CPC Exemption

Transport Managers Certificate of Professional Competence Exemption

Background

The Council Directive 98/76 EC amended Directive 96/26 EC and required the UK and other member states to amend internal legislation by 1st October 1999.

In the UK the new regulation came into force on 1st October 1999 covering both Goods Vehicles and Public Service Vehicles.

Goods Vehicles: SI 1999 No 2430 Road Traffic, The Goods Vehicle Operators (Qualifications) Regulations 1999.

Public Service Vehicles: SI 1999 No 2431 Road Traffic, The Public Service Vehicles Operators (Qualifications) Regulation 1999.

In both sets of regulations, IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers) qualifying members’ rights were preserved for members who were elected into membership prior to 1st October 1999.

With the implementation of this Directive and to ensure IRTE upheld the highest standards that are the hallmark of membership the following action was undertaken:

• In the year 2000 members were issued with new style membership cards which do not carry the CPC statement
• Members wishing to obtain a membership card for the year 2000 carrying the CPC statement and annually thereafter were required to complete an application form which was attached to the 1999 Annual Renewal Notice
• A register of all qualifying IRTE members was established.

Formation of the Society of Operations Engineers

In September 2000 as a result of the merger between IRTE and IPlantE (Institution of Plant Engineers) the Society of Operations Engineers (SOE) was formed. In 2005 the Bureau of Engineer Surveyors (BES) was established as a professional sector of SOE.

It should be noted the Transport Managers CPC Exemption only applied to qualifying IRTE members and not IPlantE or BES members.

New EU Regulation

As a result of the new EU Regulation 1071/2009 which is coming into force on 4th December 2011 all IRTE members of SOE holding an existing Transport Managers Certificate of Competence (CPC) Exemption will be required to obtain an Exemption Certificate. The Exemption Certificate will be issued under the guidance of the IRTE Professional Sector of SOE.

In addition to the above a National Register will be established containing details of every CPC Exemption holder. The National Register will enable Vehicle and Operators Services Agency (VOSA) to build up the register of exempted Transport Managers.

In September 2011 the Office of the Traffic Commissioner (OTC) will be writing to all operator licence holders requesting details of their transport managers for the National Register. The letter will include a request for details relating to exemption holders including an Exemption Certificate number.

All qualifying IRTE members have been contacted and asked to complete an Information Request Form and return it to Head Office.

Note: Qualifying IRTE members should be aware unless a valid Exemption Certificate is in existence all previous exemptions will expire on 4th December 2011, after which time all individuals seeking a Transport Managers Certificate of Competence will be required to undertake an examination.