Refuse / Waste Management Truck

Virage Simulation Training with the Labrie Automated Side Loader 

In consultation with Labrie and the City of Calgary, Virage Simulation developed a refuse / waste management driving simulator training program based on the VS600M truck driving simulator and a comprehensive training program for the operation of the automated side loader. The program includes the following scenarios

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1. Basic Operation

The operator can access external views of the vehicle, allowing him to observe the movements of the automatic arm as he manipulates the controls. The exercise is repeated until the operator develops a feel for the smooth operation of the side loader.

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2. Exercise – Residential Area

The operator drives a route where he must empty 30 recycling bins. Each loading maneuver is analysed and scored in real time by the simulator according to the following criteria: alignment of the arm with the bin; smoothness of the grabbing and emptying actions, accurate return of the bin to its initial position and, most critically, the operator’s visual surveillance of the area around the truck before setting it in motion after each loading maneuver.

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3. Advanced Exercises

The operator encounters different situations where recycling bins are placed in difficult-to-reach positions or where performing the manoeuver could be hazardous. The operator must decide whether to empty the bin or leave it.

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4. The Winter Challenge

The operator must work in an urban environment in difficult winter conditions with snow-covered, icy roads, reduced visibility and obstructed views due to snow on the windshield.

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5. Difficult Conditions – The Alleyway

The operator must work in an alley with obstacles on the ground (parked vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists etc.) and at the height of the truck (overhanging roofs, electric cables, tree branches, etc.).

“Operating our vehicles safely and efficiently is our primary concern” says Christy Lyon, manager of Waste & Recycling Collection Services at The City of Calgary. “We needed a tool to raise the level of proficiency and awareness of our drivers. With its ergonomics and realistic scenarios, Virage’s simulator is a valuable tool in our training program.”

“I was very impressed with the realism of the Side Loader dynamic’s” said Michel Collet, Technical Representative and Chief Instructor at Labrie. ’’Operating the simulator is just like the truck. I could even feel the gentle rocking of the truck as I picked up the bin. What a great training tool!”