The original objectives of the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC), were to improve road safety and the safety of the driver, and to raise the professional recognition of drivers, so attracting greater interest in the commercial driving profession.

As we all know, the programme was set up with the route to qualification comprising 4 modularised tests – a 2-part theory test, case studies, a practical driving test and a practical demonstration of vehicle operation. In order to maintain compliance, drivers currently have to renew their DCPC by completing 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years. But now it is all about to change.

As a result of the acute driver shortages in 2021, the government announced a policy review into DCPC to assess how the qualification could be reformed, in order to reduce the burden on drivers and ensure it does not act as a barrier to working in the sector. The government’s proposals which emerged from this review were then put to public consultation in March 2023.  

The proposal establishes 2 parallel DCPC systems, firstly the current framework for UK and EU travel will be the I-DCPC, and then the new UK national system will be called the N-DCPC, and this is where the focus of reform is being aimed. In the 2023 proposal document, the keys areas outlined for potential reform were as shown below:

• Introducing a new periodic test
• Reforming periodic training, particularly in relation to e-learning
• Establishing new rules for returning drivers
• Incorporating short term exemptions/extensions in exceptional circumstances 
• Creating an exchange and recognition scheme for non-UK qualifications 

During the consultation period, webinars and stakeholder events provided an opportunity to explain the proposals and explore aspects of them in depth, and then respondents, including professional drivers, operators and trainers, were asked to complete a survey.

The mission of the consultation survey was to record industry participants’ feelings about DCPC as it is, and to evaluate their appetite for reform. Over 100 questions were posed in the survey to help the government shape proposed reforms to the DCPC. The results showed conclusively the vast majority of respondents were not happy with the DCPC as it currently stands, with 88% of respondents backing reform or even abolition! 

When they were then asked to prioritise areas for potential reform, the top 4 reforms, ranked in order of support were as follows:

• more flexible training requirements
• introduction of a test option
• continuation of development of core content for training
• removal of the need to carry a Driver Qualification Card when driving in the UK. 

The depth and breadth of the consultation survey is beyond what we can cover here in this article, but you can check out the full story by visiting the Government website. The overarching decision after consultation was that DCPC would definitely benefit from incorporating greater flexibility for drivers when renewing or regaining the qualification and they have outlined the following action steps:

• Further consultation on introducing a periodic test for DCPC renewals as an alternative to the 35 hours of training.
• Reduction of the minimum course length from 7 hours down to 3.5 hours
• Decoupling of e-learning from trainer-led courses.
• Coordination with the DVSA to develop additional course content and informal assessment options at the end of modules.

The current forecast is that initial changes will be introduced in summer 2024, but this will not include the introduction of a periodic test. As the reform plans evolve in the coming weeks and months, we look forward to keeping you updated on timelines for policy implementation.