Professional Driver Enrichment
Online Fatigue Management Program
The Michigan Center for Truck Safety provides an online interactive fatigue management program that lays out the complexities of driver fatigue and provides countermeasures to use in combating and overcoming fatigue.
When commercial drivers are fatigued, they are at a substantially higher risk of crashes resulting in death or serious injury. Fatigue may result from; inadequate rest, sleep loss, and/or disrupted sleep, stress, excessive physical activity, and excessive mental and/or cognitive work.
Completing the online program will:
- Establish awareness of the effects of fatigue on the driver’s ability to operate a commercial vehicle safely
- Establish awareness of the most important factors that contribute to fatigue
- Establish awareness of the most common myths about fatigue effects
- Apply knowledge of fatigue prevention and how to manage fatigue
Professional Driver Coaching
Do your drivers increase or decrease the likelihood of collisions? If you aren’t sure, personal coaching can help. Drivers receive one-on-one attention on the road with a professional driving coach to enhance and encourage their skillful driving performance.
Our Driver Performance Measurement is a no-cost coaching tool designed to evaluate driver behaviors or responses compared to a standardized list of observable behaviors specific to location and traffic situation. Those behavior patterns that meet the demands of traffic situations and reduce hazards or likelihood of a crash are satisfactory, whereas behavior patterns that increase hazard and the likelihood of a crash are unsatisfactory.
During the one-hour coaching session, drivers will receive positive reinforcement of their good driving skills, as well as constructive feedback on opportunities for improved habits. At the conclusion of the coaching session, a final evaluation is shared verbally with the driver and in written form with the company.
The Center has a number of established courses around the state. There is no charge for this training. If you are interested in the Driver Performance Measurement training contact the Lansing office at (800) 682-4682 for lower Michigan or the Escanaba office at (800) 469-7364 for the Upper Peninsula.
Defensive Driving Course for Professional Truck Drivers
The Defensive Driving Course is no-cost and was developed and certified by the National Safety Council to teach and encourage defensive driving strategies to professional truck drivers. This free, four-hour* session may be scheduled and conducted at your office to provide you flexibility in meeting your safety needs. (Minimum of 10 participants are required).
This course is divided into 5 sessions with each building on knowledge learned in a previous session and includes opportunities to discuss the information presented. All relevant CDL information used in these sessions relies on the U.S. Department of Transportation as the source.
Check our calendar for programs scheduled that have room for additional students and register online. If you want to schedule a defensive driving program for your own drivers, call 800-682-4682 or email us for availability.
*This program contains 4 hours of material, including videos. The 4-hour time frame is extended by breaks and lunches.
This course addresses the following core defensive driving concepts:
- Defensive driving
- Preventable collisions
- Personal responsibility and driving to protect others
- Hazard recognition
The three factors that contribute to collisions:
- Driver
- Vehicle
- Conditions
The driving environment:
- Light conditions
- Weather conditions
- Road conditions
- Traffic conditions
- Other drivers
- Choosing safe and legal behaviors
Mobile Truck Simulator Program
Imagine this- you are driving on a two-way undivided road, you look down at the radio and when you look up, a vehicle has crossed the center-line and is headed toward you. If you are driving a heavy truck, your next action will most likely determine if the occupants of that vehicle survive. Would you make the right decision?
Drivers attending the Emergency Maneuvers course offered in our simulator know what the right decision is because they get to practice it and other potentially fatal circumstances without any risk of personal injury or property damage.
The Center’s Mobile Truck Simulator offers training to commercial drivers ranging from very specific collision avoidance techniques all the way to basic hazard perception methods. Simulators offer a controlled, risk-free environment in which virtually any scenario can be recreated and practiced.
Training courses are offered at no cost to Michigan companies and drivers. Each class is one to two hours in length and cover one of the following areas:
- Circles of influence (decision making, hazard perception)
- Adverse conditions (bad weather, low visibility)
- Emergency maneuvers (vehicle control, collision avoidance)
- Space management (following distance, space cushion)
- Speed management (vehicle handling, stopping distance)
* Classes are available throughout the State of Michigan (schedule permitting). And there is always at least one individual qualified to instruct classes in the simulator.
If you are interested in this simulator program, please call (800) 682-4682 or contact us today.