News
Launch of new multi-use B Double training vehicle
Posted on Tuesday, 1 September 2009 | Permalink
In launching Driver Safety Services' new multi-use B Double training vehicle in Devonport on 23 July 2009, the Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure, Graeme Sturgess, said the new vehicle would provide greater access for heavy vehicle driver licence training and assessment for the Tasmanian road transport industry.
The Minister said “With the forecast doubling of the freight task in Tasmania over the next 10 years, it is important that training facilities are put in place to meet the demand for highly skilled and safe drivers for high capacity B Double trucks and other heavy vehicles.”
CEO of Driver Safety Services, Doug Ling said “The new training vehicle, developed by Driver Safety Services is unique, with inbuilt hydraulics for ease of conversion from a B Double and Heavy Combination(semi-trailer) to a Heavy Rigid configuration in the one vehicle, providing flexibility for greater access for training and licence assessment for heavy vehicles across the state.”
The availability of the B Double training vehicle opens up greater access for training and obtaining a licence for drivers seeking to gain employment without an employer having to make a B Double available for licence training and assessment which is often restrictive and costly for the employer.” said Mr Ling.
To meet the shortage of well trained heavy vehicle drivers, particularly with an ageing work force in the road transport sector, Driver Safety Services, which is the Tasmanian road transport industry’s own driver training organisation, has developed nationally recognised Certificate III training packages which provide career paths in the road transport industry from the coach and bus industry, the forest industry, to the general freight and logistics industry.
Doug Ling said, “We are working with the road transport industry to press for reduction in driving age and insurance premiums for heavy vehicle drivers for those undertaking nationally recognised training packages.” Currently the minimum age for a light rigid truck or bus licence is 19 and insurance excesses are prohibiting young drivers under 25 entering the industry.
Driver Safety Services is incorporating its leading edge Crash free driver education program in its heavy vehicle training packages.
“Unlike traditional vehicle control and advanced training courses, the Crash free education program is a behavioural change program which has a lasting benefit, as it trains drivers to develop reflective techniques to enable a driver to continually assess their own performance as a safe driver and helps them to learn to manage the risks they are exposed to.” Mr Ling said.
For further information and photographs of the new training vehicle go to: uploads/file/B%20Double%20Configurations.pdf