The number of trucks on our roads is growing year by year and –
unfortunately –
the number of dangerous incidents, collisions, and fatal accidents involving these vehicles is also rising. Many experienced drivers are starting work abroad, and they are being replaced by new ones who are not always properly prepared for the profession. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important not only to properly train new truck driver personnel “from scratch” but also to continuously improve practical skills and theoretical knowledge while already on the job. And what is the level of professional preparation like for drivers traveling our routes far and wide? Often poor. This is confirmed, among others, by the observations of the president of KADRY POLSKIE Sp. z o.o. from Opole, Andrzej Grudniok, who organizes some of the first free EUROdriver training courses in Poland, which improve the qualifications of professional drivers in the Opole region.
Iwo Nowak: To what extent is there a need in Poland for further training for drivers already working and for people involved in transport in the broad sense –
in terms of theory and practice?
Andrzej Grudniok: Currently, driver training centers organize professional development courses combined with obtaining appropriate qualifications. Few organize training that supplements drivers’ knowledge, such as the EUROdriver training. The need for further training for professional drivers should become mandatory. Professional drivers are reluctant to participate in training. The reason –
constant driving and lack of time. They are more likely to use training where they obtain qualifications confirmed by a state exam.
I.N.: What should be the frequency of training given, for example, changing legal regulations and the introduction of newer technical solutions in the field of transport equipment and devices to the market?
A.G.: At least once every three years, as is the case in Austria and Germany, for example. Legal regulations change often, and, for instance, regulations regarding the transport of hazardous materials are amended very frequently. Communication between the driver and the dispatcher is slowly becoming very technically advanced. The driver already has navigation systems, new digital tachographs, and devices for recording their working time at their disposal. All this forces training centers to provide more and more information to professional drivers.
I.N.: What impact do EU funds have on the intensification of training organization? Are national funds not sufficient?
A.G.: Training is largely financed by the European fund. Many centers submit applications for grants for this purpose, which is why most training from EU funds is simply free. There are also commercial training courses organized by safe driving academies for drivers, for which one sometimes has to pay a lot. By definition, a professional driver only pays for the training where they obtain the professional qualifications they need. The most useful for a driver is training on ADR regulations.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka”, No. 2/2006.