THE ROLE OF ROAD TRANSPORT ASSOCIATIONS IN TRANSPORT TRAINING

 

A CONCEPTUAL MODEL

1. Introduction

In November 1998, the present Tacis project produced a “Report on Training for the Road Transport Industry” that made it clear that

  • There is no shortage of training resource to meet the needs, with a proliferation of transport training facilities all competing for a share of the available market on training for road transport operations
  • The quality of the training is variable and the standards are not uniform
  • The providers of training also examine their students themselves which gives rise to questionable value of certification considered in a wider—federal or even international—context, because
    • there will be an inevitable temptation to help students – either through prior coaching of students in the answering of questions which it is known will be asked or by tailoring course to cover just the subjects which it is known will be examined
    • it will be difficult to make a meaningful comparison of the standards of various courses or colleges or the value of certificates held by individual students. It is important that prospective employers are able to obtain the best possible information about applicants for a particular position.

Therefore, there is a need to ensure a level of quality control of road transport training centres and examination systems throughout the Russian Federation.

It is believed that Regional Road Transport Associations—possibly under the co-ordinating leadership of the Federal Association—can play a useful role in this respect. During the present project’s Study Tour to England (in December 1998), Regional Association and Ministry of Transport representatives suggested that the project should assist in specifying this role. The present paper attempts to do this.

 

2. Outline of Road Transport Associations’ role in the Training market

It is not recommended that the Regional Road Transport Associations themselves enter the traditional road transport training market which already shows over-capacity. However, there is a need to standardise training products, and provide a level of quality assurance for the whole of the transport training regime.

If it is accepted that ...

  • there is a need for the control of examinations to be removed from the training centres and
  • there is a need to standardise parts of the training courses leading to particular qualifications and
  • there is a need for training colleges to consult with industry concerning the development of new and improved courses which meet the new requirements of operators…

…then a number of opportunities arise for the Road Transport Associations to assist, without posing a direct or indirect challenge to the authority of the Ministry of Transport. By participating in the training management and monitoring process, the Associations will be merely ensuring that the policy objectives of the Ministry are implemented.

  • It is recommended to implement the following changes to the training system:

    • Creation of independent Examination Authorities to set standard examinations for specified key qualifications. It is not suggested that all examinations be standardised – merely those which affect the safety or legal compliance of the business to uniform (Federal) standards. In particular it is suggested that there should be a standard Federal examinations for the manager’s Certificate of Professional Competence and safety managers.
    • The examination authority will have no direct connection with training course providers, rather it will assess the quality of the students produced by the training providers. The examination authority’s role will be to set standard examination questions and to ensure that the examination organisers follow a standard procedure.
    • The examination authority will consist of experts of high academic and professional standing in Russia. It will be advantageous for the members to be chosen from a number of backgrounds, including the management of transport companies. This will ensure that the examination questions and topics are relevant to the demands of the transport industry. It is suggested that the road transport associations should be allowed to send a delegate to meetings of the authority at which examination questions are selected. The delegate or delegates will have previously consulted their members about their needs for knowledge and skills and ascertained their members views about the current examination system.
    • It is recommended that the Road Transport Inspectorate and the GIBDD be permitted and encouraged to send delegates to meetings of the Examination Authority. They will have first hand knowledge of the problems facing the industry – and the safety hazards which the road transport industry may pose to other road users.
    • It is recommended that an agreed federal syllabus be set for Professional Competence and safety qualifications, following consultation with the road transport industry through the regional associations and federal association. New requirements due to the changed (free market) conditions call for new subjects and 'updates' to be incorporated in both syllabi and examinations (e.g. 'transport finance and economics')
    • It is recommended that a Question Bank be developed and updated for examinations to be used by all providers
    • It is recommended that the pass mark for the various examinations be standardised, so that levels of competence required to attain qualifications is broadly the same
    • It is recommended that random unannounced visits to examination centres be held, to ensure that the examination rules are being followed. It is suggested that the regional associations could be employed to do this under contract. This would give them a source of income and would avoid the need for employment of permanent staff.
    • It is recommended that the examination authority, or some other body, be given the responsibility of studying legislative developments in e.g. the EU so that the regulatory laws of Russia may be harmonised where necessary.
    • Many of the books and notes used are old. In many cases this problem is due to a lack of funds, rather than resistance to change. It is recommended that new updated texts be prepared centrally. This will ensure that students have access to information of uniform quality and will reduce the costs of production. Road Transport Associations may be given permission to sell the standard texts / discs for a small profit. It may also be possible to disseminate centrally prepared materials via the Internet.
    • Training the trainers: The first step towards improving the standards of training should be the harmonisation and monitoring of examinations, as this will enable impartial comparison of training providers. Once this has been achieved, it may be considered desirable to set minimum standards for the education and updating of knowledge of trainers.

