Bauma 2019: MAN ProfiDrive provides construction site vehicle training

• Tailored one-day training courses for drivers of tippers and truck mixers
• Training collaboration with body manufacturers
• Recognised as professional driver training and continuous professional development (applicable in Germany)

MAN ProfiDrive has devised sector-focused training courses concentrating on enhancing drivers' practical skills and improving customer focus. Since construction site vehicles consist of an MAN chassis and a tipper body or truck mixer by a body manufacturer, MAN incorporated specialists from the body manufacturers when conducting the training courses. In Germany, Meiller and Liebherr are the partners responsible for the tipper and truck mixer training courses respectively; in other countries, MAN collaborates with the partners from those countries. The training course consists of an introductory theoretical portion and an extensive practical portion in a gravel pit, sand pit or quarry.

The one-day training course demonstrates to participants what MAN vehicles can do and how they can be best deployed for their highly specific sector requirements. The objectives of the event are to reduce wear and damage and learn how to deploy and safely use all functions in line with the task at hand.

When driving off-road, the ProfiDrive trainers teach the drivers how to “read” the ground and terrain in order to safely control the vehicle. The drivers try out lock management and the switchable moving-off aids when going uphill, and focus on economical and wear-free braking when going downhill. Another practical station investigates the influence of driveline locks, the turning brake and different drive variants (from all-wheel drive to MAN HydroDrive) on steering, handling and the vehicle’s turning circle.

In the “Construction” training course, body manufacturers use presentations to explain the undesirable consequences – up to and including the vehicle tipping over – that insufficient tyre pressure and an unsuitable location and terrain can have on vehicle stability during the tipping process. As part of this, wheel load scales indicate the loading and unloading of individual tyre pairs, and laser measuring devices show the twisting of the tipper body or the tipping semitrailer. In the “Concrete” training course, experts from the truck mixer manufacturer provide detailed explanations of body functions, and highlight the dangers and consequences of incorrect operation.

Sector-focused expertise in special ProfiDrive training courses

MAN ProfiDrive is expanding its comprehensive training programme to include special sector-specific training courses. Training courses for construction site vehicles, municipal vehicles and emergency services vehicles from the fire service, timber transporters as well as liquid and gas transporters are already under way in different countries. The “Construction” training course is available in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy, and the “Concrete” training course is available in Germany. Preparations are being made to introduce the training courses in several other countries. These training courses are recognised in Germany as part of mandatory professional driver training.