A Scottish coach operator has called for a tempered approach to the suggested removal of the 50km, regular service restriction for PCV drivers aged 18 and 19, currently being considered by the Department for Transport (DfT).
Exploration of a full removal of the controversial limit emerged in January, after DfT opened a survey inviting operators to assess the impact of such a move.
While many operators have advocated an end to the restriction, Martin MacPhail of Salsburgh-based MacPhails Coaches cautions operators to not let the obvious appeal of relieving driver availability force inexperienced staff into stressful situations sooner than they are prepared to handle them.
“It’s a material change to go from regular service work within a 50km radius to long-distance driving away from base. That radius allows us to mitigate any problems that may happen within a controlled environment. Taking that away may not be the best way to alleviate the driver problem,” he says.
In addition to concerns about the level of driving experience the youngest PCV drivers have, Mr MacPhail also cautions that younger drivers may not yet have built the confidence needed for passenger interactions on certain long-distance services.
As a compromise, Mr MacPhail favours a graduated model, in which restrictions are relaxed at various stages – via hours driven, for example.
“Some young drivers will be perfectly capable of doing better and longer work within six months of walking through the door,” he says. “But it would be wrong to expect the youngest drivers to do jobs they may not feel capable of doing. The industry needs to engage with any changes responsibly.”
