Habari

The bus checking lessons go extremely well; my team are now well versed in demonstrating, conducting and teaching this exercise.

I’m confident that the team will be able to relay this lesson to their own trainee’s; Michael told me that there are many accidents on the roads and defective vehicles contribute towards them.

We all agreed that this lesson plan will go a long way in making drivers more aware of their vehicle checks.

The compound at the institute is not a large area; it’s dusty and littered with potholes it could certainly do with resurfacing. I want to get the team to practice the lesson plan on reversing.

There is not enough room for a reversing area similar to the one at Metroline; however, there is enough room for a right-lock reverse. I asked the lads to complete a reverse while I stood back and watched.

While one of the guys did the drive another walked behind the vehicle to make sure nobody got in the way, there are many students at the institute meandering around so this rear check is important.

Once the reverse was completed I asked the guys if they were happy with the manoeuvre and they all agreed it was ok. “Oh dear” I said, “lets start again and I will show you how to do it properly”

I then explained how I wanted them to complete the lesson and ultimately teach their own trainee’s as well. I signalled to the driver to bring the coach forward to the start positions, while one of the guys supervised the rear of the vehicle, I got another to stand with me and watch.

If anybody reading this (if there is anybody) knows how a reverse exercise is carried out at Metroline that is exactly the way I demonstrate this lesson to the lads. For those that don’t know; a vehicle being reversed should be under full control with effective observation (how a driver manages to hit something while reversing, is just plain incompetence)

I also instruct the driver to hit the horn three times before starting, this is not common practice (until now) it’s something I insist on and with the vehicle having no reverse bleeper, this becomes very important.

I rotate the lads in turn, each having the opportunity to drive, supervise at the rear and take the lead at the front. It doesn’t take too many goes before they are all up to speed and this lesson is boxed off, job done.