I recently attended the Confederation of Passenger Transport’s London and South East Region meeting in Ipswich. Always well worth attending, it was also the final appearance by DVSA Area Manager Graham Owen, who retires very soon, and we shall all miss.
There was also an update from Senior Traffic Commissioner Richard Turfitt, and the presentations covered the possibility of introducing some form of compulsory continuous professional development (CPD) for transport managers (TMs).
As a long-standing operator, this is a move I would welcome. I’m keen that my TM keeps up-to-date with legislation and so on, but the availability of CPD that covers more subjects and increases their knowledge would be very beneficial.
I take the view that an excellent TM is vital, not only for compliance, but also to enhance our company’s profitability.
The skills that a well-informed and progressive TM can bring to a company – as we’ve seen ourselves – go far beyond the grudging acceptance of the role that I’ve seen at some other operators.
CPD is very common in other parts of the road transport industry, with regular programmes, and it’s something the passenger side should embrace.
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