Consultation outcome

DCPC consultation full list of questions and summary of responses

Updated 11 December 2023

Overview

This document lists the questions that were asked in the consultation survey about the proposed changes to the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) and gives a summary of the responses to questions not published in other documents. Not all responses are included within this document as they have been analysed and included within one, or both, of the below documents:

• DCPC: consultation outcome and government response
• ICF analysis of open text responses to consultation

A total of 1,190 consultation questionnaire responses were received, as well 16 position papers from industry stakeholders. The Department also received 177 emails which were free-text based on the proposals without answering the consultation questions directly.

Some questions in the consultation were designed to only be answered by certain categories of respondents and all questions were optional. This means the number of people who responded to each question varies throughout this document. The number of people who responded and didn’t answer each question is presented by each question.

Some questions included the chance to provide qualitative responses. Analysis of these responses was performed by consultants ICF, findings are reported on a separate document which can be found on the GOV.UK home page for this consultation.

It is important to note that consultations are open to anyone and are not statistically representative of the population, meaning that the data presented here only reflects those who answered each individual question, and we cannot draw inferences about the wider population.  

How to read this document

Questions are listed from 1 to 109 and have been arranged under general headings. Each question is followed by a series of response options and a percentage representative of the proportion of respondents that selected each option. The number of people who answered and skipped each question is listed at the bottom of each question. Where the response to a question has been included in another document, this has been signposted.

List of Questions and Summary of Responses

Introduction

Question 1. What is your (used for contact purposes only):

Name 99.91%

Email address 99.91%

Answered 1159

Skipped 31

Question 2. You are responding:

As an individual? 78.40%

On behalf of an organisation? 21.60%

Answered 1190

Skipped 0

Profession

Question 3. You:

Were previously a professional driver? 15.67%  

Are a professional driver? 65.24%           

Are a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence trainer? 12.55%

Are another type of individual? 6.55%

Answered 932

Skipped 258

Driving licence

Question 4. Do you hold any of these licences?

Yes, I currently do 96.02%          

I used to 3.72%

No 0.27%

Don’t know 0.00%

Answered 753

Skipped 437

Licences held

Question 5. You:

Have a C driving licence (including CE, C1, C1E) and D driving licence (including DE, D1, D1E)? 46.31%

Have a C driving licence (including CE, C1, C1E) only? 36.64%

Have a D driving licence (including DE, D1, D1E) only? 8.19%

Held a C driving licence (including CE, C1, C1E) and D driving licence (including DE, D1, D1E)? 4.97%

Held a C driving licence (including CE, C1, C1E) only? 2.42%

Held a D driving licence (including DE, D1, D1E) only? 1.48%

Answered 745

Skipped 445

DCPC qualification

Question 6. You:

Have held a DCPC qualification and let it lapse? 7.98%

Currently hold a DCPC qualification? 88.96%

Have not held a DCPC because you don’t need one? 3.06%          

Answered 752

Skipped 438

DCPC renewal

Question 7. You are currently:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

DCPC reasoning

Question 8. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

DCPC rejoining

Question 9. You are currently:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

DCPC rejoining reasoning

Question 10. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Driver training cost

Question 11. Do you currently as a driver cover the cost of periodic DCPC training courses?

Yes in full 53.10%

Yes partly 9.53%

No 37.37%

Answered 661

skipped 529

Question 12. You:

Cover your own travel costs to and from training course locations for yourself? 83.61%

Do not cover your own travel costs to and from training course locations for yourself? 16.39%

Answered 659

Skipped 531

Money

Question 13. How many days, on average, do you travel to training course locations per 35-hour training cycle?

1 day 12.36%

2 days   2.73%

3 days   1.09%

4 days   2.36%

5 days   76.36%

Above 5 days 5.09%

Answered 550

Skipped 640

Question 14. Approximately how much money does it cost you in whole pounds, to travel to and from training course locations, on average per day (including the average cost of fuel, public transport or any other costs that apply)?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Time

Question 15. What are your current arrangements for taking DCPC training during business hours?

My DCPC training is during business hours, but my travel is not included as part of this 19.21%

My DCPC training is not done during business, but my travel is included 1.98%

Both my DCPC training and travelling to and from training locations is taken during my business hours 22.71%

Neither my DCPC training nor my travel are included in my business hours’ 56.10%

Answered 656

skipped 534

Question 16. On average how many hours per day, when travelling to and from training locations, would you save if you did not have to travel to training course locations?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Organisation details

Question 17. Your organisations name is?

