Is a Transport Manager CPC refresher mandatory?

No. There is currently no statute that explicitly states a Transport Manager must complete a refresher course every specific number of years.

However, “not mandatory” does not mean “optional without consequence”. Traffic Commissioners regulate outcomes — specifically road safety,
legal compliance, and the requirement for continuous and effective management.

When those outcomes are questioned (for example following a DVSA roadside stop, a maintenance audit, or a Public Inquiry call-up),
the regulatory spotlight immediately turns to evidence of competence.

What Traffic Commissioners actually assess

• Whether the Transport Manager has exercised continuous and effective management.
• Whether professional competence is current and maintained, not merely historic.
• Whether reasonable and proportionate steps were taken to manage compliance risks.
• Whether robust systems are in place and understood (drivers’ hours, maintenance, defect reporting).

“Can you demonstrate that you remained professionally competent and actively in control up to the point of the incident?”

What “expected” really means

• Current knowledge of operator licence undertakings.
• Understanding of enforcement priorities (brake testing, load security, OCRS).
• Evidence that knowledge has been refreshed over time.
• Proactive competence management — not reactive learning.

When CPD becomes difficult to defend not doing

• Returning to the industry after a period away.
• Acting as an external or remote Transport Manager.
• Managing business growth or increased fleet complexity.
• Following DVSA intervention or audit failure.
• Qualifications older than five years without refresher evidence.

Statutory Document No. 3 and CPD

Statutory Document No. 3 explains how Traffic Commissioners assess professional competence. While holding a CPC creates a presumption of competence,
that presumption can be rebutted where compliance standards fall.

VOL explained (and what it is not)

What VOL is

• The digital system for licence applications, variations and correspondence.
• The mechanism for submitting requested evidence when competence is reviewed.

What VOL is not

• It is not a Driver CPC-style CPD logbook.
• It does not automatically track refresher training.

What makes CPD evidence credible

• Recent (ideally within 2–5 years).
• Relevant to core Transport Manager duties.
• Substantial in scope and duration.
• Independently verified by a recognised provider.

Why the 2-day refresher benchmark exists

The 2-day refresher has become the accepted benchmark because it allows full coverage of compliance expectations, including maintenance,
drivers’ hours, OCRS, enforcement trends and workplace safety.

The risks of ignoring CPD

• Public Inquiry.
• Loss of good repute.
• Licence revocation for the operator.

Official sources and further reading

• 
  Key Traffic Commissioner Resources
  
• 
  Statutory Document No. 3 – Transport Managers
  
• 
  A Guide to Public Inquiries
  
• 
  Operator Compliance Audits
  
• 
  Goods Vehicle Operator Licensing Guide
  
• 
  Traffic Commissioners Strategic Objectives (Annual Report)