Mexico's trucking industry faces major challenges, including a shortage of nearly 60,000 drivers and the insecurity on the country's roads. That makes training and professionalization critical to protecting drivers and company assets alike.
That is why PAMASU, the transportation company of dairy processor Grupo Maulec, added a simulator from APEX Simulation & Technology to its training center — to train its drivers off the road, aiming to reduce or eliminate accidents while improving profitability, vehicle life and fuel economy.
This is one of our launch points for professionalizing our operators. Unfortunately, drivers have traditionally learned on the highway — today we want to break with that, and especially in the southeast region we are bringing in advanced technology. This new simulator will let us take a big leap: the drivers who used to learn in the truck will now come here.
Ernesto HerreríasGeneral Manager, PAMASU
The company plans to grow its roster of trained drivers with the help of its new simulator, which will be the proving ground new drivers must pass before taking the wheel of a PAMASU unit.
The strategy is that new applicants will take their test on the simulator, while drivers already on the roster will have to complete a set number of monthly training hours. They say a man carries two bags: one for money and one for training — the one that keeps filling up and turning into experience. This will help our operators learn beyond what the highway can teach them.
Isaac PerezInstructor, PAMASU Driver SchoolPAMASU's training plan, which aims to become a full driving school, will focus on three main areas: mechanics, preventive driving and driving efficiency — delivering to operations a driver trained in every dimension of the job.
APEX simulators recreate situations too dangerous to practice in real life: driving in extreme weather such as fog, rain and icy roads, plus events like tire blowouts and lane invasions.
The simulator has become the tool that lets transportation companies professionalize and train new drivers — and also coach the experienced ones. We want to set a standard across trucking companies, so this process helps reduce the 16,000 lives lost to road accidents each year and the deficit of more than 56,000 drivers in Mexico.
Jose Miguel MontoyaChief Commercial Officer, APEX Simulation & TechnologyAPEX will keep growing and adding more companies from the Top 100 del Autotransporte®, bringing simulator technology into their training strategies.
