𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐇𝐆𝐕 𝐔𝐊

27/01/2025

New 7-hour Course to Aid UK Drivers in Regaining CPC Qualification
Starting 1 February 2025, UK drivers whose CPC certification expired between 60 days and two years ago can complete a seven-hour 'Return to Driving' course to swiftly regain professional driving status.

From 1 February 2025, professional drivers in the UK will have access to a new ‘Return to Driving’ course, introduced as part of updates to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) regulations. The course is designed to simplify the requalification process for drivers and assist in addressing driver shortages within the industry.

The reforms, announced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and developed in collaboration with the Road Haulage Association (RHA), offer fresh opportunities for drivers whose Driver CPC certification lapsed between 60 days and two years ago.

Under the new scheme, eligible drivers whose Driver CPC certification expired within this timeframe can complete a seven-hour ‘Return to Driving’ course to regain their professional driving status. Upon successful completion, they will be issued a one-year National Driver CPC card, enabling them to promptly resume professional driving. Within this one-year period, they must complete an additional 28 hours of training to maintain their qualification.

According to the Road Haulage Association (RHA), this course is crafted to provide flexibility and convenience, featuring:

- **Duration:** Seven hours, which can be split across two consecutive days.
- **Learning Format:** Options for attending in-person sessions or participating through remote learning, with up to two hours of e-learning included.
- **No Retests:** Drivers can requalify without the need for a theory or practical test.

The course content concentrates on essential skills for drivers returning after a career break, ensuring they remain safe, compliant, and well-informed. Topics covered include:

- **HGV Drivers:** Walk-around checks, safe loading, awareness of vulnerable road users, drivers’ hours, and tachographs.
- **Bus and Coach Drivers:** Passenger safety, disability awareness, understanding vulnerable road users, drivers’ hours, and tachographs.

Drivers whose CPC certification has expired for over two years will continue to follow the existing process, which requires completing 35 hours of CPC training.

21/01/2025

The theft of truck parts has once again made headlines. This time, however, it doesn't involve dismantling vehicles at bases or parking lots but rather stealing parts directly from the factory, organized by the company's employees themselves.

The affair involves the company DAF, specifically its main factory located in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. According to the local newspaper "Eindhovens Dagblad," a group of employees allegedly formed a thieving gang there, attributed with stealing parts worth several million euros. The latest thefts reportedly occurred in the second half of 2024, after which the entire scheme was uncovered. The company then reported the matter to the police and announced that it would take "appropriate consequences" against the employees.

So far, it has not been disclosed which components were stolen, nor which markets they were introduced to. It has also not been revealed how many people are suspected or what consequences they might face. However, it's known that smaller thefts had occurred at the factory in the past, although they never reached such a costly, multi-million scale. A clue might be last year's affair when new DAF parts, of unknown origin, were spotted in Russian online sales.

If the case ends up in court, which might take several months or even longer, new information will likely emerge. I will probably revisit the topic then.

21/01/2025

He got drunk during a break, couldn't return to his truck, and fell asleep in a random car.

Alcohol abuse during weekend breaks is a topic increasingly worthy of a book. If someone were to embark on writing such a book, they should include an example from the past weekend featuring a driver who wasn't even able to make it back to his own vehicle.

A Sunday report from the German police spoke of a surprising incident reported by an employee at a car wash in the small town of Straubing (eastern Bavaria). The caller mentioned a strange man who had entered his car and was sleeping in the seats. Therefore, the police officers were dispatched to the location to remove the intruder and determine the cause of his behavior.

As it turned out, the sleeping man was a 44-year-old Ukrainian citizen working as a truck driver. During his break, he consumed such large amounts of alcohol that he couldn't find his vehicle in the parking lot. Apparently, he decided to take shelter in an open car nearby the car wash and subsequently fell asleep in it.

To find the mentioned truck, the police contacted the driver’s wife. She assisted in identifying the vehicle driven by the 44-year-old, and officers transported her husband back to the cabin. They confiscated the keys to ensure that the intoxicated man wouldn't attempt to drive anywhere. The return was promised only after several hours or once fully sober, contingent upon another meeting with the police and passing a breathalyzer test.

The report doesn’t mention any consequences for entering someone else's vehicle. It seems that the police intervention did not lead to a penalty.

Source of information: Polizei Straubing

The photo is unrelated to the text.

20/01/2025

The tachograph will send a signal to the intersection, and the traffic light will extend the green light for the truck.

For several years now, intelligent traffic light systems, known as iVRI’s, have been tested in the Netherlands. These systems recognize approaching trucks and extend the green light for them. This relies on special applications for carriers and aims to increase transport efficiency. Now, a similar project has been developed by the Americans with a very interesting approach.

