Operators and drivers each face £1,000 Driver CPC fine

Employers and drivers each face a £1,000 fine if they are found to be driving without their Driver Qualification Card (DQC), the Driver Standards Agency has warned.

In association with the DSA, Vosa has begun handling out leaflets at enforcement checks clarifying the legal position around Driver CPC and the requirement to have a DQC with you at all times.

It clearly states that both the operator and driver face a fine if the driver can not produce his DQC when requested to do so by Vosa officials.

It means all new drivers must ensure they have their DQC on them at all times when working.

Drivers with grandfather rights (those driving before September 2009), which have until September 2014 to complete 35 hours of mandatory periodic training, will need to carry their cards after this deadline.

Karen Crispe, MD at Tachodisc, says: “Until now it has been unclear as to what penalties will surround Driver CPC after the 2014 enforcement deadline.  

“The DSA announcement that both drivers and employers face fines of up to £1,000 each if a driver does not carry a DQC card whilst driving sends out a strong message – it enforces the seriousness of Driver CPC.  With employers at risk too, the responsibility for completing 35 hours of training cannot just lie with the driver anymore.”