AFV (ALTERNATIVELY-FUELLED VEHICLES) Certification
NRI LGV Instructors are approved to deliver training on alternatively-fuelled vehicles.
While UK law now permits Category B driving licence holders to drive an alternatively-fuelled vehicle weighing up to 4.25 tonnes, drivers must have completed a minimum of 5 hours training.
This training can ONLY be provided by members of the DVSA-endorsed NRI, or by members of the NVDIR, and it should follow the syllabus published by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).
The NRI provides the training materials and issues certificates to trained drivers.
The only DVSA Endorsed
LGV/HGV Instructor Register
About alternatively-fuelled vehicles (afv) and the law
AN AFV IS A VEHICLE POWERED BY ELECTRICITY, NATURAL GAS, BIOGAS OR HYDROGEN.
“Employers and drivers who wish to take advantage of the legislation must carry out a minimum of 5 hours of training on driving alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFV).
It is worth noting that anyone found driving an alternatively fuelled vehicle between 3.5 tonnes and 4.25 tonnes on a Category B licence without having done the 5 hours training would be guilty of an offence under the Road Traffic Act (1988).” Sarah Brown, NRI Manager
Check whether a vehicle qualifies as an AFV | Find an AFV training provider
The AFV training process
Training can be conducted by in-house Instructors or Instructors employed by commercial training providers. The Instructor delivering the training must be an NRI Registered Instructor (or NVDIR).
The AFV training can be a mixture of theory and practical (such as demonstrations with equipment), with a maximum driver and Instructor ratio of 20:1.
Training material (for NRI Registered Instructors)
To make it easy to deliver the training, NRI has developed training materials for Alternatively Fuelled Vehicle (AFV) Training, which includes an Instructor PowerPoint and follows the syllabus published by the Department for Transport (DfT).
This is currently available at £35 +VAT for NRI Registered Instructors.
The training syllabus
The syllabus outlines what should be included in the training and what the expected learning outcomes will be. The training must include vehicle handling techniques when driving a loaded alternative fuelled vehicle (AFV), refuelling alternative fuel types and the safe loading of alternative fuelled vehicles. The syllabus is flexible, employers, in discussion with their own in-house Instructors or Instructors employed by training providers should agree a training programme that relates to their specific AFV fleet and the duties of their drivers
Note that the DVSA recommends that drivers practice driving on the road following the five hours’ training.
AFV (alternatively-fuelled vehicles) TRAINING CERTIFICATES
A certificate is issued to the driver on completion of training by the NRI. The AFV Training certificates are despatched within 15 working days of records being received to NRI.
How? After the training, the NRI Registered LGV instructor contacts NRI and we issue the driver with a certificate confirming that they have completed the required training. The certificate can then be used by third parties (such as insurance companies, employers or the Police) to check that the driver has completed the training.
Certificates are sent directly by NRI to an address specified by a driver and cost £15 + VAT, which includes postage. In the event a certificate is lost or stolen, NRI issues a replacement certificate to the driver. The cost of a replacement certificate will be charged at £15+VAT.
Note: There is no requirement for Category B licence holders to carry a certificate with them while driving.
FIND AN AFV TRAINING PROVIDER
Search for an AFV training provider near you that is NRI registered and able to deliver compliant training.
ABOUT THE REGISTER
The National Register of Instructors (NRI) is the only Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) endorsed Instructor register developed by the industry for the industry. There are currently 560 Instructors and Assessors on the National Register.
The not-for-profit Register is operated by RTITB and supported by Logistics UK and the Road Haulage Association (RHA). All of whom sit on the governance committee and oversee the standards and future development of the Register. The NRI also issues AFV training certification to drivers, as well as supporting those delivering training and/or assessment to Category B+E licence holders.
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