Road Transport Qualifications and Training

The best part of 2 million people work in the road transport industry, employed by at least 65,000 companies. Investment in transport averages £8 billion a year, and around 2 billion tonnes of goods are moved an average distance of 100 kilometres on Britain's roads every day in 300,000 heavy lorries and 160,000 vehicles of 3.5 tonnes or more. Britons make 4.5 billion journeys a year, travelling nearly 15 billion miles in nearly 100,000 coaches and buses, with two out of every three passenger journeys being made by bus. Fleets of vans, taxis, hire cars, cranes and other forms of transport, together with private motorists, make up the 31 million licensed vehicles in the UK.

Half a million people drive goods vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes, and it is anticipated that national demand for drivers will be at least 600,000 by 2010. Between 50,000 and 75,000 more drivers will have to be recruited over the next couple of years alone, in addition to those needed to offset natural wastage. There is a similar picture in other areas of transport.

Sector bodies include:

• People Development Group (Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport's training service)
• Skills for Logistics - the road haulage Sector Skills Council
• GoSkills - the passenger transport Sector Skills Council, with member industries

– aviation

– bus

– coach

– taxi and private hire

– community transport

– rail

– trams

– driving instructors

– transport planners

• ConstructionSkills - the Sector Skills Council for the construction industry.

Transport in the Services

Every unit has its Motor Transport Officer who runs a fleet of vehicles and drivers. Transport units have many more managers and drivers as the total unit holding is split into fleets of all sizes and descriptions.

The Defence School of Transport is the largest transport training organisation in Europe. It takes 15,000 students a year (1,000 at any one time) from all three Services on its 21 kilometres of roads and tracks on a huge variety of courses. Programmes emphasise Vocational Qualifications and Apprenticeships, so that every student on a major course leaves with a qualification.

For resettlement a number of firms offer training in transport management and driving, which can be accessed through the Career Transition Partnership. Service drivers who already hold a C or C+E Licence may need to convert to civilian standards and practices.

Qualifications and training

There are five main routes into transport management.

1. Graduate training entrants join management-training programmes run by employers. Degrees may be in transport and logistics, or in more general qualifications.
2. Postgraduate entry applicants will have an MSc in logistics or supply-chain management, or an MBA in an appropriate discipline.
3. Graduates with management experience may look for a career change into transport and logistics and will need to gain the necessary knowledge.
4. Some school leavers (or Service leavers) with A-levels may move into management through on-the-job experience, while also studying for professional exams.
5. Professional qualifications must reflect the needs of the profession and employers. They enable the translation of Service skills into their civilian equivalents.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport offers a number of modular qualifications at the following levels (because they are modular, most can be studied as stand-alone units).

• Introductory Certificate for new employees or students to provide a grounding in concepts and applications (Level 2).
• Certificate for a foundation for a career within the transport, logistics and supply-chain sectors (Level 3).
• Professional Diploma for individuals already working within logistics and transport developing a strategic view of operations (Level 5).
• Advanced Diplomas and MScs offering strategic management qualifications in logistics and transport.

Modules include:

• Road Freight Regulation and Control
• Road Freight Operations and Administration
• Road Passenger Regulation and Control
• Road Passenger Operations and Administration
• Community Transport Regulation and Control
• Community Transport Operations and Administration
• Local Passenger Transport, Operations and Administration
• Passenger Transport Policy and Environment
• Inventory Management
• Management
• Transport Operations
• Warehouse Management
• Movement of Goods
• Movement of People
• Transport and Society
• Transport Planning.

Although there are some others, the basic vehicle licence categories are:

• A - motor cycle
• B - motor car
• C - LGV (above 3.5 tonnes)
• C+E - LGV and trailer/LGV with double axles
• D - PCV
• D+E - PCV and trailer.

Large goods vehicles (LGV)

The starting point for the LGV (C) licence is a current clean B licence, and the minimum age is 21. The C+E licence covers LGVs and trailers. Some insurers may insist that people driving certain loads are over 30. Employers and trainers look for ability at reading, writing and maths, and require an aptitude test. Everyone requires a medical exam, including eyesight and colour blindness tests. Qualifications include Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3 respectively for people aged 16 to 24) and the Young LGV Drivers Scheme for people under 19.

