Helping haul truck operators understand how they fit into mine operations

Many haul truck operators don't understand how their actions affect the rest of the mine's operations. In fact, the way they interact with dozers at dumps and lifts and with loading equipment at the production face is critical to the mine's productivity. Operators who dump loads outside target areas create extra work for dozer operators. Operators who fail to position their trucks accurately at the shovel cause a cascade of delays for the trucks running behind them, causing a ripple effect throughout the mine's operations. In addition, poorly-trained operators may overspeed or use their truck's brakes and transmission improperly, shortening component life and resulting in reactive maintenance - another source of "drag" on the mine's overall level of productivity. Plus, careless operators may inadvertently damage or destroy expensive truck tires, which are still in very short supply. Tire shortages can easily sideline dozens of trucks. To help combat these challenges, VISTA's TruckLogic™ haul truck training curriculum teaches trainees about this larger context - the ways in which they can help to streamline the mine's operations by working productively together with dozer, shovel and other truck operators. Jan Josephson, the instructional designer who created the curriculum, calls these the critical "whys" of training: "Adult learners need to understand why they're being asked to do something in a certain way. They always want to know what the bigger picture is, and we provide it to them. That's one of the things that makes our training curriculum unique in the mining industry," she explains.