DECA Training is taking the heavy vehicle industry into the future with the introduction of Australia’s first driver training simulators, DriveSim. These state-of-the-art simulators have been designed and built in the U.S. specifically to suit the Australian market. 



Drivers of all levels, from trainee to advanced will now be able to develop their skills in a high tech environment comparable to flight training simulators for airline pilots. 

In addition to significantly maximising the efficiency of available training time, DriveSim helps overcome one of the major barriers to entry for drivers into the industry: Apprehension at having to learn a difficult craft on the road. . 

Many inexperienced drivers find it hard to change gears, manage speed and also have problems with hazard perception, following distances, observation and planning and vehicle manoeuvrability. DriveSim will help develop their skills in a safe environment and significantly more quickly.

The drivers feel as if they are in a real truck with quality audio and visual outputs that support the vehicle, traffic and road situations.  The simulator can replicate motion, braking and acceleration while taking into account gradients, load, weather and vehicle specifications.

DriveSim can simulate any vehicle on Australian roads, and can be used to train for any driveline with any combination of engine, gearbox or axle ratio. 

It can simulate anything from automatic to synchromesh or constant mesh gearboxes in Rigid Trucks, Semi Trailers, B-Double, B-Triple or Road Trains.

Two DriveSim units are fixed at DECA Training’s Altona North and Carrum Downs facilities with a third unit in a trailer for mobile training at clients’ premises.

Martin Pakula MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Ports, officially launched the equipment today and noted that Victoria was taking a leadership position in the development of skills for heavy vehicle driver training.

“These units will provide a revolution in how truck drivers are trained in Australia,” said Ian Bushby, Managing Director DECA Training.

“The transport industry is vital for Australia’s economic future.   Every day, every Australian is beholden to the industry whether for the delivery of goods from farms to warehouses, from warehouses to retail stores, or from wharves to warehouses and distribution across the country.

“There is a critical shortage of drivers in all classes of vehicle and it is imperative the industry markets itself to potential drivers of all ages and creates a clear and worthwhile career path.  We must meet the challenges of attracting and retaining highly skilled drivers.”
 
Bushby explained that the simulator featured a multi-channel gas plasma screen system and offered a wide range of complex driving environments.

“It is a safe, efficient and realistic way of training drivers and complements existing techniques.

“The simulator can create scenarios that you couldn’t produce under normal driving conditions and situations that drivers hope they never experience.  It can be programmed to put drivers into situations impossible to replicate in real life because of risks to personnel, road users and equipment.

“It can be programmed to simulate road conditions in city or country, on freeways or mountain roads, day or night, rain, fog or snow.

“New or experienced drivers can develop greater confidence by being able to repeat exercises until they react correctly,” Bushby said.

He noted that the DriveSim will save time and money by dramatically increasing the efficiency of driver training and education.

“Experience in the US suggests that one hour of training in the simulator could be worth up to four hours of in-vehicle training on the road.” 

He pointed out that the transport sector employs more than 420,000 people across the country.

“That’s 4.5 per cent of the workforce and it contributes five per cent of GDP.  A major problem is its ageing workers, most of whom are over 45 years.  Recruitment will remain a priority and retaining workers crucial to the future,” he said.