MPRI, a manufacturer of vehicle and maritime simulator products, services and turnkey training facilities, announced that its Mark III Motion-Based Driver Training Simulator and associated training program are now in operation at Walker Concrete in the Atlanta area. On May 7th, the company held a grand opening event for state and local government and safety officials to unveil its new MPRI product and demonstrate the Mark III’s capabilities.
Walker Concrete is a supplier of concrete products and related services in the south metro Atlanta area, with more than 150 trucks, 250 employees and nine locations.
“The Mark III has proven to be an invaluable tool in training our drivers,” said Doug Walker, owner, Walker Concrete. “We started training drivers in early January and so far our safety record this year has been phenomenal. And we’ve already seen a huge decrease in maintenance costs due to clutch and brake adjustments.”
The Mark III combines a fully operational truck cab with digital simulation technology and sound and vibration systems to create life-like training experiences to improve driving skills and behaviors. The unit also includes computer-based curriculum and a classroom program to leverage the educational benefits of a variety of training modalities. Walker officials customized the simulator to mimic the heavy weight and nine-foot center of gravity of a rotating ready-mix concrete truck. They plan to combine initial training of new drivers with regular recertification of experienced ones to ensure the highest possible level of learning retention.
“At Walker Concrete, the protection of our people, our environment and those we share the roads with is of critical importance,” said Jim Simpson, vice president of Risk Management, Walker Concrete. “We foster a culture of continuous learning and safety for all, and our new MPRI simulator is the focal point of our driver training program.”
“The Mark III simulator can easily be tailored to provide realistic training for any commercial vehicle under virtually any driving conditions,” said Terry Tucker, senior vice president of MPRI. “The simulator’s versatility allows safety-conscious companies in a wide range of industries to instill their drivers with the skills and instincts to safely react to whatever scenarios they encounter.”
