Mar 4, 2008

Garbage Truck Drivers Get Simulator Training

There is perhaps no group of drivers that is more underappreciated than our refuse truck drivers nationwide. They do a difficult job that requires a significant degree of skill, and for their trouble they are often derided, honked at or worse. Now, we’re happy to say, garbage truck drivers are getting new respect in the form of a national training program.

MPRI, a well-regarded expert in vehicle simulator training, has joined with the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) to deliver state-of-the-art training to drivers in 12 cities across the country. The campaign marks the first time that refuse truck driver training has been provided on a national scale through state-of-the-art, simulator-based technology. Simulators are a valuable training tool, providing drivers the opportunity to practice complex driving scenarios in a risk-free environment. Safety is a top concern in the $50 billion waste management industry with waste collection frequently identified as a high-hazard occupation.

Each two-hour training session will feature standard classroom and computer-based training as well as hands-on driving time on MPRI's TranSim VS IV simulator. Because there are different types of waste collection vehicles, MPRI designed the simulator's software to support a variety of equipment including residential and automatic tippers and commercial collection haulers. Since the events will take place in metropolitan settings where drivers must often operate in tight spaces such as alleys, training will focus heavily on space management and backing up.

NSWMA also recently launched a national safety awareness campaign, called “Slow Down To Get Around” to generate public awareness of the need to slow down and give waste collection workers the space they need to do their jobs safely. Together, the training and public awareness campaigns are expected to contribute to the steady downward trend in workplace injuries for solid waste workers.

Next Driving Today News>>