Winter storms are growing more powerful, becoming more frequent, and striking more quickly than ever before. Chaotic winter weather wreaks havoc on a community, including automobile accidents, economic losses for businesses, disruptions in school schedules, and strains on municipal budgeting for snow removal. We need a well-trained snow plow operating crew to minimize these serious costs to communities.
The quick onset of these more severe storms is especially concerning. It requires a very different response, one more akin to firefighting than traditional snow removal strategies. That, in turn, demands a whole new approach to training snow plow operators
Driver simulation training solutions enable training at any time of year, in any weather, with absolutely no risk to equipment, crews, or the community. A 2022 study from the University of Cincinnati found that snow plow simulator training is among the safest and most effective approaches to driver training.
Plow drivers typically join a crew in the autumn, and must begin training before winter weather strikes in earnest. With a FAAC snow plow simulation solution, you can reap all of these training benefits before the first flakes start to fly.
FAAC draws on decades of experience building simulation for the military, law enforcement, and emergency and rescue operations to craft an “operator-centric” snow plow simulator. Every design decision is focused on giving the trainee the most realistic and engaging experience, and the trainer the most control possible over that experience.
FAAC’s current generation of snow plow simulator is an expansion of our proven FAAC TT 2000 Truck Driver Training Simulator. This has been coupled with an advanced snow plow-specific simulation environment, optimized for the full range of extreme weather training tasks. It can be used for basic skills development, refresher activities, annual certification, and remedial lessons.
FAAC sims use real OEM components and gauges so students’ experience in our cab can perfectly replicate their experience using your plows to clear your roadways.
Mastering plow driving takes more than a “textbook” familiarity with equipment mechanics. FAAC sims go a step further to replicate the sensory factors of driving—including speed, road friction, wind impact, snow dynamics, and visibility. This gives trainees a realistic experience of what they can expect driving in even the toughest conditions.
FAAC’s proprietary SmartNode™ software creates realistic seat bounce and vibration from elements such as acceleration and braking, turning, and curb strikes. The system coordinates out-the-window visual scenes and vehicle sounds, provides signals to dashboard instruments, and senses then responds to student inputs, such as hard braking and oversteering.
FAAC’s IOS (Instructor Operator Station) software includes lesson planning and evaluation tools, as well as exclusive real-time controls. This vital component provides a direct, real-time link between instructors and students. Instructors can precisely and accurately craft prepared training scenarios that mimic real-life challenges and hazards specific to your region and community. Or they can modify a scenario on the fly to create greater engagement or explore new learning opportunities as they arise.
Through hands-on immersive simulation training, your drivers will not only become adept at the fundamentals of snow plow operation, they will also acclimate to the real-world stressors of operating a cumbersome vehicle in adverse traffic and weather conditions.
In the near future FAAC will be drawing on their experience with inCommand and multi-participant simulations to expand this system to include out of vehicle highway maintenance tasks and operations training in an integrated environment, in addition to in-vehicle snow plow operations and road clearing skills.
FAAC embraces a “Customer for Life” philosophy. That’s not just about how your simulator performs. It’s about how FAAC performs to keep supporting your training program over time. We work with you to keep your sim current and relevant. Our warranty and track record of ongoing customer support means that your FAAC sim training program is an excellent long-term value.
Are you ready to optimize your training solution? Contact us today.
Our versatile simulator designs have resulted in training systems that can be used for basic skills development, refresher activities, annual certification, and remedial lessons.
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