BEAT ROLLOVERS

Around a third of heavy vehicle crashes in New Zealand involve a rollover and more than half of these involve a truck and trailer. Rollovers are typically caused by excess speed, poor vehicle stability and shifting loads.

Knowing how to prevent a roll over is a skill all truck drivers should have in their toolbox and TR Driver Training has announced dates for its 2021 Roll Prevention Heavy Vehicle Stability & Control Driver Training Programme.

TR Driver Training has New Zealand’s only heavy commercial training vehicle, explicitly designed to address the causes of rollovers and reduce the risk for drivers and all road users. The course applies to drivers of all combinations in any application. They will experience how easily a rollover can occur, then learn the skills, and understand the available technology, to avoid it.

“I have spoken to a lot of drivers after these courses, and I am yet to find a driver – no matter how experienced they are – who has said they didn’t learn something from the course. Many drivers mentioned to me that before completing the course they thought that because the trailer is a tanker that the course is designed solely for tanker operators. But the course is relevant to every area of the transport industry,” says TR Group’s Geoff Wright.

The driver training truck is fitted with WABCO electronic braking systems and the WABCO Intelligent Trailer Programme, supplied by Transpecs which has been involved with TR Driver Training for more than 15 years. A WABCO braking specialist from Transpecs educates attendees at each of the nationwide courses on the system.

“This technology has a vast range of safety and operational benefits for the operator. It combines the very best in

EBS to optimise trailer performance while maintaining control and stability under all operating conditions,” says Craig Hunter, national manager OEM and Fleet, TWL & Transpecs.

The course is unique because it offers both the theory and practical experience of heavy vehicle stability and rollover dynamics.

“Technology in trucks is constantly being upgraded, and it is hard for drivers to keep up. We are finding that many issues with newer trucks and trailers are caused by the driver’s lack of understanding of the technology within the vehicle. The more we can help educate drivers, the safer our roads will be and the more efficient the vehicles will be for transport company owners and their bottom lines,” Wright says.

This invaluable course will be running at the following venues throughout 2021:

Hampton Downs – 29 March; 3, 4 May; 9, 10 August; 8, 9 September.

Manfeild – 29, 30 April; 11 June; 22, 23 July.

Ruapuna – 14, 15, 16 June; 5 July.

Teretonga – 22, 23 June.

Costs per person per half-day course:

One person – $695 + GST

Four people or more from one company – $645p/p + GST

Eight people or more from one company – $595p/p + GST

Bookings can be made with the TR Driver Training admin team on 0800 637 000 or admin@trdrivertraining.co.nz.