A boost to safety
Seven female professional drivers from different industries arrived at the test track in Augsburg to be met by two MAN trainers and their training vehicles. Awaiting them was a top quality driver safety training course, which would give the women lots of great tips for their day-to-day work.
The two driving trainers Michael Noll and Marco Schieber welcomed the seven winners from the WoMAN TGX campaign to the test track in Augsburg. The full day course was designed to provide the drivers with theoretical and practical knowledge and useful information about driver safety. This included an introduction to assistance systems and how to use them correctly, correct assessment of braking distances, health and safety in the cab work place, pre-departure checks and correct adjustment of the mirrors – the list of topics was long and, of course, the women had their own expectations for the training. At the top of the agenda were responding correctly in unfamiliar situations and rapid and correct responses to other road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians. Developing their skills and facing up to situations head on were important issues for the participants. For example, professional driver Martina recounted an experience with her drawbar trailer combination which she spun on black ice during the winter. It was particularly dangerous because she drives a milk collection tanker. Manuela, meanwhile, drives a fire engine and is responsible for the team sitting in the truck with her.
Emergency braking at 30, 50 and 60 km/h
To enable the drivers to get as much practical experience as possible, they got straight into the test vehicles. A wide range of vehicles was available: With a MAN TGX with dump trailer or silo trailer, MAN TGL, MAN TGM and a brand new MAN TGX semitrailer tractor, there was no shortage of variety. The first exercise involved learning how to perform emergency braking at different speeds. It was a real challenge, which the participants initially tackled with some hesitation. Considerations included how the vehicles would respond on different surfaces – wet, dry, slippery.
“The driving up at different speeds in the training was great. First of all the trainers watched how I do it and then showed me another way. I think that will make me safer.”
“Emergency braking at 30, 50 or 60 km/h means depressing the brake pedal all the way”, explains driving trainer Michael Noll seriously. “The only way to internalise this and ultimately be successful is through personal perception, testing and practice”, said the experienced trainer. Gradually, the drivers lost their shyness and became more confident slamming on the brakes and then continuing the journey correctly.
“Our aim here is to get across the importance of not responding to difficult situations in a panicky way. The drivers need to become fully aware of what they have learned and the method they have tested”, explains driving trainer Marco Schieber, addressing one of the training’s key goals.The course also dealt with how I as a driver should brake correctly when an assistance system such as ESP or ABS engages and responds. This involved driving exercises with targeted braking, correct steering and avoiding obstacles on a wet and slippery surface. Renate, who has been driving a MAN TGS carrying heating oil and diesel for two years, enjoyed the “wow effect” of the training. “The driving here was amazing. You hope you never experience the situations and evasive manoeuvres we’ve been practising here on the road in real life.”
Trucker Johanna was also impressed with the training in Augsburg: “The exercises on wet and slick roads when the truck slips and you have to counter steer and slam on the brakes – that was what I found most interesting. Trusting yourself to do it. Day to day I would have been scared of ending up on the wrong side of the road. The training was excellent.” The driving trainers are delighted with the positive feedback and are certain that their students really learned a lot from the day in Augsburg. With the advanced knowledge of how to keep control of their trucks, they will be able to trust their skills much more in the future.
Are you interested in driver safety training or do you need another kind of training? You can find all the information about the wide range of options available from MAN ProfiDrive here.