A company driver (Czech: řidič referent) is an employee who drives a company car or their own car for work, but whose job is not driving. A sales representative, a technician, an office worker on a business trip or someone who visits customers are typical examples. A category B driving licence is enough. This lesson explains where the duty to train comes from and what the course covers.
Where the duty comes from
- Zákoník práce (the Czech Labour Code, Act No. 262/2006 Sb.), § 103(2): the employer provides employees with training in the occupational health and safety rules that relate to their work and the risks at the workplace. Driving a car for work is one of those risks.
- § 103(3): the employer itself decides the content and frequency of training, how knowledge is checked and how records are kept.
- § 106(4): the employee must take part in training provided by the employer and have their knowledge checked.
- Act No. 361/2000 Sb. on road traffic: the rules every driver must follow, whether driving privately or at work.
How often training is repeated
The law sets no fixed interval. There is no duty to train company drivers once a year. Under § 103, training is provided when someone starts work, when their job or type of work changes, when a new vehicle or procedure is introduced, and in cases that have a significant effect on safety. The employer decides on repeats according to risk.
In practice many companies train company drivers once a year. This is the employer's decision or its internal rule, not a legal requirement. That is why the certificate from this course is valid for 12 months: it is a practical period that companies often choose.
What this course does not cover
Professional drivers have a separate regime. Anyone who drives a lorry, a bus or another vehicle as their job needs a professional qualification under Act No. 247/2000 Sb. and periodic driver training. Special rules on driving times and rest also apply. This course does not deal with them. It is for employees with a category B licence who drive a car or a light van.
What the employer must still do itself
The course is only the general part. The employer still has to:
- assess the risks of journeys at work,
- decide how often to train,
- check the employee's driving entitlement and the technical condition of the vehicle,
- give instructions for the vehicle the employee actually uses (equipment, assistance systems, loading),
- keep records of training and instructions (§ 103(1) and (3)).
Whether the employer uses this course as part of its training is the employer's decision.
What to take from the course
The course has eight lessons: duties of the employer and the driver, traffic rules, preparing before a journey, fatigue and risks, a road accident, first aid, and finally a private car, travel expenses and liability for damage.
Summary
- The duty to train comes from § 103(2) of the Labour Code.
- The law sets no fixed interval. Annual repeats are common practice and the employer's choice.
- Professional drivers are governed by Act No. 247/2000 Sb. and this course does not cover them.
- The course certificate is not a professional qualification. It is proof that you completed the course and the test.