Open-Ended Question 100.00%

Answered 259

skipped 931

Question 18. The number of employees in your organisation is:

1 to 9 employees? 33.33%          

10 to 49 employees? 25.19%

50 to 249 employees? 20.16%

250 employees or above? 21.32%

Answered 258

Skipped 932

Question 19. Your organisation is:

A lorry driver employer? 46.92%

A bus or coach driver employer? 15.38%

A Driver Certificate of Professional Competence training organisation? 25.77%

An industry representative organisation? 2.69%

A road safety organisation? 1.92%

Another type of organisation? 7.31%

Answered 260

Skipped 930

Lorry, bus and coach driver employers

Question 20. To what extent does your organisation cover the cost of periodic DCPC training for your employees?

All DCPC training is covered 83.33%

Some DCPC training is covered 12.35%  

No DCPC training is covered 4.32%

I don’t know 0.00%

Answered 162

Skipped 1028

Question 21. As an employer, specify the maximum amount you would cover for an employee undertaking the proposed test option?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Question 22. What are your employees current arrangements for taking DCPC training during business hours?

Employees take DCPC training during business hours, but their travel is not included as part of this 25.63%

Employees do not take DCPC training during business hours, but their travel is included as part of this 12.50%

Both employees DCPC training and travelling to and from training locations is taken during their business hours 28.75%

Neither employees DCPC training nor my travel are included in their business hours 33.13%

Answered 160

Skipped 1030

Question 23. You:

Cover all the travel costs to and from training course locations for employees? 33.33%

Do not cover any travel costs to and from training course locations for employees? 59.12%

Cover some of the travel costs to and from training course locations for employees? 7.55%         

Answered 159

Skipped 1031

Percentage of travel costs

Question 24. The percentage of travel costs you cover is?

5 15.38%           

10 15.38%         

25 7.69%           

50 38.46%

90 7.69%

100 15.38%

Answered 13

Skipped 1177

Lorry, bus and coach driver employers

Question 25. You would cover the travel expenses to and from DVSA test centres in order for drivers to take the periodic test?

Yes 41.67%

No 8.33%

Don’t know 50.00%

Answered 12

Skipped 1178

Percentage of travel costs to DVSA test centre

Question 26. The percentage of travel costs you cover would be?

10 20.00%

50 40.00%

100 40.00%

Answered 5

Skipped 1185

Lorry, bus and coach driver employers

Question 27. You would pay for travel time to and from DVSA test centres in order for drivers to take the periodic test?

Yes 54.55%

No 0.00%

Don’t know 45.45%

Answered 11

skipped 1179

Percentage of travel time to DVSA test centre

Question 28. The percentage of travel time you cover would be?

10 16.67%

50 50.00%

100 33.33%

Answered 6

Skipped 1184

Industry representation

Question 29. Are you representing another organisation?

Yes 14.29%        

No 85.71%

Answered 7

Skipped 1183

Representation details 

Question 30. The organisation you represent is?

Open-Ended Question 100.00%

Answered 1

skipped 1189

Question 31. The number of employees in the organisation you represent is:

1 to 9 employees? 100.00%

10 to 49 employees? 0.00%

50 to 249 employees? 0.00%

250 employees or above? 0.00%             

Answered 1

Skipped 1189

DCPC appetite for reform

Question 32. In your opinion how effective is DCPC currently in meeting its stated aim of improving:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 33. You:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Reason for abolishment

Question 34. As you want to abolish the DCPC and the remainder of this section is about proposed reforms to DCPC, you may now either:

Continue answering the rest of the questions in the survey? 35.62%

Go to the ‘Final comments’ section? 64.38%

Answered 466

Skipped 724

Remain the same and don’t know reasoning

Question 35. As you believe the DCPC does not need reforming or you don’t know your views on this, and the following sections are about proposed reforms to DCPC, you may now either:

Continue answering the rest of these questions? 53.80%

Go to the next section on ‘Changes to allow for short term extensions and exemptions in exceptional circumstances’? 46.20%

Answered 158

Skipped 1032

DCPC reform

Question 36. The changes you think are necessary are to:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Ways of renewing DCPC

Question 37. Overall do you support the proposed changes under the N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ option?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

‘Yes’ to DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ changes

Question 38. You think the proposed changes to introduce N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ will:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

‘No’ to DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ changes

Question 39. You think the proposed changes to introduce N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ will:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

N-DPC ‘Periodic Test’

Question 40. Overall do you support our proposed changes under the N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ option?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

‘Yes’ to N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ changes

Question 41. You think the proposed changes to introduce a N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ will:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

’No’ to DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ changes

Question 42. You think the proposed changes to N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ will:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Ways of renewing DCPC

Question 43. In your view how important is it that GB and NI have the same options for renewing DCPC?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Question 44. Do you meet any of these target audiences?  

