Long-Haul Learning

The Internet and advances in mobile communications make driver training available anytime, anywhere.

Jim Beach • Technology Editor

Driver training should be a never-ending process, and most fleets fully understand and acknowledge that notion. No question about it: An effective driver training program yields real results.

"If you train drivers well and frequently, you should expect reduced accidents and losses," says Bruce Weiss, executive vice president of Instructional Technologies Inc., which provides driver-training materials for the trucking industry. For long-haul fleets, the problem has been getting that training to drivers who spend weeks at a time on the road.

Carriers have addressed this issue by making training available to drivers when they were at a terminal or other company location through kiosks or computer-based training systems. Installed at terminals, or in some cases, truckstops, these systems allow drivers to either watch a safety video or take training lessons. Using web-based programs, truckers can access the training from their laptops or any other computer with an Internet connection.

For instance, drivers at U.S. Xpress can access training materials at their terminals or they can receive the videos via a web portal using their notebook computers. In 2005, U.S. Xpress began installing the DriverTech TruckPC on-board computing and communications system in its fleet. The units installed at U.S. Xpress come preloaded with training videos. The company is exploring the potential of the system to deliver additional training-related materials as well as other content to their drivers.

At Smithway Motor Express, Ft. Dodge, Iowa, James Hendrix, simulator instructor and director of online training, says his company has seen a drop in accidents since they have been using online training coupled with their simulator training. Drivers are assigned a course each quarter, which they can take over the Internet from their own computer or at a computer at one of Smithway's terminals. Hendrix says driver response has been excellent, despite some early misgivings. "A number of drivers will take courses beyond the ones they have been assigned to take."

The company assigns some courses based on seasonal factors, such as winter driving. Other courses may be assigned as part of remedial efforts following an accident or incident.

"If somebody has had some trouble, we'll bring them in here to Ft. Dodge and assign courses based on the incident," Hendrix says. That is followed by time in the company's simulator and then more online courses.

According to GeoLogic CEO John Lewis, his Virginia-based company is working on delivering training materials to drivers in the cab over the firm's new driver display units, which became available earlier this year. "Online training has been taking place for some time in fleet centers, but not in the cab," Lewis said in an interview earlier this year.

Current communications technologies make delivering that content possible. Brian McLaughlin, vice president of market and product planning with PeopleNet Communications in Minneapolis, says a high-bandwidth network and quality display allows training videos or other content to be delivered directly to the onboard communications system.

RyderSafetyServices.com is an e-commerce site operated by Ryder Systems that re-sells Instructional Technologies Inc.'s TREAD-1 and PRO-TREAD products. Scott Gates, general manager of Ryder Fleet Products, says online driver training applications are becoming more popular.

"Fleets sign up their drivers, you'll find owner-operators, you'll find many different types of companies that sign up for this online training," Gates says. "Our largest customer right now is Ryder's Supply Chain division drivers. You'll see companies that want to train all of their drivers. You'll see companies that just want to try a few lessons. Owner-operators take the courses because they are required to have training as well. As they have Internet access, they can get the training."

Training available at RyderSafetyServices.com include courses on backing and docking, speed management, defensive driving, hours of service, driver wellness, driver qualifications, log books, fuel management, space management, visual search, accident procedures, fatigue management, night driving, winter driving, pre-trip inspections, skid control and communications.

Institutional Technologies introduced its TREAD-1 product in 2000. It included Macintosh computers pre-loaded with ITI's training programs and installed at a fleet's terminals. The computers connected to ITI's database via telephone or T1 line. Drivers enter an ID number and take a lesson. The results are uploaded to the company's database. A fleet's safety manager can log into the system to review results.

Drivers may have to take a lesson following an incident like a speeding ticket or minor accident. Or they may be require to take a winter driving course in September, before the harsh weather sets in. The most successful companies are those that require consistent and on-going training, Weiss says. He says one carrier he works with requires every driver to take two courses per quarter. "It's like joining a gym; if you join a gym to lose weight, you have to go to the gym and work out to get results."

As for those drivers that don't think they need re-training, Weiss refers to the mandatory training the airlines require of their personnel.

Smith System of Arlington, Texas has been offering driver training since 1952. The company's online truck driving courses include "The 5 Keys to Safe Driving," which covers such topics as the reasons for traffic accidents, proper following distances, avoiding rear-end collisions and other topics. Drivers complete the course and a 20-question test. Results are stored in a database that fleet management can access at anytime.

In terms of driver training, a truck's mobile communications system can do more than just deliver a training video or lessons. Tied into the onboard computer, safety managers can also track risky driving behaviors such as frequent speeding, hard stops or excessive G-forces. Using this information, safety managers can target these drivers for extra remedial training.

For instance, when the on-board recorder shows a driver has been driving at excessive speeds a number of times, his fleet manager could require him to take a course on speed management. If the on-board recorder shows a number of hard-braking incidents, the driver might be required to take a lesson on space management.

"In the past, the re-education would be after an accident," Weiss says. "Now, a manager can remediate before an incident, based on the information the onboard computer relays back to fleet headquarters."

Regular driver training and refresher courses help fleets reduce accidents and liability exposure, and current technologies means the training drivers need is never very far away – available in the cab or over the Internet.