Transport is not for the faint hearted, it's a stressful environment where weekends and shift work to cover 24-hour operations are the norm.
Transport managers have responsibility for planning the routes and schedules of drivers involved in road haulage, distribution and logistics or passenger transport.
They must ensure that all operations are carried out in accordance with UK and EU laws and regulations governing vehicle safety, environmental controls on fuel emissions and traffic congestion, driver hours, customs requirements, and food hygiene where applicable. The most economical method of completing the journey must be calculated as there will be budgetary restrictions.
The transport manager also has, along with the operator, overall responsibility for sticking to the undertakings on the operator licence and they will be held accountable just as the operator would should the rules and regulations not be adhered to therefore its of paramount importance that the transport manager fully understands their role, responsibilities and is not just a named transport manager but a qualified one.
Restricted operators are not required to have a qualified transport manager however, it is recommended to ensure compliance across the organisation. All to often restricted operators are targeted by the enforcement authorities and have their licences suspended, revoked and curtailed. Although transport is not the main part of the business for restricted operators it is important that they understand that they must adhere to the same undertakings as those in possession of a standard or international operator licence.
Standard and International operators must have a qualified transport manager so in some cases it may not be that you want to be a transport manager, it may be that you have to be a transport manager, but don't worry it's not as difficult as it can sometimes sound and in fact many who have undertaken the qualification have stated they have seen an increase in staff productivity and a decrease in in offences!
The transport manager qualification is not just for those coming into the industry, it’s also for those working within the industry that want to up skill and continue their professional development.
Becoming a qualified transport manager sounds like a daunting prospect to some people however, it needn’t be! There are different routes you can take to work around your own schedule and learning style.
The most important thing is learning everything you need to know, and I will admit there is a lot to take in but if supported and determined by your training provider then this should be achievable.
One way to go is to go through the home-study route, this is where you can obtain all the information you need in a pack and study at home, in your own time and then take the examination when you’re ready. It’s the cheapest way to train however, no support is given and you have to go it alone. Updates are issued to home-study pack students so there is no expiry on the course itself however, these are only issued a few times per year as updates are released so you may not always be abreast of the latest information.
Another route is through classroom based training, this is the best route to take for those who would like to complete the course and become qualified in the shortest time frame possible. In fact you can do it in as little as 10 days!!
Training providers, such as us, run intensive training courses four times per year to coincide with examinations. These courses are often seven consecutive days of training with a week break before the examination. We also run a pre-exam refresher day before the examination as well to ensure candidates are ready. It is intense but it works and most candidates who achieve the qualification do so through completing the intense transport manager CPC course.
The cost for intensive training is significantly higher than home-study however, you are getting the added benefit of trainer contact and support and the ability to gain the qualification quickly but there is another way….
Another method of training is through online study, this method combines the freedom of home study with the support of classroom based training giving you the best of both worlds. Online study allows you to start training whenever you want to and gives you the freedom to complete the course in as little as 10 days or to take your time and spread your studying out of the course of a year. Online study is a brand new way of training to gain the Transport Manager CPC qualification and at present NTP are the only providers in the UK offering the full study program online.
Studying online not only gives you access to all the information you would get in a classroom but also full support from tutors, live online training sessions and all your work marked for you. The benefits for online study go on and all you need is a computer or iPad and an internet connection. Imagine being able to learn from anywhere in the world 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, stop imagining because now you can!
There are four examination dates, to gain the qualification, per year to choose from and they are held at approved exam centres throughout the UK. These dates are set by the OCR which is the examination board that issues the qualification upon successful completion.
Prices for training vary with each provider however, you are generally looking around £200-300 for a home study pack, £1200-£1800 for classroom based training and £900 for an online course.
For our online study customers we offer payment plans that allow you to spread the cost of the course over 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. There is an increase in price for spreading the cost however, it’s not more than classroom based training and monthly repayments are low enough to make it affordable.
Having a transport manager qualification will help you and your business and career. The qualification is internationally recognised and is a lifetime award meaning once you’ve gained the qualification, you’ll have it forever! (Annual refreshers are recommended by DVSA due to legislation updates)
You can find out more about becoming a transport manager by requesting a call-back from one of our team, they can help you decide if it’s the best way to go for you and your organisation.
You can find out about HOME STUDY and CLASSROOM training for the Transport Manager CPC qualification by clicking here.
Find out more about our ONLINE TRANSPORT MANAGER CPC course by clicking here.