FTA scheme for van driver qualifications launched

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With a growing need from businesses for proving van driver qualifications, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has launched a new scheme.

It’s called the Van Excellence Certificate of Driver Competence and, the FTA says, has been launched to recognise this demand.

It’s been created alongside their Van Excellence scheme for businesses to prove how professional their employed drivers are.

In addition, the FTA says a business can also prove that they take their responsibilities seriously.

For those who undertake the scheme, the FTA says it will prove the validation of the van driver’s role within a business and help create a route for developing their skills.

Van Excellence scheme offers van driver qualifications

Mark Cartwright, the FTA’s head of vans, said: “The project underlines our Van Excellence scheme where operators often share best practice.

“There’s a need for van driver standards to be nationally recognised for operators to demonstrate their drivers take their duties seriously and are professional.”

He added that businesses have been working closely with the FTA to deliver a project for van driver qualifications.

The new scheme will have two elements. The first is training which will cover competence and include computer-based training.

There’s also an assessment element where drivers will be tested at recognised centres: van operators are to be given the opportunity of becoming an assessment centre and the FTA will also provide some of these locations.

There’s more information about van driver qualifications from the FTA at the vanexcellence.co.uk website.

Van Excellence driver of the year

Meanwhile, the FTA has also announced that its annual competition to find the country’s best van driver has opened for entries.

It will be held this year on 16 July at Wentworth Park in Barnsley.

The competition is open to accredited operators of the Van Excellence scheme and drivers will need to undertake a series of tasks to test their driving skills.

The driver judged to be the best will win a holiday voucher worth £1,000 along with an iPad mini. Second and third place drivers will win ‘Red Letter Day’ prizes.