Ensuring the skills of transport operators

In the transport sector, it has been observed over the last couple of years that the number of national and international road haulage and passenger transport operators is growing and more skills are needed. At the same time, it has been noted that the demand for foremen in the logistics and transport sector is increasing due to the increase in the number of transport companies. To start and operate as a transport operator, a traffic permit is required, in which the competence is determined once. After the approved performance, the permit is valid for the entire life and there is no later professional review. At European level, there is a common directive on Transport Operators Certificate, but implementation may vary from one Member State to another. The transport sector is currently at the center of rapid change and needs more coherence and training to better respond to change. Digitization, robotics, new technologies and environmental thinking are today in the transport sector that need information and training.

In order to support the skills of entrepreneurs and employees in the transport sector, new types of additional training, as well as profession-related information and skills, have been desired to facilitate everyday work. This desire and need was identified in different European countries, and at the same time the unity of the requirements of the whole profession and entry was sought to be clarified.

A group of project partners was formed around this idea, which created a frame of reference for the TOC – Transport Operators Competence project. The project received funding from the Finnish Erasmus + office in 2019 and was launched in October 2019.