Sweeper Truck Operator Training Simulates Parking Lot Sweeping
1-800-SWEEPER along with Digital Image Studios has developed the power sweeping industry’s first virtual sweeper truck training simulator. SweeperSIM is revolutionary software that helps management in the commercial power sweeping industry screen, test, train and validate new drivers developing their skill sets before putting trainees behind the wheel of a real truck.
The SweeperSIM’s driving simulator allows managers to train new parking lot sweeper operators in a simulated sweeping environment which measures their performance against best-practice benchmark criteria. The night-time environment and peripheral vision from the cab of the sweeper are hyper-realistic, with rich graphics rivaled by only the best in modern gaming.
An operator has detailed controls that mimic a typical sweeping truck including a realistic steering wheel, accelerator, brake and reverse foot pedals in addition to sweeper-specific broom and head controls.
The simulation mimics night driving in a large retail parking lot and includes a variety of typical obstacles such as shopping carts, potholes, speed bumps, islands, cart corrals, light poles and more, in addition to handpicking debris objectives. The simulation also includes a static debris pattern of common parking lot trash, where debris naturally tends to accumulate based on human behavior and the environment.
Completion of objectives is scored at the end of each driving simulation session to measure and develop the mental awareness and aptitudes required to perform parking lot sweeping in the most efficient manner.
SweeperSIM features a panoramic view from the driver’s seat. An overhead diagram of the parking lot layout is also displayed along with live visual recording of the session statistics. The experience is enhanced through the use of realistic sounds paired with interactions in the simulator environment. Examples include the sound of broken glass and other debris being sucked up into the hopper and the sound of the gutter broom when it is engaged.
Operating SweeperSIM
Operators control vehicle speed and are able to stop the truck if, for example, they need to “exit the cab” and move an obstacle such as a shopping cart or “pick up” debris by hand that can’t be picked up by a sweeper. These actions are done using a mouse click on the screen. Mouse clicks simulates handwork, which is part of the work required on a typical property.
As the operator “sweeps” the parking lot, SweeperSIM tracks the driver’s performance. The software monitors time on the parking lot, total turns, right-hand turns, percentage of debris picked up and percentage of area covered. The simulated conditions and obstacles have been carefully constructed with input from experts in the sweeping business to test even the most experienced drivers as they hone their skills and/or qualify new drivers.
Because the simulation is set in the middle of the night, operators experience a field of view provided by the truck’s headlights. It takes practice to get used to sweeping a parking lot looking through headlights, so this gives new driver trainees a good idea of what the job will looks like at night.
Once a participant has completed sweeping the parking lot, the system tallies the driver’s points and mistakes and generates a score based on weighted parameters set by the instructor. The more debris you collect, the shorter your time on the route, the fewer turns and fewer right-hand turns you make; the higher the score. In the event of a collision with a wall, sign, speed bump, curb or parked car – the simulator session ends and is scored accordingly.
SweeperSIM As A Hiring And Training Tool
SweeperSIM will help management in power sweeping companies qualify new prospective employees and clearly demonstrate the responsibility requirements of the job, serving as a pre-employment screening process.
SweeperSIM is designed to help trainees develop the mental discipline to work efficiently. Driver-trainees can be taught to section off areas, to finish an area before moving on, and even be made aware of areas that require hand picking. It will also teach and reinforce proper parking lot best practice sweeping habits, such as approaching a speed bump squarely, rather than at an angle and minimizing gutter broom usage when sweeping wide open areas.
This final tally of a session not only tells owners if a prospect is ready to operate their street cleaning trucks and do the job, it also lets job candidates or trainees know where they stand and how well they did – before they ever get behind the wheel of expensive trucks or expose their company to real world liability or damages.
You can also design SweeperSIM contests for current employees, posting best scores for other operators to beat, encouraging operators to improve their skills by challenging their co-workers.
1-800-SWEEPER along with Vendor partners Schwarze Industries and Nitehawk Sweepers sponsored a Virtual Sweeper “Rodeo” during the 2017 National Pavement Expo giving NPE attendees an opportunity to experience the technology first-hand.
SweeperSIM’s “Virtual Sweeping” was created to help address one of the highest priority problems in the commercial power sweeping industry – recruiting, training and retaining drivers. The industry has a responsibility to be more selective about the people we’re putting behind the wheel and more sophisticated in the manner in which we train them. SweeperSIM helps employers screen and train potential sweeper operators, before they receive on-the-job training in an actual sweeper.
Recommended Gear to Run SweeperSim
Computer
RECOMMENDED:
- Processor – dual core 2.4 GHz+ (i7 series Intel® processor or equivalent AMD)
- RAM – 8 GB
- Hard Drive – 256 GB or larger solid state hard drive
- Graphic Card – For 3 monitor setup NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1080 or equivalent
- Operating System – Windows 10 or 8.1
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Processor – 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 processor (or equivalent AMD)
- RAM – 8 GB
- Hard Drive – 128GB or larger solid state hard drive
- Graphic Card – NVIDIA GeForce 730 2GB or equivalent
- Operating System – Windows 10 or 8.1
Monitors
RECOMMENDED:
- (3) Monitors – 27″ widescreen LCD with DisplayPort/HDMI or DVI support – desktop only
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Monitor – 24″ widescreen LCD with DisplayPort/HDMI or DVI support
Steering Controls
RECOMMENDED:
- Logitech G29 Racing Steering Wheel
- Logitech 3-pedal
Take the next step to optimize your training capabilities. Click here to get special, 1-800-SWEEPER Partner pricing on SweeperSim.