English - Nooteboom Giants on the Road Magazine English - Nr. 6 - 2019 | Page 18

GIANTS ON THE ROAD
WHY THE NOOTEBOOM ACADEMY? SHORTAGE OF DRIVERS
Bob Burks, manager Services at Nooteboom Trailers: “Several
developments led to this strategic collaboration. The most important
one is the fact that there are no separate training courses for driving
extremely heavy vehicles. The training courses of the Nooteboom
Academy have to contribute to the safety of abnormal transports.
A great deal of attention is also paid to the technical aspects of
low-loaders.” The courses of the Nooteboom Academy consist of a theoretical and
practical part, giving the trainees the opportunity to straightaway test
in practice the knowledge they have gained. Bob: “Due to the shortage
of drivers we increasingly come across young, inexperienced drivers
who will have to work with extremely complex equipment. With the
Nooteboom Academy we can also contribute towards training drivers
for abnormal transports.”
SAFETY AND REDUCED COSTS COLLABORATION WITH V-TAS
Bob: “The driver, who uses the trailer, has a big influence on the repair
and maintenance costs. The training courses will give them a better
understanding of the operation and technology of the vehicle and this
can help to reduce the maintenance costs. We also spend quite a bit of
time on the safety aspects, including securing the load. This is how we
achieve our objective: safer and more enjoyable work for the driver and
lower costs for the transport company.” John van Oers, director V-TAS: ‘’V-TAS has already been active for
twenty years in training personnel in the horizontal and vertical
transport sectors. This experience means we are well-placed to give
you the best advice in choosing the right training. The courses cover in
depth the practical problems that drivers face every day. Our instructors
themselves have a great deal of experience in abnormal transport. They
understand the problems of a driver, on the road and during loading/
unloading. The lessons that are taught during the course can actually be
put into practice. In this way we can improve the efficiency, safety and
quality of the work.”
INTERNATIONAL
Bob: “We are starting off with the Nooteboom Academy in the
Netherlands and Belgium, but several German companies have already
made use of the training programme too. In the course of this year the
first training courses will become available in other languages. Several
of our instructors speak more than one language and therefore we
can structurally provide a pathway to courses in French, German and
English. And it is our ambition to add Polish in a few years as well.”
FROM PRACTICE TO THEORY
John: “Practice is the starting point for all our training courses. Because
we conduct our lessons on locations that are well-equipped with modern
equipment, we can incorporate the practical situations in our lessons.
For the Nooteboom Academy we have bought a new, hydraulically
steered and extendible Nooteboom semi-trailer. We can also make use
of the equipment that is always available at the Nooteboom training
locations, and we can use the customer’s vehicle in the lesson too. This
motivates the trainees to straightaway put into practice what they
have learned. Another important aspect of the training is awareness.
The trainees must be aware of their own responsibility as regards the
equipment, road safety and the load they transport.”
TRAINING LOCATIONS
The training courses of the Nooteboom Academy are held at 14 locations
throughout the Netherlands. There are also 2 locations in Belgium. The
latest addition is the training centre in Zwijndrecht, at the same location
as the Nooteboom Trailer Service Centre. The courses can also be
conducted at the customer’s premises.
COMPLETE PACKAGE
Nooteboom wants to offer their customers a complete package,
including service, parts, the purchase and sales of used trailers and
training courses. Ultimately the objective is to offer the lowest running
costs (Total Cost of Ownership) and the highest degree of road safety.
A well-trained driver will be careful with his equipment and this has a
positive effect on the repair and maintenance costs. But it’s not all about
reducing costs and increased safety. During the training courses there is
also plenty of opportunity for the drivers to exchange experiences.
For further information, prices and registration:
visit www.nooteboomacademy.com or www.v-tas.com/
nooteboomacademy. Get in touch for available dates and locations of
the training courses. In some cases a subsidy could be available for the
courses. Ask V-TAS about further information.  ■
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The theory from the classroom is explained in practice outside