Fleet Trainer

Author
Discussion

Len Woodman

Original Poster:

168 posts

119 months

Saturday 1st January 2022
quotequote all
What is the requirement/qualification to be a Fleet Trainer in the UK.

What do they typically do?

vonhosen

40,468 posts

223 months

Saturday 1st January 2022
quotequote all
There is a legal requirement to be an ADI if you wish to earn teaching people in cars.
The fleet register is a subset of the ADI register that you can apply & qualify to go on (so you'll have to be an ADI to apply/qualify to be on the fleet register).
There is no legal requirement to be on the fleet register to teach fleet drivers (although you will have to be an ADI).
However some businesses may look for & prefer the fleet qualification when looking to hire trainers to teach their fleet (as it is aimed at that purpose), although they don't have to.
It's therefore mainly a marketing tool.
The ADI is a mandatory register, the fleet register is optional (as is the LGV/PCV register, although you don't have to be an ADI to be a LGV/PCV trainer or even on the LGV/PCV register).
The ADI & fleet registers are operated & run by DVSA, the voluntary LGV/PCV is now run by the industry.

Fleet trainers 'tend' to specialise in training car drivers who already hold a full car licence & are hired by companies rather than individuals to train people who use the car as a tool in the workplace (although that is not exclusively the case).

https://www.gov.uk/become-a-fleet-driver-trainer

Majorslow

1,189 posts

135 months

Thursday 6th January 2022
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I'm an ADI on the "Fleet " register.

My course cost me about £1k for a week of my life. Part classroom, Part on the road. A Theory exam, Presentation exam, test of your driving and teaching/coaching.

I did it to get work training full licence workers in "eco" safe driving, advanced driving skills, checking out people drive OK for company car use, van training, and local authority taxi testing.

It used to pay better than training learners, but the daily rate of "fleet" training has been squeezed in recent years where I could now earn more on a daily rate with learners. The benefits for me are that someone else does the running around and admin. If the client is late or does not turn up I still get paid, and use their vehicle rather than mine.

It is more enjoyable than learners. Most full licence holders have more confidence and belief their driving is far better than it is. I find it very rewarding "suggesting" ways they could be driving more efficiently, safer, faster, less stressfully, aware, and of course enjoying their driving by making in many cases a few "adjustments" to enable all this.

The standard of some drivers attempting to get a taxi licence is truly shocking, and the local authorities attempting to improve the standard of taxi driving in their area should be commended. In a day I may do 6 Taxi assessments, very often all fail, some if not all would fail a basic driving test. So the next time you get in a Taxi and the driver is far short of the standard you expect, get his taxi number.... He/she has to show you it by law. Make a complaint, and he may well be required to retest to keep his licence.

I am due to do 18 taxi assessments next week. I hope all pass, but sadly I expect maybe only 3-5 will pass

On "eco safe driving" courses in an hour of instruction I can suggest ways to save on average around 20% on fuel consumption, yet drive at a higher average speed, over a set distance in less time. One Taxi driver I did this with once in Portsmouth couldn't believe I could save him money, was wasting his time, but had a go. We worked out at the end of the hour that he could save about £2500 a year on fuel. The poor man was in tears, he said that if he tried it he would be able to take a holiday that year with the family. Possibly one of the best hours work I have ever done.

Most "Fleet" Managers could hire "Fleet Instructors" and save a fortune in fuel, have less minor and serious collisions involving their vehicles. Resulting in less time taken off sick owing to injuries, and their vehicles on the road earning the company money rather than costing them!

I have a new game for everyone. Most people claim "White Van Man" is the worst/careless driver on the road

However, next time you drive past a Royal mail "Postman Pat van" have a glance at it (if safe) and see how many out there do NOT have a dent in them! Bet you don't see many. In fact I haven't seen one dent free for about 3 years