Introduction

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Authority (DVSA) has initiated a new towing accreditation scheme following the decision taken by Department for Transport to scrap mandatory training and testing for the B+E category.

Role of the National Council for Accredited Trailer Training

As part of the new trailer towing accreditation scheme, the DVSA will be accrediting training organisations via the National Council for Accredited Trailer Training (NCATT), a partnership between DVSA, trailer stakeholder groups, Department for Transport, and the accrediting bodies, including Skills for Logistics.

The role of NCATT will be to act through a forum where strategic issues can be discussed. It will also monitor the performance of the training syllabus and whether overall standards are met.

Skills for Logistics and other accrediting bodies will operate the scheme and accredit training centres and instructors to deliver quality-approved trailer training.

Purpose of the new scheme

The new trailer training scheme aims to:

• Ensure drivers who are towing trailers for business and leisure purposes have the skills, knowledge, and competencies to tow safely
• Make sure an employer’s corporate responsibilities ensure safe working practices are being met for their staff towing trailers in connection with their work.

The road ahead

As of now, three training organisations have been accredited by the DVSA as accrediting bodies. These include the National Trailer & Towing Association, National Register of LGV Instructors, and Skills for Logistics.

A spokesman from DVSA has explained the purpose of the new scheme:

“The government is committed to encouraging drivers to get professional training before towing for leisure or business.

The trailer training accreditation scheme aims to ensure drivers who want to tow a trailer for leisure or business have the skills, knowledge, and competencies to tow safely. And for those towing a trailer in connection with their work, to help ensure an employer’s corporate responsibilities to make sure safe working practices are met.”

Read more about how training instructors can get accredited under our new scheme

The DVSA has launched a new trailer towing accreditation training scheme which will give Britain’s drivers the choice to be fully equipped with the skills, knowledge, and understanding of towing trailers safely.

The scheme will be launched in two phases, the first of which will be to establish a network of accredited training centres and instructors. Phase 2 will be to cascade the accredited training to candidates in early May. The scheme is designed for corporate organisations wishing to ensure their employees are fully trained, complying with Health & Safety requirements, and for other motorists towing trailers and caravans for leisure and pleasure.

DVSA has given official recognition of the Skills for Logistics B+E (trailer towing) accreditation scheme where we will accredit training centres and instructors and provide quality assurance and certification.

Find out more about the Skills for Logistics B+E accreditation scheme and how you can apply.

At the start of the Covid19 lockdown, the DVSA suspended testing of new LGV drivers and no new drivers have entered the industry since that date.  Unfortunately the DVSA has still not confirmed when LGV driving tests will resume, leading to fears that the transport industry will soon see a worsening of the driver shortage.

At Skills for Logistics we felt it was particularly important to engage directly with the 150 plus LGV training providers across the UK, by conducting a survey asking whether the LGV training sector can bounce back to tackle the back log of 20,000 + lost driving tests.

Read more here. Read more