    Summarising, the market niche that can be fulfilled by the Associations is to:

    • disseminate the agreed/standardised Syllabus for Professional (road transport operators) Competence examinations for (1) Entry into the profession, and for (2) Other safety- and legislation-related transport subjects
    • develop and maintain a Question Bank for examinations which will be applied by all recognised training providers
    • conduct ad hoc inspection visits at examination centres.

    Although so far, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) has assumed most of this role (e.g. ‘certification’ of regional training centres), this is not necessarily the most effective and efficient way.

    The logical starting point of this present proposal is the fact that transport legislation is the prime responsibility of the Ministry of Transport (MoT), where the Automobile Department must prepare new legislation which is then processed by MoT's Legal Department. Licensing of transport operators and associated enforcement is the task of MoT’s Transport Inspectorate (RTI). Transport legislation is in almost continuous change or adaptation. It must by definition be dynamic, and will over time converge with standards abroad as trade with major trading blocks in East and West grows.

    While the Ministry of Transport is the prime actor in this legislative field, it is also well-positioned to help formulating Syllabi for training providers, which are consistent and regularly updated in accordance with legislative updates. It would be appropriate for the Ministry to initiate the establishment of a “Transport Training Schemes Council” which meets regularly (1) to review the Syllabi and (2) to set the Examinations which measure competence to agreed standards.

    The main strength of the Regional Associations—co-ordinated by the Federal association—will be their outreach into all areas of the country and the network that they, thus, could create and maintain with the necessarily de-centralised training providers. Of course, the Ministry of Education has its own ‘historical’ role and responsibilities in relation to (any) professional training programmes and centres, and its participation in any proposed reform and changed approach will be essential for achieving the intended improvements.

    Therefore, the proposed “Transport Training Schemes Council” shall be composed as follows:

    • Ministry of Education representative(s)
    • Ministry of Transport, (Automobile/)Training Department
    • Russian Transport Inspectorate (part of MoT)
    • Federal Road Transport Union (RRTU)

    Either the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Transport would chair the Council, but its Secretariat could possibly best be run by the Federal Road Transport Union’s representatives. The attached schematic diagram (Annex-A) illustrates the roles and interaction of the various bodies and parties. They are further described in the following sections.

     

    3. The Transport Training Schemes Council

    Proposed composition

    • 1 Chairperson from Ministry of Education or Ministry of Transport
    • 1 nominee from Ministry of Transport or Ministry of Education (depending on Chairperson’s origin)
    • 2 nominees from Russian Transport Inspectorate (part of MoT- one from Moscow, one from Region)
    • 2 nominees Federal Road Transport Union (RRTU)

    The Council will meet quarterly to review legislative change, devise Syllabi and build a Question bank for training courses. The courses covered would include:

    • Professional Competence - Freight transport
    • Professional Competence - Passenger transport
    • Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road

    !! 2 items deleted

    Others may be added as deemed necessary.

    The Council—with its limited size—is a ‘policy making body’. It needs ‘ad hoc’ or more permanent Work groups supporting it, particularly during the first years of its existence.

    The first updating of (most) Syllabi will be a demanding job. A dedicated Task force would be needed for this, selecting what is good among all the existing training materials, throwing overboard all less essential or outdated materials, and filling up some identified gaps with modern or updated training materials. The Council should prepare the Brief for this Task force, and ensure that it produces what is required within a certain time limit.

    The Question bank would be built using a computer database from which random selection for examinations may be selected. Confidentiality and integrity of the system will be maintained concurrent with uniform, high standards. The inter-Regional communication system between the Federal Union and the Regional Associations must become the guarantee for this. It is the (Federal) Union and (Regional) Associations’ fundamental interest to protect the good image of the (road transport) industry.

    There is an inter-relationship between the Syllabi contents and the Examinations (Question bank), calling for co-ordination between the parties working on these subjects.

    Another important feature or task is the establishment of ‘pass marks’ for the examinations which would be set by the Council.

    Annex-B to this report provides an example of how a new or updated "Certificate of Professional Competence" - for Road Haulage and for Passenger Transport respectively - could be constituted.