With a funding of $1.3 million, which translates to over £1mln, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will prepare and implement smart traffic lights at two critical intersections on a trial basis. These locations are in the small towns of Harrisburg and Middlesex, which experience high truck traffic and thus particularly feel the impact of slow acceleration from a standstill by heavy vehicles.

The American system will not require special applications but will instead use signals sent by electronic tachographs, which have been mandatory in the USA since 2017. Each tachograph will send a signal to a computer located at the intersection, providing information about the vehicle's satellite position and current speed. This allows the system to estimate the truck's arrival at the intersection and decide whether to extend the green light so that the heavy vehicle can pass without braking. The maximum duration for such an extension is up to 7 seconds, aiming to save drivers' time, reduce costs for carriers, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Meanwhile, in Europe, there is no mention of any additional functions of this type, despite the fact that our tachographs offer similarly extensive capabilities in wireless communication.

17/01/2025

Letter to the Driver from DVSA

Those who have read this letter and ridicule the use of paper logs—of any kind—should appreciate their significance, especially when drivers need to handle situations requiring sudden data presentation, like the above demand from DVSA for electronic tachograph documentation from over one and a half year ago. For a driver who doesn't understand why they received this summons or what exactly DVSA wants from them on specific dates, carefully kept records can prove invaluable. A well-maintained log presented to a DVSA officer reflects a driver’s dedication to their work and certainly looks better than having none at all.

But what do I know? We live in the age of apps and smartphones.

In such a situation, the driver should check their payslips to determine for whom they worked, and then contact that company. They should show them the letter and request the necessary information. I believe the company has the obligation to provide the data, as they may be partially involved in the situation, whether the driver is a former or current employee. The driver should attempt to obtain evidence of their effort to acquire this information if the company refuses to disclose it. This is the first step that comes to my mind without deeper online research.

AI:

In such a situation, the driver should take the following steps:

1. **Contact the employer**: Check if your employer has records for this period. Companies often keep copies of driver card data.

2. **Report missing data**: If you don’t have electronic records, inform the DVSA about this fact. You can explain why you don’t have access to the required data.

3. **Consult a lawyer**: Consider consulting with a lawyer specializing in transport law to get advice on what to do about the inability to provide the data.

4. **Respond to the letter**: Even if you don't have the necessary data, respond to the letter, explaining your situation. Ignoring it might lead to further consequences.

5. **Keep evidence of communication**: Keep all evidence of correspondence with the DVSA and attempts to contact your employer.

Ensure that your response reaches the DVSA before the specified deadline to avoid potential penalties.

example response:

---

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Postal Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Date]

Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency
Driving Test Centre
Sherwood House
Off Coxmoor Road
Sutton in Ashfield
NG17 5LA

Subject: Response to Request for Digital Driver Card Data

Dear Matt O'Connor,

I am writing in response to your request dated 13th January 2025, regarding the production of digital data from my digital driver card for the period of 1st May 2023 to 30th June 2023.

I have attached the raw data files in the required '.DDD' format, along with any printouts and manual records for the specified period. I have ensured that the data was securely downloaded through a third party, as instructed.

Please confirm receipt of the documents at your earliest convenience. If there are any issues, or if further information is required, do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

29/12/2024

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23/12/2024

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10/12/2024

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03/12/2024

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Dear Group Members,

I would like to thank those of you who have supported our HGV Drivers Diary over the years. Your positive feedback and suggestions for changes have been invaluable and have helped us create a product we are proud of.

Recently, I've noticed some comments from individuals who, despite having no experience with our product, express opinions about it. I understand that the price can stir emotions, but a premium product is not only about material costs; it also includes the time and effort invested in refining it. Based on your suggestions, we have introduced new features like a flexible strap, a pen holder, and perforated corners. These innovations required collaboration with a new printing company and a completely new design, which affected the final price.

As a driver, I understand your needs and this diary was created with them in mind. Our team has worked hard to make the fifth edition the best, serving you all year with the highest quality materials. I believe it's a worthwhile investment that will accompany you in your daily challenges.

I thank those who recognize the value of our work. For critics, we are open to constructive feedback based on real user experiences. As the saying goes, "You can't have your cake and eat it too."

Thank you for your understanding and support.

P.S. 70% of our available stock is already gone, so don't wait until the last minute and get yours now to avoid disappointment.

Sincerely,
HGV Drivers Diary Team 🙂

29/11/2024

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19/11/2024

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13/11/2024

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06/11/2024

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05/11/2024

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31/10/2024

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