Yes 77.55%

No 18.79%

Don’t know 3.66%

Answered 793

Skipped 397

Approach choice

Question 45. If there was a choice between either I-DCPC, N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ and N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ which would you choose or recommend your drivers to choose?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Proposed N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ 

Question 46. In your opinion how effective could the ‘New periodic test’ be in ensuring DCPC meets its stated objective of improving road safety?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Road safety reasoning

Question 47. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Proposed N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’

Question 48. In your opinion how effective could the ‘New periodic test’ be in ensuring DCPC meets its stated objective of improving professionalism of drivers?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Professionalism of drivers reasoning

Question 49. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Proposed N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’

Question 50. In your opinion how effective could the ‘Initial test re-sit’ be in ensuring DCPC meets its stated objective of improving road safety?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Initial test re-sit: road safety

Question 51. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Proposed N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’

Question 52. In your opinion how effective could the ‘Initial test re-sit’ be in ensuring DCPC meets its stated objective of improving professionalism of drivers?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Initial test re-sit: professionalism of drivers

Question 53. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Proposed N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’

Question 54. Would you support giving drivers the choice of completing the N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ option along with the existing I-DCPC and N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ option?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Against giving choice

Question 55. Why not?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Answered 208

Skipped 982

Question 56. As you do not support giving drivers the choice of completing the N-DCPC ‘Periodic Test’ option and the following sections are about its implementation you may now either:

Continue answering the rest of these questions? 43.21%

Go to the next section on ‘Proposals for N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’? 56.79%

Answered 243

Skipped 947

DCPC benefits and purpose

Question 57. Do you meet this target audience?

Yes 63.02%

No 34.47%

Don’t know 2.51%

Answered 676

Skipped 514

Likely to renew

Question 58. In your opinion would having a test option mean you would be more likely to renew your DCPC?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Reasoning

Question 59. Why?

Open-Ended Question 100.00%

Answered 322

Skipped 868

Test options

Question 60. Of the 2 test options which do you think is the best option for drivers renewing their DCPC?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Test subjects

Question 61. Which of these subjects do you think should be included in the ‘New periodic test’?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Eligibility to drive following a test

Question 62. In your view should DCPC qualification renewal through the ‘initial test re-sit’ mean the DCPC maintained as a result is limited to vehicles covered by the driving licence?

Yes 58.72%

No 27.12%

Don’t know 14.16%

Answered 671

Skipped 519

Number of tests

Question 63. For the ‘New periodic test’ do you think there should be:

A single test for both category D (bus and coach) and category C (lorry) licence holders? 39.31%

Different tests for each category, one test for category D (bus and coach) licence holders and another test for category C (lorry) licence holders? 60.69%

Answered 664

Skipped 526

Dual entitlement licence

Question 64. In the case of dual licence holders, where there are 2 tests, you:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Revision material

Question 65. Do you meet this target audience?

Yes 60.30%

No 36.57%

Don’t know 3.13%

Answered 670

Skipped 520

Revision materials

Question 66. If you were to take the ‘New periodic test’, would you purchase the revision materials?

No 39.51%

Yes up to £20 32.10%

Yes up to £40 11.11%

Yes up to £60 3.95%

I don’t know 13.33%

Answered 405

Skipped 785

Question 67. If you were to take the ‘Initial test re-sit’, would you purchase the revision materials?

No 41.98%

Yes up to £20 30.62%

Yes up to £40 10.12%

Yes up to £60 3.21%

I don’t know 14.07%

Answered 405

skipped 785

Revision time

Question 68. In your view should the revision time required for the test and the time needed to take the test be part of drivers working hours?

Neither should be part of drivers working hours 29.75%

Yes, revision time only 0.75%

Yes, test time only 13.00%         

Yes, both revision and test time 49.48%

I don’t know 7.03%

Answered 669

Skipped 521

Proposals for N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’

Question 69. Do you meet this target audience?

Yes 63.56%        

No 33.58%

Don’t know 2.86%

Answered 804

Skipped 386

Training

Question 70. In your view, would shorter training modules:

Mean you are more likely to renew your DCPC? 

Yes 67.98%

No 25.74%

Don’t know 6.29%

Response total: 509  

Provide better work life balance?           

