Now, that we are back to school, it is time to put your own thinking caps on and see how YOU can motivate and retain drivers during orientation training.

For the past 6 years, we’ve collected analytics through driver’s input, feedback, and behaviors and found three overarching principles to be critical to creating an award-winning training. Be on the lookout for what elements of the lessons touch on these aspects.

Each week we are going to release one new teaching and learning strategy specific to the transportation industry. These lessons will include estimated time, materials, and instructional procedures for classroom (F2F) and online teaching. Let’s get started with lesson #1!

	Objectives Identify hazards with city driving and discuss strategies for handling the hazards. Make a plan for driving through a city in order to avoid low clearance objects.
	Estimated Time 50 minutes
	Materials City Hazards Worksheet Pen or pencil Computer or Smartphone Map: Google map/Paper map/Motor Carriers Road Atlas/ or an interactive map that shows all your locations

Instructional Procedures for F2F

1.	Place drivers into small groups.
2.	Use the worksheet provided. You can print it out or have them fill it out at their computer. Have groups brainstorm city hazards and include strategies for handling the hazard.
3.	Have groups share the hazards they came up with and the strategies for handling the hazards. As drivers read off their list, other groups can cross out any hazards. Make this fun by giving out prizes for groups that came up with the most hazards. You can give prizes to the group that has anything unique on their list that is not crossed off. Prizes can be simple, like gum packets.
4.	If it doesn’t come up, be sure to discuss a specific hazard that might come up because you do not plan ahead, such as running into a low clearance object. Stress the importance of pre-trip planning.
5.	Transition having each driver plan a trip to a city that your company frequents. It is important to focus on trips that you actually take so it is useful and meaningful to your drivers.
6.	Use a map as a visual. You can have your locations and deliveries pinned, marked, or if you have a web-based map, you can have them highlighted with pop-up icons of your locations.
7.	Provide drivers the city bridge clearance web sites like Chicago bridge clearances or the Motor Carriers Road Atlas and have them identify any bridges or hazards they may experience along the way.
8.	If possible, encourage them to call the delivery locations they will frequent to see if there are any low clearance hazards the area they need to be aware of. If many of your drivers are going to the same locations, you can have 1 person call and put them on speaker.
9.	With the drivers, plan a specific route that avoids low clearances. Come up with a plan on what to do if they are faced with a low clearance bridge, object, or train track.
10.	Stress they need to plan the route every time they go into cities because with construction things may change. This plan is certainly not written in stone.

Instructional Procedures for Online

1.	Place drivers into online discussion board groups (they can work at their own time) or set up a webinar (where everyone meets at the same time). If you are doing a webinar, be sure to record it for those that might have missed it.
2.	Use the worksheet provided. Have groups brainstorm city hazards and include strategies for handling the hazard. They can fill this out and post to the online discussion board.
3.	Have a group leader post the strategies they came up with to the online discussion board. As drivers review others’ lists, have them leave comments. Make this fun by awarding points for time spent, number of comments, and accuracy of posts. They can show up in a leaderboard and earn prizes, such as gift cards or digital badges.
4.	Give drivers a deadline for posting their thoughts. After this time is up, you can post your feedback on the hazards they may face. Stress the importance of pre-trip planning.
5.	If you are using Luma eNuggets®, have them read a City Driving eNugget® to reinforce the concepts discussed.
6.	Post a challenge to your drivers to the online discussion board and have the drivers each plan a trip to a city that your company frequents. It is important to focus on trips that you actually take so it is useful and meaningful to your drivers.
7.	Use a map as a visual. You can have your locations and deliveries pinned, marked, or if you have a web-based map, you can have them highlighted with pop-up icons of your locations.
8.	Provide drivers the city bridge clearance websites like Chicago bridge clearances or the Motor Carriers Road Atlas and have them identify any bridges or hazards they may experience along the way. You can also have drivers search and find these web sites and post them to the online discussion board for extra points.
9.	Edit the City Driving eNugget® to encourage them to call the delivery locations they will frequent to see if there are any low clearance hazards the area they need to be aware of.
10.	Have them create a plan and post it to the online discussion board or have them share them during a webinar. Post the question to the online discussion board or during the webinar, “what will you do if you are faced with a low clearance bridge, object, or train track?.
11.	Include online content in the eNugget® or stress in the webinar they need to plan the route every time they go into cities because with construction things may change. This plan is certainly not written in stone.

Did you know?

Luma® is a learning and instructional design company that can help you customize your own learning solutions through our training platform DRIVE FIRST®. We have an eNugget® on the topic City Driving! Interested in learning more? Give us a call at (574) 807-8148 ext 5 or email info@learnwithluma.com.