( , PB81-128977 1111111111111111111111111111111111111 / ____ - ____ --;--~-._____:__;_::.-:.:-- __~- ____ ---_ ----.--~~- ____ -.J UMTA-MA-06-0074-BO-l REPORT NO. ; ,,~::-~:::-::-~,:::::;;::::~::::::;:-;:::::;::-::;:;:-::-::-~;:':;~;:~~J; BUS DRI VER TRAI NI NG SlMULATOR ASSESSMENT -~ Virginia Wright Robe rt Fo rma n U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTA~ION Research and Special Programs Administration Transportation Systems Center Cambridge MA 02142 JANUARY 1980 FINAL REPORT DOCUMENT IS AVAIL.ABL.E TD THE PUBL.IC THROUGH THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE, SPRINGFIEL.D, VIRGINIA 22161 Prepared for U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSP0RTATION Office of Urban Mass Transportation Administration Washington DC 20590 I (' REPRODUCED BY \ U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE I NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE SPRINGFIELD, VA 22161 '----- ,"-'.. -.:,: ,) I NOTICE This document is disseminated under ~he sponsorship of the Derartment of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Govern­ ment assumes no liabili~v for its contents or use thereof. NOTICE The United States Government does not endorse pro­ ducts or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturer's names appear herein solely because they are con- - sidered essential to the object of this. report. NOTICE The vie~s and conclusions contained in the document are those of the author(s) and should not be inter­ preted as necessarily representing the official policies Or opinions, either expressed or implied, of the Department of Transportation. Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government' .~c._~ession No. 1\3. Re~1pient·. Calalog No. .-,~~-'t UMTA-MA-06-0074-80-1 128~7 .., '·7· ~~~] 4. Tille and Sublille 5. Reporl Dale January 1980 BUS DRIVER TRAINING SIMULATOR ASSESSMENT 6. Performing Organizalion Code DOT/TSC-323 1--:,.--.,..--:-'7---------------------,...--------1 8. P .rlorming Organi zalion Report No. 7. Authorl .) Virginia Wright and Robert Forman DOT-TSC~UMTA-80-20 9. Performing'Orgonization Nome and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) U.S. Department of Transportation MA-06-0074 Transportation Systems Center II. Contract or Grant No. Kendall Square MA-06-0074 Cambridge; Massachusetts 02142 13. Type of Reporl and Period Coyered ~--------~~--~----------------------------------------~~~ 12. Sponsoring Agency Nome and Address " U.S. Department of Transportation '] Final Report Urban Mass Transportation Administration 400 Seventh Street, S.W: 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, DC 20590 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abslract Simulation has become an increasinely important tool in driving research, highway research, and· vehicle design.\~\Th±srreport documents the results of an investigation into the feasibility of developing a driving simulator as a means of teaching safe driving and other operating techniques in the training of bus operators. During this investigation, an AdVisory Committee, consisting o,f representatives from small, medium, and large transit properties and from the American Transit Union, provided data on training programs, training costs, and training needs. The ~LrCIO Appala­ chian Council Research Department furnished the results of their survey on transit training needs and shared their experiences in developing and implementing a stand­ ards bus operator training program. Also, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority made their training data available and arrangedra tour of their training ~acilities. Features required of a driving simulator to meet training needs were identified, and the cost of implementing and operating such a simulator Were assessed This report describes the various types of simulators, the benefits of simulation, and the potential benefits of a driving simulator for transit training. This report also presents an evaluation of existing applicable driving simulators, the tradeoffs of developing costs and operational costs versus the effec.tiveness of the desired features, and current training programs~,This study concludes that due to the high costs of simulators with the required feathr.,es, it appears that no cost benefit would accrue with the use of such a simulator. The'refore, no training time savings and safety benefits could be documented to justify the use of a driving simulator for bus operator training. ~ , 17,. ·Key Words 18. Di slTi bution Slatement Blue Collar Training; Bus Driver Train- ing; Driving Simulator; Education and Available to the public through the Training; Human. Factors; Human Resource~; National Technical Information Service, Simulation; Training Programs' Springfield, Virginia 22161. 19. Security Classi!. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized PREFACE The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of the Advisory Committee, consisting of representatives of small. medium, and large transit properties. in providing information on current bus driver training programs and training needs. The AFL-CIO Appalachian Council Research Department was most helpful in furnishing the results of their survey on transit training needs and in sharing their experiences in developing and imple­ menting a standard bus operator training program. A special thanks should be given to theJMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (~ffiTA) for making their training data available and for arranging a tour of their training facilities. ~ii .*'1 •••. Reproduced from METRIC CONV(RSION fACTORS best available copy . • " •••1 .. 1" C_rtl... ,. MI,.1e M.... ". .. .. =----.. A"... I •• ,. C...... i ... 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INTRODUCTION. 1 1.1 General ........ 1 1.2 Background ..... ...... 3 1.3 Benefits of Simulation. 5 2. OBJECTIVE .............. 8 3. TRANSIT TRAINING SURVEY. 9 3.1 General ........... .................................................... 9 3.2 Transit Training Needs ............•........... 9 3.3 Criteria for a Driving Simulator for Operator Training ..................................................................... 10 4. SURVEY OF EXISTING SURFACE SIMULATORS. 13 4.1 Manufacturers ~f Driver Simulation Systems .... 13 4.1. 1 Atkins-Merrill, Inc. 13 4.1. 2 Doron Precision Systems, Inc .. 16 4.2 Additional Simulators ........................ 18 5. DISCUSSION. 20 6. FINDINGS ... 28 6.1 Scope of Findings .. 28 6.2 Cost Benefits ... 28 6.3 Safety Benefits. 28 6.4 Fuel Reduction .•. 29 6.5 Alternative. .. .. .. .. 29 REFERENCES ............. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 30 B I BLI OGRAPHY ............................................... II ...................................... ~ 31 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. DRIVING SIMULATOR COMPONENTS-(CGI TYPE)........... 4 '. 2. ATKI NS - MERRI LL ARMY TRUCK S nruLATOR ...'. 15 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. ADVISORY CO~fMITTEE.............................. 2 2. COMPARISON OF SIMULATION VISUAL APPROACHES...... 6 3. SIMULATOR REQUIREMENTS FOR DEFINED AREAS OF NEED FOR TRANSIT BUS DRIVER TRAINING ................. 12 4. COMPARISON OF SIMULATORS WITH TEACHING J.iA.CHINES '. • • . • . • . • . • • • • . • • • . • . • . 22 5. COMPARISON OF SALARIES AND COURSE LENGTH (STANDARD VS. SIMULATOR TRAINING COURSE) ........ 25 6. COMPARISON OF SALARIES AND COURSE LENGTH (STANDARD VS. SIMULATOR TRAINING COURSE) ........ 27 vi 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 GENERAL Simulation has become an increasingly important tool in driving research, highway research~ and vehicle design. This report presents the results of a study of the feasibility of developing a simulator for bus driver training. The Bus Driver