18 February, 2009

Drive for Skills partners, Metro, Huddersfield Technical College and Aberdeen Skills and Enterprise Training (ASET), have devised five, one-day courses which meet the Periodic Training requirements of CPC.

Courses cover:

• Vehicle familiarisation
• Customer care
• Vehicle legislation and walk-round checks
• Driving the vehicle
• Drivers’ hours.

On-site training

Metro’s specially-adapted mobile training unit, equipped with plasma-screen and laptop work stations, mean that training can be delivered on-site at depots, garages or other convenient locations. This minimises the inconvenience and time lost travelling to training venues, and reduces the impact of staff training for operators.

The CPC is an EU training directive which requires drivers entering the bus and lorry industries to gain, by completing at least one day of training per year over five years.

'A better travelling experience for passengers'

"Metro has developed Drive for Skills with its partners, to help its suppliers, the local bus operators provide vital training for their drivers, which in turn will mean a better travelling experience for West Yorkshire’s bus passengers," said Metro Chairman Councillor Chris Greaves.

"By ensuring all bus companies’ employees have access to the required training through Drive for Skills, Metro is developing a stronger and more competitive operator market," continued Councillor Greaves.

"This more competitive market means more companies bidding to provide tendered services which, in turn, helps Metro ensure it achieves value-for-money on behalf of local Council Tax-payers."