If the training of drivers is part of your business, then driving simulators are for you. United Parcel Service, in an effort to fix the 30% flunk rate of candidates for their almost 100,000 U.S. based driver positions, have integrated an interactive 3D driving game into their training curriculum.
UPS Integrad is a next-generation training facility located just outside of Washington, D.C., with a second location opening in Chicago soon. Using a collection of simulations, employee candidates train for the company’s “340 Methods”, practices created by their industrial engineers meant to save money and time, as well as improve safety.
In a Wall Street Journal article titled “UPS Thinks Out of the Box on Driver Training”, Jennifer Levitz reports that other companies like FedEx, Cisco, and Sodexo are also using simulation-based tools to train their employees.
Companies that adopt new technology are more likely to beat their competitors and survive in turbulent economic times. Driving simulators have been proven to be effective educational tools that teach safe driving techniques to operators of all classes of vehicles.
UPS plans to hire 25,000 new drivers over the next five years, their revenue is predicted to increase 8-10% in 2010, and the S&P gives their stock a 4 star buy rating – they must be doing something right. Does your company provide simulation-based training?