A new truck and seven hours towards CPC for Volvo drivers

Volvo Trucks in the UK now has seventy hours of fully JAUPT (Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic Training) accredited Driver CPC courses available. These include a Vehicle Familiarisation course which the company believes is unique in the industry.

Drivers, whose companies sign up for the course, will receive a professional vehicle handover of their new Volvo truck from a Volvo Dealer Regional Trainer. This will take place during the morning of the day long training session. Accompanied by the trainer, the driver then proceeds to make the first delivery with the new truck while receiving on-the-road development advice and training. The driver also accrues seven hours towards his CPC requirement.

According to Volvo’s Truck Evaluation Manager Andy Collett, the aim of the Vehicle Familiarisation course is to, “Provide drivers with the practical skills and knowledge necessary for the day to day operation and maintenance of their new Volvo truck. The Driver CPC belongs to the driver as a professional and we can give him a choice of courses so he can decide where his strengths are and where he needs to develop.”

The fully accredited courses offered by Volvo include Advanced Fuel Economy, Anti-Skid & Anti-Rollover, Volvo Safety Systems, LGV I-Shift and Transport Security.

An essential part of the support infrastructure for the Volvo Driver CPC programme is its two new FH training trucks. Both vehicles can legally seat four people and are equipped with desks, Bluetooth ‘phones, DVD players and DVBT-TV plus USB monitors with PC links, so they can be used when training away from the Warwick facility.

While both trucks feature the latest in Volvo safety equipment, including Driver Advice Support, Lane change Support and Lane Keeping Support, one is equipped with I-Shift and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC2) and the other with a manual gearbox.

Where large numbers of drivers are taking part in the CPC programme, Volvo can take the courses to the customers’ premises via a luxuriously-equipped mobile classroom. The air-conditioned trailer can be coupled to one of the training trucks and set up at operators’ own depots. Customers own trailers can then be used for the on-road driving parts of the course.

Says Andy Collett: “With seventy hours CPC training now available, including a Vehicle Familiarisation course which we believe is unique in the industry, Volvo is in a great position to recognise and accredit the knowledge and skills required by professional truck, bus and coach drivers. We also hope that the Driver CPC courses run by Volvo will help raise the status of drivers and promote driving as a career.”