
By joining the CM/TDT home study course now you can be ready for this exam. Each applicant will come under one of two tutors — Eddie Pargeter or Frank Lewsey, who can be phoned if there are any problems. Successive parts of the course are sent out at threeweekly intervals. Study the course, which contains the essential information in easy-toabsorb notes. Then test yourself; send your answers, in RSA simulated exams, for marking. Where you go wrong, TDT puts you right.