Virtual Driver Training: The New Reality

Whether fueled by low wages, cut-backs in overtime or a myriad other possible reasons, driver turnover on the ramp is a reality and can be costly when inexperienced drivers are left to learn on the job. Many airport drivers get little more than a driving test and some OJT before they start driving in a complex ramp environment. But inexperience, and inattention, of course, can be really costly, with slight dents and dings being extremely expensive to repair. The costs of a serious accident with an aircraft can be staggering. Total ground damage costs globally can run in the hundreds of millions annually.    With new virtual airport driver training software, improved driver safety, can be as close as a computer screen. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a virtual reality driver training session at Logan International Airport. The software program I tried out was an excellent representation of the airport environment, including the runway, taxiway and ramp. There are several commercially available software providers who have made airport driver training the virtual equivalent of pilot simulator training.     Just like the arcade games of many of our childhoods, a “driver” manipulates an actual steering wheel and steers a virtual vehicle on a screen in front of him.  But there the comparison to yesteryear’s game ends.  Today’s computer simulations are amazing re-creations of the airport environment, with obstacles and driving challenges even seasoned drivers could benefit from.  The beauty of these programs is that they can train drivers on all the hazards that are likely to be encountered on an airport, without the risk of those hazards.   Users of this type of training end up better trained at a fairly nominal cost.