UPS has rolled out 20 additional driving and delivery simulators across the USA, nearly doubling the number of driving simulators in UPS facilities since they were launched in 2020.
UPS’s driver training occurs at Integrad, the company’s dedicated driver training schools. These schools use virtual reality (VR) in an industrial training environment. The UPS Driving Simulator provides realistic driving experiences for UPS drivers before they operate an actual delivery vehicle. This VR experience is coupled with hands-on driving and instructor-led classroom training delivered by elite professional trainers.
Training at Integrad facilities includes real-life challenges with typical road hazards, such as pedestrians, parked cars and oncoming traffic, to ensure our drivers are ready to keep themselves and their communities safe while on the road. The company’s culture of safety spans training and support services within its facilities and hubs and for on-the-road drivers, and is backed by an investment in 2022 alone totaling more than US$343m in safety training courses.
Last year, training efforts resulted in more than 20,000 drivers receiving training and more than 1,200 additional drivers being inducted into the UPS Circle of Honor (COH), an elite group of UPS drivers who have each achieved 25 years or more of accident-free driving. With these new inductees, COH now includes more than 10,000 members across four continents, with a shared 305,691 years of accident-free safe driving.
Nando Cesarone, executive vice president and president of UPS US, commented, “Safe driving is no accident. Our drivers have a passion for safety that is built on a foundation of best-in-class training programs. The most important stop for our drivers is when they return home safely after work. And that’s why it’s our top priority to build a safe place to work that delivers on our promise to provide great paths for every UPSer to achieve their career goals.”
“Safety begins with the right training and is a process of daily commitment and continual learning,” said Jacqueline Williams, a UPS Circle of Honor driver with 42 years of accident-free driving. “I use the safe work methods we learn every day. They help me and my fellow drivers to stay safe while keeping our customers and communities safe as well.”
Read more key personnel updates from the parcel and postal technology industry, here.