     

    4. Ministry of Transport

    The Ministry needs to play its leading role of determining transport policy and legislation aimed at optimum safety and economic development of transport.

    Participation in the “Transport Training Schemes Council” will further re-inforce the quality, financial standing and enforcement standards that are so necessary for the sector.

     

    5. Russian Transport Inspectorate

    Whilst being invited to participate in the “Transport Training Schemes Council” to contribute in terms of Syllabus and Question bank development, RTI’s role and function will remain unchanged. The clear advantage of its participation will be that when Licenses are granted, they will only do so to “bona fide” applicants who can produce a Certificate of Professional competence based on the Standards approved by the Transport Training Schemes Council.

    6. Federal Road Transport Union

    This new organisation will act as the Secretariat to the Transport Training Schemes Council and will issue the (approved) Training course Syllabi.

    It will also be the guardian of the Question bank, will supervise the examinations process, and will issue certificates on behalf of the Council via the appropriate Regional Associations. The cost of providing this service can be recoverable from the examination fee charged to candidates who enrol for the examination.

     

    7. Regional Road Transport Associations

    All (certified) Transport Training Providers will be required to be members of the Regional Road Transport Associations (in many cases, they already are). The Regional Association will issue examination papers to the qualified or approved Training Centres at the appropriate time and will carry out ‘ad hoc’ inspections of examinations, checking:

    • that exams are held properly
    • security of question and answer papers
    • the identity of candidates.

    The funding of this activity will be via the examination fees structure.

    Additionally, the Regional Association will provide—or organise annual up-date training for the Training Providers’ instructional staff. This would be a revenue-earning stream for the Association, as the update training would be mandatory if training providers wish (1) to continue as an approved centre and (2) to be able to offer training certification approved by the Transport Training Schemes Council. Without this training, it would not be feasible to guarantee that the training provided is in accordance with the changes on the transport law and/or with (gradually) more strict enforcement.

     

    8. Transport Training Providers

    In numerical terms, the Transport Training market is well served by training providers. It is the quality of training to consistent standards which is the questionable element. By being a member of the Regional Association, the Transport Training provider will receive:

    • up-to-date syllabi in accordance with ‘national’ standards
    • up-to-date training for instructional staff
    • a supply of trainees via the license applications (RTI) and the Regional Association member companies
    • an inferred quality mark for their training.

    The Training providers with the best exam-pass rates are likely to be the most successful in attracting new candidates. The sensitivity for price differentials will decline if the quality of the training delivered fails to enable candidates to reach the pass mark. The Regional Associations shall make it their business (interest) to monitor and provide information on Training providers quality and exam-pass rates.

    Training providers will need to re-state their pricing policy for training to separate the cost of training from the examination fees which be set—at a common ‘national’ level—by the Transport Training Schemes Council.

    The first step towards improving the standards of training should be the harmonisation and monitoring of examinations, enabling impartial comparison of training providers. Once this has been achieved, it will be desirable to set minimum standards for the education and updating of knowledge of trainers.

    The first steps in a (Re-)Training of Trainers programme would be to introduce a system of accreditation for trainers - taking into account their previous qualifications and perhaps their results in a further test - and to set requirements for re-training and updating.

    The road transport associations could be given the responsibility of vetting applications for accreditation and ensuring that the rules of continuing education were complied with. Employers of prospective students – or the students themselves – would be able to consult the association to find details of accredited instructors and courses in their region.

     

    9. Transport Operators

    The involvement of the Associations in the quality auditing and monitoring of training in the manner described will ensure that Transport Operators have staff trained to defined, consistent standards.

    Their membership of Regional Associations will become an accepted norm for easy access to training of the required level, certified by the Transport Training Schemes Council.

    Only by designing a “closed-loop” system in this way will cheap, sub-standard training (disregarding controlled examination procedures) be eradicated. Costs for training may altogether rise slightly, but the pricing is to be uniformly applied and eventually pressed on to the user of transport.

     

    10. Final remark

    The various players—Operators, Associations, Transport Inspectorate and Ministry of Transport—need to get “their act” together to enrol the Transport Training providers in the type of reform described here. The proposed Transport Training Schemes Council needs to initiate such reform and provide the necessary leadership and authority to implement the advocated “closed-loop” system.

     

    Annex-A - Schematic Diagram of Interaction of various Bodies/Agencies

    e_trai_niche_asso.gif (12800 bytes)

     

    Annex-B - Example Syllabus for "Certificate of Professional Competence in Road Haulage"

     


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