Home > News > October 2004 > 21-Oct-2004

Simulators give flying start for truckers

Truck drivers may be trained in the future using simulators in the same way that airline pilots learn to fly.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has joined forces with the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) to work on truck simulation training.

TRL already operates a simulator called TRUCKSIM which uses a real truck cabin mounted on a motion platform surrounded by high quality visual screens. It can replicate real life driving characteristics with different load types and configurations, whilst demonstrating driving techniques, highlighting hazards and raising awareness of road safety.

The system can also simulate different driving conditions such as driving in bad weather, on snow, ice and react as a real lorry would when manoeuvring in those conditions. It can also be used to prepare younger drivers to gain essential experience before they take trucks out on the roads.

DSA's Chief Executive Gary Austin said: "This is an exciting time and we are looking ahead to see how we can utilise new technology to produce safer drivers. We are pleased to be working in partnership with TRL and hope that the work will encourage more people to join the truck driving profession."

The DSA, which is an executive agency of the Department for Transport, employs 2,334 staff, of which some 1,586 are driving examiners. In 2003/4 the Agency conducted almost 1.5 million tests for car drivers, 88,000 vocational tests and 93,000 motorcycle rider tests.

Dr Sue Sharland, Chief Executive of TRL, said:" We are delighted to have been given this opportunity to work with the Driving Standards Agency to further the field of simulation training for professional drivers."

Commenting on the partnership, Jason Vallint, TRL's Head of Logistics said "We believe that DSA involvement is fundamental to ensure appropriate synthetic training infrastructure is generated for the UK. It will be essential for simulation training tools to be developed, such as TRUCKSIM, in order that these systems can meet the future training needs of the industry".

TRUCKSIM is located at TRL's Simulation Training and Research (STAR) Centre in Wokingham, Berkshire and is part of a DfT initiative sponsored by the English Road Haulage Modernisation Fund. Currently TRL is commissioning both a static and mobile truck driving simulator training facility in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Executive.

External link

For more information on TRUCKSIM visit: www.trucksim.co.uk

For more information on the Driving Standards Agency visit: www.dsa.gov.uk

(DSA is one of the first Government Agencies to introduce an on-line booking service. Candidates can book their theory and practical tests directly at the DSA website.)

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