In July 2018 new legislation came into force. This allows holders of Category B driving licences to drive commercial vehicles up to 4.25 tonnes where that vehicle is powered by an alternative fuel.
However, to use this new 4.25 tonnes allowance, a driver must undertake five hours of prior training. This training must be undertaken with an instructor on the National Register of LGV Instructors or the National Vocational Driving Instructors Register and result in the issue of a certificate of training which they must carry. The regulations don’t allow for the derogation to be used during training (on the public highway), so the 5 hours of training will be either classroom based or practical training away from public roads – or a mixture of these.
As the managers of the National Register of LGV Instructors (NRI), RTITB have been asked to work with DfT to develop the process of training and certification. We are therefore seeking early input from you, our customers to gain your views as to the impact and operation of this new AFV allowance.
Fleet Operators, we welcome your feedback on:
| As an operator are you planning to introduce AFVs to your fleet? | YES/NO |
| Will you use this allowance as part of preparations for bring the vehicles into the fleet? | YES/NO |
| What % of your driver workforce will be given AFV training? | |
| Do you have in-house NRI instructors able to offer AFV training? | YES/NO |
| Will you need to source training from NRI instructors able to offer AFV training? | YES/NO |
| Should the 5 hours of AFV training be classroom-only? | YES/NO |
| Should the 5 hours of AFV training be in-cab training away from the public roads? | YES/NO |
| Should the 5 hours of AFV training be a mix of in-cab and classroom? | YES/NO |
Training Providers, we welcome your feedback on:
| Do you plan to offer AFV training as a result of this allowance? | YES/NO |
| Have you been asked to provide AFV training since this allowance was announced? | YES/NO |
| Do you have NRI instructors able to offer AFV training? | YES/NO |
| Do you have in-house NRI instructors able to offer AFV training? | YES/NO |
| Should the 5 hours of AFV training be classroom-only? | YES/NO |
| Should the 5 hours of AFV training be in-cab training away from the public roads? | YES/NO |
| Should the 5 hours of AFV training be a mix of in-cab and classroom? | YES/NO |
Why has this allowance been made?
The current weight limit is 3.5 tonnes, but as alternative fuel technology can weigh more than the drivetrain of a conventional vehicle, operators are left with a payload disadvantage for choosing cleaner fuels. The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) intend this to help fleets introduce vehicles powered by electricity, natural gas, biogas or hydrogen or hydrogen and electricity (multi fuelled).
Let us know your thoughts on the above. Contact the team now.