London: A delay training drivers to standards demanded by an EU directive could result in a driver shortfall by 2014.
Mick Jackson, chief executive of Skills for Logistics estimates that UK truck drivers will be almost 30% short in terms of completed driving hours by 2014. This means a significant shortage of qualified drivers he said speaking at a conference on the new directive at the House of Commons last week,
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.
Chris Sturman, chief executive of the Food Storage and Distribution Federation 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: a course for one driver at a certified centre costs £1,500. He said companies should be doing more to prepare for the implementation of the directive.
Beverly Bell, a traffic commissioner for the North Western Traffic Area warned that operators would be called to a public enquiry if drivers did not complete the course.
