Mandatory Training vs Best Practice Training

What Every UK Operator Needs to Know to Stay Legal — and Go Beyond

Driver training isn’t just a box to tick — it’s one of the most powerful tools a transport operator has for reducing risk, staying compliant, and protecting their Operator Licence.

But there’s often confusion between what’s legally required (mandatory training) and what’s recommended to reduce risk and improve performance (best practice training).

In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences between mandatory and best practice training, what’s expected from operators, and how to build a practical, scalable training plan that protects your licence, your drivers, and your business.

Contents

1. What Is Mandatory Training for Drivers in the UK?

2. Legal Training Requirements Under Operator Licensing

3. Overview of Driver CPC Obligations

4. What Is Best Practice Training – and Why Bother?

5. How the Traffic Commissioners View Training

6. Training Gaps That Can Trigger DVSA Action

7. Comparing Mandatory vs Best Practice: Side-by-Side

8. Essential Best Practice Training Topics

9. Creating a Driver Training Plan That Works

10. Induction Training – More Than a Formality

11. Recording and Retaining Training Records

12. How Often Should You Retrain Drivers?

13. Training for Transport Managers and Admin Teams

14. Final Thoughts: Build Training Into Your Compliance Culture

1. What Is Mandatory Training for Drivers in the UK?

Mandatory training is legally required by government or regulatory bodies. In road transport, this includes:

• Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence)

• Tachograph use and compliance (implied by regulation)

• Vehicle-specific training for specialist use (e.g. ADR, HIAB)

• Health & safety inductions under the Health & Safety at Work Act

• First aid training (if required by operator or insurance)

Failure to ensure mandatory training is complete and current can result in:

• Fines and fixed penalties

• Vehicle prohibitions

• Public Inquiry or licence curtailment

• Criminal liability in serious cases

2. Legal Training Requirements Under Operator Licensing

The Operator Licence undertakings require that you:

“Ensure drivers are properly trained and competent to operate the vehicles used.”

This is broad but significant. It means:

• You must confirm CPC entitlement where required

• You must ensure training is up to date and relevant

• You must be able to prove driver competency

This applies even under a Restricted Operator Licence.

3. Overview of Driver CPC Obligations

If your drivers are driving vehicles over 3.5 tonnes for hire or reward, they must hold a Driver CPC qualification. This means:

• Initial qualification (the 4-part CPC) for new drivers

• 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years for ongoing validity

• CPC card must be carried while driving professionally

As an operator, you are responsible for:

• Verifying CPC entitlement during recruitment

• Monitoring expiry dates

• Scheduling training to avoid lapsed CPCs

• Keeping evidence of completed CPC hours

4. What Is Best Practice Training – and Why Bother?

Best practice training goes beyond legal minimums to improve:

• Safety

• Efficiency

• Fuel economy

• Compliance confidence

• Driver engagement and retention

While not legally required, Traffic Commissioners expect operators to maintain training standards that reflect the risk of their operation.

Common examples include:

• Walkaround check refresher

• Defect reporting training

• Drivers’ hours and Working Time updates

• Incident response and accident reporting

• Health and wellbeing sessions

• Customer service and communication skills

5. How the Traffic Commissioners View Training

Training is a core theme at Public Inquiries.

Operators who face disciplinary action are often asked:

• What training did the driver receive?

• When was their last refresher course?

• Do you hold training records?

• Did you retrain the driver after the first infringement?

Operators with clear, documented, proactive training plans are much more likely to retain their licence — even after a serious compliance issue.

6. Training Gaps That Can Trigger DVSA Action

The DVSA will pay attention to:

• Outdated or missing CPC records

• Drivers unable to explain tachograph use

• Failure to follow defect reporting procedures

• Poor accident investigation outcomes

• Evidence of poor driver knowledge during roadside checks

Infringement trends often point back to lack of training, and this will be highlighted in their reports.

7. Comparing Mandatory vs Best Practice: Side-by-Side

Training Type	Required By Law?	When to Deliver	Examples
Driver CPC	Yes (35 hrs every 5 years)	Ongoing	Periodic CPC modules
Vehicle Use Induction	Yes (H&S and operator licence)	On hire	Walkaround checks, safe loading
First Aid (in some cases)	Yes (if part of role)	On hire/renewal	1-day emergency aid
Tachograph Use	Implied (EU 165/2014)	On hire and after infringements	Tacho operation and legal use
Best Practice Refresher	No (but expected)	Annually or after incidents	Drivers’ hours, compliance updates
Toolbox Talks	No	Monthly or quarterly	Policy refreshers, safety briefings

8. Essential Best Practice Training Topics

To build a confident, compliant, and capable driver team, include:

• Walkaround checks: Defect identification, reporting procedures

• Tachograph use: Card insertion, manual entries, infringements

• Drivers’ hours refresher: Daily/weekly limits, rest, availability

• Load securing: Strapping, legal limits, insurance implications

• Accident reporting: Scene safety, insurance info, forms

• Customer service: Delivery etiquette, communication skills

• Fuel-efficient driving: Eco-driving, gear control, idling reduction

• Health & wellbeing: Sleep hygiene, nutrition, stress management

9. Creating a Driver Training Plan That Works

A training plan should include:

✅ A training matrix (driver-by-driver schedule)

✅ Topic rotation (compliance, skills, wellbeing)

✅ Integration with infringements or incidents

✅ Tracking of CPC hours and expiry dates

✅ Quarterly review of progress and needs

✅ Optional e-learning or toolbox talks

Use a spreadsheet or fleet software to track it.

10. Induction Training – More Than a Formality

Every new driver should complete a formal induction that includes:

• Driver Handbook and policy acknowledgement

• Site safety orientation

• Use of company tacho equipment

• Defect reporting and vehicle check process

• Safe loading and fuel procedures

• Use of apps or tracking tools

• Accident and emergency procedures

Keep signed copies of all induction materials in the Driver Compliance File.

11. Recording and Retaining Training Records

You must be able to produce training records for each driver. These should include:

• Date and type of training

• Duration and content summary

• Trainer name or provider

• Evidence of attendance (sign-in sheet, certificate)

• Follow-up actions or assessments

Store these in digital or physical Driver Training Files for at least 2 years (5 years for CPC).

12. How Often Should You Retrain Drivers?

Best practice:

Topic	Suggested Frequency
Walkaround Checks	Every 6–12 months
Drivers’ Hours	Annually or after first infringement
Tacho Use	Every 1–2 years or after incident
Customer Service	Every 2 years
Health & Wellbeing	Optional annually
CPC Modules	1–2 per year (spread evenly over 5 years)

Drivers who commit repeat infringements or are involved in accidents should receive immediate refresher training.

13. Training for Transport Managers and Admin Teams

Don’t forget your office-based team. Provide:

• CPC refresher for Transport Managers

• Tachograph download and storage training

• Fleet compliance record management

• DVSA inspection readiness briefings

• Licensing and regulatory updates

If you're acting as an External Transport Manager, client staff training should be part of your remit.

14. Final Thoughts: Build Training Into Your Compliance Culture

Training isn’t just about avoiding penalties. It’s about building a competent, confident, and professional workforce.

Your reputation as a safe and legal operator depends on how well your drivers understand:

• The rules they must follow

• The procedures you expect

• The consequences of non-compliance

By delivering the right mix of mandatory and best practice training, you create a resilient operation that can withstand DVSA scrutiny, reduce risk, and retain good drivers.