L-3 MPRI, a provider of vehicle simulator products, services and turnkey training facilities, announced that Barrick Gold Corporation, a gold mining company, has purchased four MPRI driver training simulators. The simulators will provide light vehicle training to drivers at up to seven of Barrick’s sites on four continents. This marks the first time Barrick has used simulator-based training for light vehicle operators, and the purchase underscores Barrick’s unwavering commitment to safe mining practices.
“At Barrick and across our industry, light vehicle safety has been gaining attention as an area for improvement,” said Bruce Huber, senior director of health and safety for Barrick Gold Corporation. “MPRI’s simulator-based training provides our drivers with lifelike and multi-faceted defensive driving experience in a risk-free environment. Combined with online courses and an in-vehicle mentoring system, we expect the training will improve drivers’ skills and driving habits, reducing the number of high-potential light vehicle incidents over the next two years.”
After a competitive search, Barrick selected MPRI based on the quality of MPRI’s solutions, competitive price, and location in Salt Lake City, which eased logistics for kicking off implementation at its regional office there. Other factors, such as MPRI’s high resolution, three-panel plasma display technology, and the opportunity to eventually switch between light and heavy vehicle training, also supported Barrick’s decision.
For Barrick, MPRI has developed customized systems to simulate the Ford F-150 pickup truck, Chevy Silverado 2500HD pickup truck, and Toyota’s HiLux and Land Cruiser models. Depending on location, some simulators feature manual transmission and right-hand drive. The four simulators will be installed and deployed by early July in the U.S., Tanzania, Argentina and Australia.
