Had an interesting debate last night about learner drivers carrying goods whilst still learning. I’m mainly meaning a driver out delivering to customers with someone in the cab instructing them.
Does anyone know what the legalities of this would be? I always thought that not having a DQC card would put a stop to this. But I have seen it happen.
Any ideas?
As I understand it, the L driver would need cpc and tacho card. But there is no problem with driving commercially under supervision.
Pete 
Peter Smythe:
As I understand it, the L driver would need cpc and tacho card. But there is no problem with driving commercially under supervision.Pete
Pete is spot on because the learner is driving commercially
That also applies if the supervising driver does the driving whilst loaded on the outward journey and the learner drives it empty on the return journey because the whole journey comes under commercial driving
Most companies had a set of HGV L plates in the garage for the next man to take to the road. I cant see why getting rid of the HGV L would change anything.
I remember a lad who only rode a motorbike worked in the yard, drove the shunter and he could put a trailer anywhere, he booked a driving lesson and test then took the whole lot in an F86 artic with a provisional car licence
trucktruck86:
Had an interesting debate last night about learner drivers carrying goods whilst still learning. I’m mainly meaning a driver out delivering to customers with someone in the cab instructing them.Does anyone know what the legalities of this would be? I always thought that not having a DQC card would put a stop to this. But I have seen it happen.
Any ideas?
IMHO, that’s a great question trucktruck86!! 
I know that there are two angles to this, one being purely the driving licence angle, which is already well understood by most people.
The real (and separate) question is about DCPC, which does need an authoritative answer, especially for the situation that you and Wheel Nut have given, because most LGV C (or C1) trainees probably don’t have their initial DCPC.
I think the source of that answer might be the DVSA (or maybe JAUPT,) but the question would need to be a good one so that the answer would also be good.
I’d suggest: When normally allowable DCPC exemptions cannot apply, what (if any) DCPC does a provisionally licensed LGV Cat C (or C1) driver need whilst driving a loaded LGV for his employer when under supervision by a correctly qualified LGV driver who already has his own valid DCPC?
Said in a different way… does the lack of a DCPC prevent a provisional LGV C (or C1) driver from receiving on-the-job training which includes driving the vehicle?
If I remember I will try and get an answer from DVLA or DVSA on this as the rules may have changed
The gov dcpc examples do not make this issue clear
It used to be that a learner was exempt if driving an empty vehicle that was not part of a commercial journey but the wording on the gov site has changed from when I last checked it a few years ago
I’ve made an enquiry and await an authoritative reply. I expect this may well be after the weekend.
Pete