Fulton Hogan has invested more than $611,000 in a two-year programme that will see the company use two mobile driver simulators as a training tool for its 3,800 local employees.
As part of being a good corporate citizen, when not being used by Fulton Hogan staff members, the two simulators and their instructors will be calling on local schools around the country to teach students safe driving habits.
The state-of-the-art simulators are capable of re-creating a range of conditions including night driving, sudden road obstructions and weather conditions including wind, rain, fog and snow.
The simulators are travelling from Northland to Invercargill so that the company employees can broaden their on-road skills as part of Fulton Hogans drive to a zero harm workforce.
Fulton Hogan chief executive officer Robert Jones says the initiative is part of the company’s drive to continually lift its game on health and safety.
“With more than 3,000 vehicles on New Zealand roads, our fleet is one of the biggest in the country,” says Jones.
“Making sure that our people are safe behind the wheel is non-negotiable for us, and this innovative technology will give our drivers greater experience and awareness.”
The Simworx-designed simulators are equipped with a wrap-around triple-monitor setup, realistic graphics and provide feedback through the steering wheel.
“These simulators allow our staff to gain valuable and realistic experience driving in difficult conditions without actual risk,” says Jones.
“This lets us take great steps to our goal of ensuring all of our staff are safe on the road, both for their benefit and for the community.”
“The simulators will also be stopping at schools around the country to teach students safe driving skills.
“Being able to drive safely is an incredibly important skill for young people to master, so we’re happy to use our resources to help students learn how to be safe on the roads,” says Jones.
The road safety initiative has gained the support of ACC, ERoad, the New Zealand Police, the New Zealand Transport Agency and Worksafe New Zealand.
EROAD chief executive officer Steven Newman says it was exciting to see a company of Fulton Hogan’s stature taking the lead in promoting safe driving training.
“New technology has a major role to play in the transport sector’s success in improving the safety of New Zealand roads,” says Newman.
“We’re very pleased to support Fulton Hogan’s investment in the safety of their people and the wider community.”
The simulator training programme began at the start of October, with the two simulators travelling to Fulton Hogan sites across New Zealand.