Freight transport NVQs cover:

• Carry & Deliver Goods (Level 2)
• Distribution, Warehousing & Storage Operations (Levels 1, 2 and 3)
• Driving Goods Vehicles (Levels 2 and 3)
• Mail Services (Level 2)
• Storage and Warehousing (Levels 2 and 3)
• Traffic Office (Level 2 and 3).

Passenger transport

The starting point for a PCV Licence is a current clean B Licence, and a course that usually takes about 10 days. The test can be taken at 18 but anyone under 21 is legally limited in the types of work they can do. Adult entry is common, and drivers in the Forces with a D Licence, must merely convert to civilian standards and practices. Qualifications include Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 2 and 3 respectively for people aged 16 to 24) and programmes for coach drivers.

Passenger transport NVQs/SVQs and certificates include:

• Road Passenger Transport (Level 2)
• Transport Engineering and Maintenance (Levels 1, 2 and 3)
• Driving Instruction (Level 3)
• Transporting Passengers by Bus and Coach (Level 2)
• Transporting Passengers by Taxi and Private Hire (Level 2).

Van driving

A number of people drive vans either full-time or as part of another job. Those driving vans over 3.5 tonnes need a C Licence and those driving vans over 7.5 tonnes require a C1 Licence. For smaller vans, only a B Licence is required. The minimum age for driving 'light commercial vehicles' is 18, although some insurers insist on 21. Some employers prefer people aged 25 with experience and a good driving record.

Crane driving

Around 2,500 crane operators are employed in the UK. The only requirement prior to training is that the candidate holds a clean LGV C Licence and is of good character. Increasingly operators will need to hold a Certificate of Training Achievement before being employed.

Fork-lift truck drivers

Working in a warehouse or a goods yard, fork-lift truck drivers move heavy loads, usually on pallets, between storage and transport areas. Except in agriculture and horticulture applicants need only to be 17 to begin training.

Chauffeurs

Driving, maintaining and cleaning high-powered cars, together with a B Licence, are the basic requirements for this employment. Chauffeurs should have several years' driving experience with a clean record. Membership of the Institute of Advanced Motorists and some knowledge of defensive driving techniques could be advantageous.

Taxi drivers and private hire

Taxi drivers must hold a full, clean B Licence. They need good local area knowledge and may require a test. They are licensed by their local authority, or the Public Carriage Office in London, and this special licence can only be held by people over 21 who have passed a medical.

The Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) is a Europe-wide qualification, and every road transport business requires one member of staff to hold it so that it can hold an Operators Licence. It has two levels:

1. national certificate to manage organisations within the UK
2. international certificate to manage undertakings across Europe.

CPC is a Level 3 qualification that applies to both freight and passenger operations. There are no formal entry requirements, but students need an acceptable standard of literacy and numeracy, and adequate industry-specific knowledge.

Dangerous goods

Every company involved in the transportation of dangerous goods must have a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser (DGSA), who must pass the necessary courses to become qualified in:

• basic dangerous goods transport
• safe transport of dangerous goods in small packages
• completing and checking dangerous goods transport documents
• safe loading of dangerous goods vehicles and containers.

Contacts

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Logistics and Transport Centre, Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, Northants NN17 4AX Tel: 01536 740100 Website: www.ciltuk.org.uk

Skills for Logistics, 14 Warren Yard, Warren Farm Office Village, Milton Keynes MK12 5NW Tel: 01908 313360 Website: www.skillsforlogistics.org

GoSkills, Concorde House, Trinity Park, Solihull, West Midlands B37 7UQ, Tel: 0121 635 5520 Website: www.goskills.org

ConstructionSkills, Bircham Newton, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE31 6RH Tel: 01485 577577 Website: www.constructionskills.net

RTITB Ltd, Access House, Halesfield 17, Telford, Shropshire TF7 4PW Tel: 01952 520200 Website: www.rtitb.co.uk