The courses were launched on the basis of the Russian distributor of Sitrak and Howo trucks. They should not only help carriers increase the profitability of cargo transportation, but also train drivers, mechanics, receiving foremen and other specialists for carrier companies. The editors of Motor magazine took an initial course in economical driving, mastering a five-axle 480-horsepower road train based on the updated Sitrak C7H truck tractor.
European truck manufacturers were the first to offer fuel-efficient driving training. Russian courses are very similar to European ones: first, drivers are told the general theory of fuel economy, then they are shown the truck’s controls, and then two or three test runs are carried out.
During the first, the instructor evaluates the driver’s driving skill, during the second, he tells the “student” how to improve driving, and the third is needed if the teacher wants to make sure that the student can use the acquired skills without prompting from the teacher.
Sitrak and Howo economical driving course
Sitrak
In the theoretical part, the general premises are always approximately the same. The most important is the frequent use of preventive braking. Most drivers use the primitive tactic of “accelerate and brake,” but they should drive in a completely different way: when they see a red traffic light ahead, for example, release the right pedal, coast as far as possible, then use the retarder and only then apply the brake pedal.
And here it often turns out that very few people know how to use a retarder correctly. You can easily find videos on the Internet that clearly explain the principle of operation of this device. In short, the hydrodynamic retarder installed behind the gearbox is an oil-filled unit that, thanks to the resistance of this very oil, effectively reduces the speed of rotation of the driveshaft.
Sitrak and Howo economical driving course
Sitrak
In practice, the driver has a very effective and reliable tool that allows him not to use the service brake system at all. You just need to get used to slowing down the car not by pressing the pedal, but by using the right steering column lever, which has several steps. This is why the training “demonstration of truck controls” is carried out: during it it often turns out that even experienced professionals do not know the basics.
In addition to the “retard,” as truckers call the retarder, many cars have an engine brake, that is, a “miner.” Its operating principle is completely different: back pressure is created in the exhaust system, the engine increases speed, but the output flow of exhaust gases decreases, due to which engine braking actually occurs. This system is also controlled via the steering column lever.
Sitrak and Howo economical driving course
Sitrak
As part of the course “Basics of economical driving of Sitrak and Howo cars,” they plan to teach all this according to European teaching standards, fortunately the teachers themselves have experience working with European technology. To demonstrate the hardware, of course, it is planned to use Sitrak units.
“We have already conducted several trainings. And one student said that he would never use the engine brake on the road, because he was afraid of the engine breaking down – it really roars while the system is working… And another student said that both the “retard” and the “miner” are absolute evil, since they slow down the wheels of only the drive axle! What is fraught with the “folding” of the road train,” the authors of the project gave several interesting reactions.
Sitrak and Howo economical driving course
Sitrak
“Folding of a road train”, engine breakdown and many other horror stories are fears from the past; modern trucks are equipped with a motion stabilization system. These bikes are distributed by veteran truckers, so they are passed on to the younger generation of drivers. In the world of passenger cars, there are now fewer such prejudices, the training center assures.
The most common complaint from heavy truck drivers who come to learn is: “What kind of “preventive braking” can there be when every passenger car tries to cut you off?” At the master class, it turns out that you just need a brain restructuring and several tens of kilometers of practice. Then the cars scurrying in front of your nose cease to be a source of irritation.
Sitrak and Howo economical driving course
Sitrak
In general, it would be more correct to call such courses lessons in safe rather than economical driving, but safety is still a poor seller in Russia. The savings are quite obvious: each driver who has completed training shares how much they can save after learning the lessons.
In one transport company, a Sitrak truck transporting oil, based on telematics data, consistently delivered an average consumption of 29.6 l/100 km. After training, the result dropped to 24.2. Total – more than five liters of net savings on a loaded car.
This is not a fictional story at all – the fact was confirmed personally by the cargo carrier. Skeptics, naturally, will ask: “What is the benefit of a hired driver driving economically?” It is the most direct: carriers are helped to create a staff motivation system, and every driver who reduces their displacement will receive bonuses. If there is no monetary motivation, there will be no efficient transportation.
Therefore, studying now is economically justified. Private individuals, small firms, and large companies are interested in such courses. The training center is only based in Tolyatti, and the instructors themselves will travel throughout Russia to train drivers on cars in the carrier’s fleet.
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