Compliance â itâs the cornerstone of the industry. While few things have remained certain for coach and bus during the pandemic, high compliance standards continue to be the one constant. Even COVID-19 couldnât falter it, with the industry showing its adaptability â as ever â by moving courses online to make sure vital compliance training continued.
One person on a mission to ensure compliance through engaging, knowledge-led training is former Senior Traffic Commissioner (TC) Beverley Bell.
Following a career in transport law spanning almost 30 years, the ex-TC for the North West of England set up Beverley Bell Consulting in June 2017. Four years on, and Beverley has launched Beverley Bell Training this month, offering CILT- and JAUPT-accredited courses on:
- Transport Manager CPC
- Transport Manager CPC refresher
- O-Licence awareness
- Driver CPC (DCPC).
Setting up a training arm was the next logical step for Beverley, who says: âIâd always had training at the back of my mind. Itâs a natural progression to both my consulting business and the Traffic Commissioner world, which is educating operators.â
Beverley Bell Training will promote industry best practice
The first courses will begin in June, starting in the North West, before running nationwide once COVID-19 restrictions ease.
Beverley Bell Training offers a range of subjects for DCPC, including bridge strikes, vulnerable road users and the âold faithfulâ topics like driver walk-round checks, driversâ hours and tachograph training. Driver health and wellbeing is also a topic close to Beverleyâs heart.
âBeing a driver can be a thankless task in many respects,â she says. âI think most do a fabulous job, and the more we can do to encourage them and promote their health and wellbeing is good, especially in COVID-19 times.
âAnything we can do to encourage and deliver best practice and safe operation for the driver or operator while theyâre behind the wheel will be of real value.â
Bringing âa different perspectiveâ to training
Having someone so established in the coach and bus world overseeing the development and delivery of these courses is certainly a huge unique selling point. But does Beverley think there are any downsides to being a well-known industry figure?
âI think people will be interested in what the courses are,â she says. âDoes it mean theyâve got a higher expectation of me as a provider? I donât see why.
âThere are many excellent training providers out there. I think I bring a different perspective in terms of course content and delivery.â
Itâs this different perspective that Beverley believes will give her training an edge, bringing her first-hand experiences and real-life cases to âbreathe lifeâ into the courses. Real-life cases such as the fatal Merseypride coach crash in 2012 â an inquest Beverley dealt with as the North West TC at the time.
âYou can talk about the age of tyres on vehicles, for instance, but if you then marry those with real-life examples and what the implications are, it resonates with delegates more,â says Beverley.
Interactive course delivery from Beverley Bell Training
Itâs no secret that CPC training, particularly DCPC, can be met with disdain. Sometimes considered a box-ticking exercise, the DCPC has faced criticism for allowing drivers to repeat the same modules to achieve the required hours.
By bringing her real-world experience and distinct set of skills to the table, Beverley hopes to tackle this problem head-on with a big focus on learner engagement.
She says: âItâs very dispiriting for anybody to sit there for seven hours and be talked at. Whatâs even worse is if theyâre talked at and they donât understand the subject matter, or itâs of no interest.
âOur training will be very interactive because we can learn just as much from operators and drivers as we can teach them. Weâll take the time to find out what delegates want to know and what the issues are for them.â
Specialist industry experts involved in delivering courses
Building a positive relationship between tutors and learners is also crucial to Beverley. She is confident that her team has the skills and expertise to achieve this; a team of industry experts that includes two âhand-pickedâ ex-DVSA officials.
âI approached these individuals directly, and theyâve worked with me on the consultancy side of the business. Their breadth of knowledge is second to none,â says Beverley.
âBut what is really important is how they engage with learners, and I think theyâve got the right skills to take the time to make sure learners understand what their learning points are. The DCPC isnât a pass or fail, but if the driver doesnât get anything out of it, whatâs the point?â
Beverley oversees the creative delivery of each of the courses to make sure theyâre stimulating and provide practical training that can easily transfer to the workplace.
âIâm extremely hands-on,â she says. âI go through every course and add bits and try to breathe life into them. I will be delivering parts of the courses and helping to develop new ones too.
âQuality training is paramount, and Iâll be working closely with our tutors, so we know weâre continuing to deliver high standards. Itâs all about training being really high quality and everybody getting something out of it.â