TTI students to begin using new training simulator

Next week, students in Transport Training Institute program at Ozarks Technical Community College will sit behind the wheel of one the most sophisticated pieces of training equipment designed to make them better drivers.

The Doron 550 driving simulator, purchased with a grant from the state’s Training for Tomorrow program, is housed in the Center for Workforce Development and will give beginning truck driving students a chance to drive in a variety of conditions that, until now, could only be experienced in real life as it happened.

“In the old days, you learned by doing it. They just would get in and go. With the simulator, students can be exposed to different situations and learn how to cope with them,” said Doug Akers, manager-workforce specialist in the OTC Transport Training Institute.

With multiple computers operating the simulator, students can be exposed to various road and weather conditions. The simulator can put students on highways, overpasses, on and off ramps, rural road settings and city streets. They can be placed in good and bad weather conditions, day or night situations and operate various transmission shifting patterns depending on the type of truck being simulated. The road traction also can be altered.

Students will receive three or four lessons on the simulator over the course of the five-week training program.

“Simulation training devices are one innovative way the OTC Center for Workforce Development is investing in order to better serve the regional transportation industry and those occupational skill sets directly needed,” said Dawn Busick, executive director of the Center for Workforce Development.

“This simulated training allows us to expose students to a variety of adverse driving conditions that will result in safer drivers on the open road.”

Busick said the simulator would save the college money in training by decreasing wear and tear to the college’s current vehicle fleet located at the TTI center in Ozark.

Eventually, the institute will acquire hardware and software that will allow the device to simulate police cars and other emergency vehicles.

“TTI will become a hub of progressive training that companies in southwest Missouri can partner with in development of their transportation workforce. We have high aims. This is just the beginning,” Akers said.

Steve Koehler is coordinator of publications at Ozarks Technical Community College. Contact him at koehlers@otc.edu.