We’re looking to remind transport and logistics operations to stop overlooking LGV Driving Assessor training, highlighting the many advantages is can bring to your business.
“Despite the many benefits of training LGV Driving Assessors, businesses often overlook this important role,” says Simon Docherty, RTITB Instructor Academy Manager. “Whether they’re full time employees, or skilled drivers with an additional responsibility, LGV Driving Assessors can add significant value to transport and logistics operations if they’re trained correctly.”
As part of pre-employment assessment processes, Driver Assessors can check the practical skill and attitude of candidates and create reports of their findings. They can also conduct licence checks, freeing up transport management time. These valuable skills can help businesses avoid disruption, particularly during peak recruitment times. In addition, by implementing an on-site Assessor, rather than an Instructor, to carry out these assessments, businesses avoid putting pressure on the training team and schedule.
“As an Assessor may be the first contact a candidate has with the company, it’s important that they are correctly trained, with good communication skills and excellent driving standards as a minimum,” says Simon. By conducting annual Driving Assessments, Assessors can evaluate the current skills of the company’s drivers, identifying good practice, or areas where intervention is needed. This makes the role of the Assessor crucial in maintaining standards. They also provide a valuable link between drivers and the transport management team, by providing information for compliance or to help plan training schemes.
Following an incident, Assessors can evaluate drivers who may be exposed to similar risk criteria. Through this analysis, accident causes can be identified and negated. Additionally, an Assessor can mentor drivers who have been involved in an incident, offering support and helping to build their confidence.
Conducting ongoing assessments post-training also allows Assessors to check whether the techniques taught are being used, reducing risk. This also allows the impact of training to be measured. With companies increasingly under pressure to prove the return on investment of their training programmes, as well as their effectiveness, an Assessor can evaluate the benefits of training delivered and collate useful written reports for sharing with management. So, not only does training a Driving Assessor have clear business benefits, it also gives employers a chance to reward exceptional drivers with career progression.
“Given the opportunity to upskill, drivers benefit from professional development, while employers can experience greater staff retention,” says Simon. “In addition, as Assessors have already been part of the driving team, they can prove to be a more effective mentor figure to colleagues. However, an LGV Driving Assessor won’t be equipped for all of a company’s requirements. Where there is a need for training, not assessment, companies should use a qualified LGV Driving Instructor, not an Assessor, to ensure legal compliance.”
Like Assessors, Instructors possess excellent driving and communication skills, but have additional expertise in developing training programmes, plus advanced knowledge of technique and legislation, and the theory behind it. A qualified LGV instructor will be trained to educate and demonstrate, while practicing ongoing evaluation of trainees, and identifying talent for future development.