KEN'S KORNER - OCTOBER 2006

TEST YOUR SKILLS
BY AUTHOR, EDUCATOR & DRIVER KEN SKAGGS

The moment I laid eyes on Dart Transit’s “Safety Advantage” simulator, I was blown away. It was at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, KY back in March where I met Darin Heinemeyer, who was showing it off to a very long line of eager drivers. I didn’t wait in line; I just flashed my 10-4 Magazine credentials and was let in ahead of the line. Of course, I didn’t get to drive it, but I did get to see it being driven and the way it tilts when braking or turning, and was amazed at the difficulty of the challenges onscreen that were given to the driver in the simulator.

I remembered driving a simulator in my high school Driver’s Ed class back in the 1970’s, but that was so fake, it was a joke. This truck simulator that Dart has is amazing. Of course, technology has come a long way since then, so anybody would expect it to be better than something from the 70’s, but this thing seems so real, it compares to the flight simulators that pilots and even astronauts use.

We’ve all known about flight simulators for some time. Pilots are required by law to spend a certain amount of time in them to obtain their pilots license. I wouldn’t be surprised if trucking gets to that point one day. Until then, Dart Transit is leading the way with this baby. No one else has anything that comes close. I know Schneider has a whole bunch of them, but theirs are not mobile like Dart’s and theirs are designed to train beginners about the basics.

Dart Transit’s simulator was not created for entry-level driver training. It was created so that experienced drivers could test their skill and see what it’s like to face drastic situations. Some of the scenarios drivers can face are based on actual accidents. They’ll be tested on how they handle hot brakes, tire blowouts, road hazards, high, moderate and low speed controlled recovery techniques, as well as safe driving maneuvers with liquid truckloads while engaged in traffic. There are thirty-six scenarios in all.

When Dart Transit bought the simulator about a year ago, they were looking for ways to improve driver retention, safety and recruiting. And, being a long-time driver myself, I’d have to agree. What better way is there to attract or keep a driver than to keep him safe (and let him have some fun)? Most experienced drivers think they know what they’d do in certain road hazard situations, but most of them have never actually had to face it. I think just about every driver reading this would love to test their level of skill in a jackknife, rollover, bad weather, you-name-it situation, without the risk of getting hurt.

Another neat thing about the simulator is that you can plan your disastrous trip. You can actually program it to give you heavy traffic, aggressive drivers, sharp turns, bad weather and accident causing situations that will test your skill on a level of reality that rivals a bad dream. And even if you do jackknife or roll it over, you can laugh about it and learn from it. One of the safety honchos at Dart did in fact roll it over once, but he shall remain nameless. Of course, the cab doesn’t actually roll over, but you do feel the bumps and turns, hills, acceleration, deceleration and even the wind.

Everything about the simulator is very realistic, even the full-size cab. Behind the wheel, you will face some stressful situations and conditions, but this time it will actually be fun. It even does backing challenges, tight parking spaces and blind spot situations.

I talked to Elaine Briles at Dart (she handles all of the promotion and scheduling for the simulator) and she said, “Every single driver who ever tried it, absolutely loved it. There hasn’t been one that complained or thought it was a waste of time.” I saw that for myself too at the trucking show previously mentioned. After “driving” the simulator, most people come out shaking their head and smiling. They leave with a story of how they were cut-off, or drove through a snowstorm, or turned left when they should have turned right, or something. But the best part is, no animals get hurt in the process.

The simulator is built in a fifty-three foot trailer and was made to be completely mobile. Dart even leases it out to companies who want to let their drivers test their skills on it. I have no idea how much it costs to lease, but I’m sure it’s worth it, considering the fact that you can practice life-saving maneuvers. They are booked weeks in advance, so it’s a pretty hot commodity. You can learn all about it and even schedule a stop for it at your company by going to their website (www.dartadvantage.com). I think every driver should try it. It’s sure to teach even a veteran driver something. And who knows, you just might learn something that could save your life.

Being the safe driver you are, I’m sure you drive down the road expecting the unexpected. You imagine what can possibly happen at any given time and what evasive actions you’d take if it did happen. Why not put yourself to the test and see if you were right, instead of finding out the hard way? They take the simulator to many of the truck shows around the country, so stop and check this thing out when you can. You won’t regret it. Well, you might regret the line for a little while, but after your visit to the simulator, you’ll be glad you went. While at the show, be sure to stop by the 10-4 Magazine booth to say “hello” and get some free stuff, or maybe buy a few of our laminated placemats and a t-shirt. I’ll continue to keep you informed on all of the latest doohickeys out there. In the meantime, be safe!

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