I recently observed a training session at a local CDL school. The trainer closely watched the student driver make his approach and prepare to back up between two trailers at loading dock number 14. It was a calm morning at the distribution center and the student was well positioned to execute the manoeuvre. As he stopped his vehicle, the air brakes made their typical squelching sound. The student looked carefully in his rear-view mirrors, gradually released the clutch to feel the friction point and backed up slowly. He determined his distances well and, having chosen his reference points, slowly turned the steering wheel to the right.

Oops - it should have been to the left. The trainer shook his head slowly; he's seen this before - a bit too far to the left, much too much to the right and everything in between. The student's face expressed surprise and embarrassment as he suddenly felt a strong vibration, followed immediately by the harsh sound of metal on metal. He'd hooked the trailer on the left. Remaining calm, the instructor estimated the damage at about $15,000.

Not to worry. Today that normal learner's error won't cost the school – or the student driver – a dime. That's because the student isn't behind the wheel of a big-rig. He's actually behind the controls of our truck simulator the school had recently acquired. The trainer instructed the student to start the exercise all over again.

Even though I work for the company that designed and manufactured the truck simulator, I'm continuously impressed whenever I observe a simulator-based training session in progress. My 33 years as a trainer and road safety researcher have convinced me that simulator-based driver training is one of the innovative solutions the transportation industry has been seeking. In today's climate of high fuel prices and high costs for driver recruitment and training, with the added economic pinch most carriers are feeling due to a drop in freight volumes, now is an opportune time for the industry to consider any driver training tool that not only reduces costs but also increases driver proficiency. Simulator technology is a particularly interesting option given the current state of CDL training in the industry today:

"The level of driving proficiency and knowledge required to earn a commercial drivers license (CDL) is widely regarded in the industry as well below the level required to be a safe and reliable driver in a full-time operational setting."

Source: CTBSSP Synthesis 1, "Effective Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Management Techniques" (Knipling, Hickman, & Bergoffen, 2003) (p.14).

"57% of Class 1 licence holders have had NO formal occupational training at all, based on national research findings from CTHRC."

Source: TRAINING SYSTEMS for TRUCK DRIVERS – BC Trucking Human Resource Planning Committee ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN and ACTION REPORT (November 10, 2006).

The goal of this blog is not to debate why the transportation industry's drivers are reportedly at such low levels. Rather, my goal is to raise industry awareness about the potential benefits demonstrated in the above training example and other related studies. If nothing else, further review of truck simulation seems to be merited given the dual challenges of providing re-training to the over three million truck drivers on the road today as well as efficient entry-level training for the new hires that will be needed as soon as this economy turns around – which it surely will.

Are current driver training methods adequately addressing the need for more proficient drivers? According to a recent study:

"The favourite method for training commercial drivers is a combination of classroom lectures and supervised driving. Most of the research findings on adult learning and instructional technology from the last 30 years have not been incorporated into many commercial driving training enterprises."

Source: Effectiveness of Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Training Curricula and Delivery Methods, A Synthesis of Safety Practice, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (2007).

How can we accelerate much needed improvements in truck driver training? One obvious method is to incorporate research findings from the last three decades on adult learning and instructional design into a simulator-based training program.

Consider that twenty years ago many pilots and pilot trainers were reluctant to accept flight simulators. Today the airline industry could not operate without them and we passengers would not want them to. The unique advantages of simulator-based training, for example, can train a CDL student in Texas how to recognize and handle black ice! This task is difficult if not impossible without a driving simulator. How can we reduce costs and increase throughput in a training program? Again simulation gives trainers a competitive edge. In the time it takes to do a single in-cab backing exercise, a student on a simulator can do ten. With a simulator, a student can run through a gear sequence a dozen times in the time they can do it in-cab once. In addition to covering more training content in less time, consider the fuel savings.

The fidelity, quality and knowledge in multi-million dollar flight simulators have now found their way into commercial vehicle simulation. What's more – with recent advances in computer graphics, the technology is now more affordable than ever – certainly much less than buying a truck for in-cab training. At the very least, I think the time has arrived for fleet executives to start asking questions.

The right training partner will help fleet operators bridge the gap between their existing driver proficiency results and results that will meet their business objectives – whether that's reducing fuel consumption or increasing safety results. The beauty about simulator-based training is measurability of driver performance – the number of shifts, optimal accelerations, and braking frequency and force can be tracked during training exercises. Improved driver performance correlates very nicely with improved fuel efficiency, fewer crashes and fewer repairs in the real world.

I'd love to learn your views about what you think are the most pressing driver training issues. Most fleet operators have considered incorporating simulator technology into their driver training program. If you use truck simulators, what do you like most or least about them? How can they best be improved? If you don't use simulators in your training, what do you need to convince you of their benefits? Feel free to email me your thoughts at the address above.

The next blog will be written by Remi Quimper, one of the aviation simulator engineers that founded Virage Simulation. He will be writing about his reasons for bringing advanced simulation technology from the aviation industry to the driver training industry.