Yes 66.94%

No 25.40%

Don’t know 7.66%

Response Total: 496 

Answered 511

Skipped 679

Question 71. In your view, would removing the requirement to complete split courses over 2 days mean:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Proposals for N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’: attraction and retention

Question 72. In your view how likely are the N-DCPC ‘Reformed Training’ changes to make it easier to:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

E-learning

Question 73. What, if any, time limit, between completion of the trainer-led course and corresponding e-learning do you think should be imposed?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

E-learning ease

Question 74. Do you meet this target audience?

Yes 61.94%

No 35.82%

Don’t know 2.24%

Answered 804

Skipped 386

Question 75. What is the likelihood of you choosing to take courses which have an e-learning element if the changes proposed were implemented?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

E-learning

Question 76. Do you think the proposed changes to DCPC e-learning will make it easier to:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Returning drivers

Question 77. Do you support the principle of ‘specific return pathways’ to allow drivers to return to the sector?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Against reasoning

Question 78. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Continue answering on the ‘specific return pathways’

Question 79. As you do not or you don’t know if you support reform and the rest of this section is about implementation of our ‘specific return pathways’ options you may now:

Go to the ‘Changes to allow for short term extensions and exemptions in exceptional circumstances’ section? 66.82%

Continue answering the questions on the ‘specific return pathways’? 33.18%

Answered 214

Skipped 976

Minimum and maximum length of time a DCPC should have lapsed before drivers can use the return to driver pathway

Question 80. In your view what is the minimum time, in months, a driver’s DCPC qualification should have lapsed before they can utilise any of the ‘specific return pathways’?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 81. In your view what is the maximum time, in months, a driver’s DCPC qualification should have lapsed before they can utilise any of the ‘specific return pathways’?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 82. Which of the ‘specific return pathways’ would you support?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Test

Question 83. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 84. As you prefer a test compared to the return to driver training option and the rest of this section is about its implementation you may now:

Go to the ‘Attracting drivers’ section? 60.00%

Continue answering the questions on return to driver training? 40.00%

Answered 400

Skipped 790

None of these

Question 85. Why and what alternative would you suggest?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Question 86. As you do not support any of the ‘specific return pathways’ and the rest of this section is about their implementation you may now:

Go to the ‘Changes to allow for short term extensions and exemptions in exceptional circumstances’ section? 50.00%

Continue answering questions on the ‘specific return pathways’? 50.00%

Answered 58

Skipped 1132

Return to driver training

Question 87. You:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Neither of these options

Question 88. What alternative would you suggest?

Open-Ended Question 100.00%

Answered 59

Skipped 1131

Return to driver training requirement

Question 89. In your opinion the hours of training that should be completed before a driver is allowed to return to driving commercially is?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Question 90. In your view within what time period should a driver complete the remainder of their training after a ‘return to driving’ module in order to gain a 5-year entitlement to drive commercially?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 91. What subjects do you think should be included in the ‘return to driving’ module?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Attracting drivers

Question 92. Do you think the proposed changes for returning drivers are likely to make it easier to attract drivers to the sector?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the Consultation Response document.

Question 93. In your view how many times should a driver be able to utilise the ‘specific return pathways’?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Changes to allow for short term extensions and exemptions in exceptional circumstances

Question 94. The circumstances that you think should trigger short term extensions are:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 95. The circumstances that you think should trigger short term exemptions are:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Remaining in the sector

Question 96. Do you meet any of these target audiences?

Yes 72.37%

No 24.35%

Don’t know 3.28%

Answered 883

Skipped 307

Sector remaining

Question 97. In your opinion, would short term extensions mean:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Question 98. In your opinion would short term exemptions mean:

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Maximum length of extension and exemption periods

Question 99. Does the extension period (anticipated maximum 12 months) seem like an appropriate amount of time?  

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 100. Does the exemption period (anticipated maximum 3 months) seem like an appropriate amount of time?  

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Question 101. In your opinion should short term exemptions only be offered to those who previously held a DCPC qualification and let this lapse?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Lapse time

Question 102. For this exemption how long, in your view, is an acceptable period for the qualification to have lapsed in months?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report.

Exchange and recognition

Question 103. Would you support the creation of an exchange scheme for non-GB and non-NI qualifications?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Creation of an exchange scheme view

Question 104. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Exchange and recognition

Question 105. Would you support the creation of a recognition scheme for non-GB and non-NI qualifications?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Creation of a recognition scheme view

Question 106. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Electronic DQC’s

Question 107. What is your view on having the DQC replaced by an electronic version?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

DQC electronic version opinion

Question 108. Why?

Analysis of the responses to this question can be found in the ICF report and the Consultation Response document.

Final comments

Question 109. Any other comments?

Open-Ended Question 100.00%

Answered 627

skipped 563