MAN Truck & Bus Middle East has experienced a 54% increase in uptake of its ProfiDrive training programme during 2014, compared to 2013.
The Germany-headquartered manufacturer has trained 700 GCC drivers over the last two years as part of its ongoing focus to improve standards on Middle Eastern roads.
MAN contends that the increased demand is partly the result of the company’s efforts to increase awareness about the benefits of situational driver training.
“We see a growing awareness among our customer base about the benefits of raising safety standards, and as a result, they see immense value in taking part in our ProfiDrive training,” explained Dr Richard Brown, head of product management at MAN Middle East.
“It is important for the driver to drive with foresight, remain calm and confident in critical situations, and stay in control of the vehicle. Driver errors typically cause more than 90% of accidents. Our ProfiDrive training has been specifically designed to enhance driver skills, and the growth in demand for ProfiDrive, as well as repeat sessions, points to the effectiveness of such training,” he added.
MAN’s specialised training programme has been designed to raise the level of knowledge so that drivers can adopt the best driving practices. During a one-day seminar, operators can learn predictive training techniques such as how to recognise dangerous situations, calculate the optimum stopping distance, and evade obstacles that emerge suddenly.
MAN has been offering the service to Middle Eastern end users since 2009, and introduced the off-road component of the course earlier this year. In addition to its own certified trainer, MAN is now in a position to certify the in-house trainers of large fleet owners.
“While technology and training have a significant bearing on raising safety standards, what we also focus on during our discussions with customers is the impact of driver fatigue in safety incidents,” said Brown.
“It’s important to monitor the operating hours of drivers so that they can stay alert while driving. Even here, technology can come to the rescue with devices like the tacograph, which automatically records vehicle speed and distance, together with the driver’s activity when he starts his shift,” he explained.
Earlier this month, PMV reported that MAN is to standardise electronic stability programme (ESP) technology on its chassis-type vehicles, and the manufacturer also plans to test its lane guard system (LGS) on GCC roads within the coming year.
On behalf of MAN, Brown was one of five expert panellists to attend PMV’s latest roundtable discussion on operational safety in the GCC. For in-depth coverage of the event, including additional perspectives from Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Trimble, and Hitachi, check out the July 2014 issue of PMV Middle East.
