How Difficult is the Transport Manager CPC?

This is the most frequently asked question by prospective Transport Manager CPC students. The simple answer is, it’s tough!

The qualification is A level standard and is taught in as little as 10 days. In addition, some potential students have also not studied towards an exam for many years. Therefore, preparation is the key. Talk to your training provider, they will advise you on the most suitable CPC course for you and your level of experience.

The Transport Manager CPC

The CPC Syllabus

The Transport Manager CPC syllabus covers a wide range of subjects, from vehicle costings and basic accounting to driver scheduling and international transport. You tend to find that those who are coming from a transport background have a better understanding of the technical areas, such as drivers’ hours & vehicle maintenance, than those new to the industry.

 Conversely, those who are new or have been office based are stronger with the business elements of the course. This is why, when you choose a transport manager CPC course, you must get the right level of support and guidance to suit your needs. Sometimes, the cheapest route is not the best. A more supportive course will save you time and money on resitting your CPC exams.

How to pass the CPC exams

There are two CPC exams students must pass to gain the Transport Manager CPC qualification. A multiple choice paper and a case study exercise. The national average CPC pass rate is around 45 - 50%. This is the average of all CPC students who sat the course in that exam period. This will be a mixture of everyone, from those who sat a classroom or online CPC course to those who borrowed an old set of CPC notes from a mate. A training providers teachers directly impact the CPC pass rate. A good trainer will not only teach you the syllabus, but also how to put that knowledge it into practice in the final exams.

Multiple choice paper

Whether you are sitting the exam with CILT or SEG 70% is the average mark expected to pass this paper. You must get 42 out of 60 questions right (or 28 out of 40 with CILT), not an easy task.

With multiple choice, it’s practice, practice and more practice. All our transport manager CPC courses have a wealth of practice multiple choice papers for you to complete. These are completed online through our learner portal and can be retried as many times as you wish. Make mistakes, get questions wrong, this highlights areas that you need to work on.

Case study paper

The case study is open book, which means you can take your study material and any handwritten notes into the exam with you. The scenario is based on a “real world” example, and you will be expected to answer questions based on the scenario.

There are 60 marks available for both CILT & SEG case study exams. The nominal pass mark is 30 (50%). Candidate sitting the CPC case study exam must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, and apply that to answer the case study questions. Having access to your course material is a great resource. Couple that with the guidance of an experienced tutor, and you are well prepared to pass the CPC exams. Whether you are studying the Transport Manager CPC online, in an intensive classroom environment or by distance learning, with MDR you get access to a learner portal, where you will submit all your case study practice papers. Your tutor marks these and gives feedback and advice. Again, practice is key, make mistakes, it’s a great way to prepare to pass the final case study exam.

Useful resources to make passing the CPC easier

You can access a range of past papers from both OCR and the SEGA, the two main CPC awarding bodies. We have collated a selection of available past papers on our CPC past papers page. You will find the case study scenario, question paper and the associated examiners report. Remember, these alone are not enough to pass the CPC exam. You will need the guidance of a tutor, by attending an online CPC course or attending a classroom CPC course, or even studying through our distance learning CPC course.

So, is the Transport Manager CPC difficult?

As outlined earlier, yes, the Transport Manager CPC is a hard exam to pass. The syllabus is wide and covers a range of subjects. Sitting an exam is way outside many learners’ comfort zone, with some not having been in that environment for many years.

With the right support that suits your needs, you will be as prepared as possible to gain the Transport Manager CPC qualification.

Our most popular courses

If you are serious about passing your Transport Manager CPC qualification, look at our course options. We offer a range of courses to fit your work/life style. All our tutor supported courses have an excellent 1st time pass rate.

If you need to talk through the best option to pass the CPC exam, call the team on 01530 834 554.