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136 
POINTER TANKER RECRUITS GET FIVE-DAY TRAINING COURSE
Page 38
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NEW DRIVERS recruited to the oil tanker fleet of the Pointer Group for the busy winter season are undergoing, for the first time, an intensive five-day training course in all aspects of their duties. Special emphasis is placed on road safety and safe delivery procedures.
To satisfy the high winter demand for fuel oil, Pointer put on the road a reserve tanker fleet and in some cases operate double and triple shifts, necessitating the seasonal intake of drivers.
The first intake, 15 drivers, completed their course at the Group's Norwich headquarters on September 29. A further 95 drivers are taking courses this month and will be phased into the expanding delivery programme on completion of training. They will be based over East Anglia and South East England, operating for long periods with a minimum of central control and with their own local maintenance cover.
In previous years, training for new drivers taken on at this time has consisted of a few days as a driver's mate on an established run. As these drivers already have experience on heavy vehicles, the aim of the course is to provide intensive tuition on the specialized operations of large tankers.
Initial test The five-day course starts with an initial test which is related to a final test, practical and theoretical, to assess the progress of each man. The initial test is followed by lectures on road safety, roadcraft and safe delivery procedures— illustrated by films and demonstrations.
On the second day there is instruction in cargo handling and loaded tankers are used for practice. From the beginning the routine is established for each man to carry out daily service and security checks, before and after training, and other daily features are a specimen logsheet and a short question-and-answer session on the Highway Code.
For the remaining three days, the trainees receive tuition on the four vehicle types operated by the Group and are put through an "obstacle" course, which includes simulations of some of the most difficult
loading and unloading bays to be encountered in actual service.
The Pointer Group does not intend to restrict the new courses to its tanker fleet but, as a policy, it will be developing courses of a minimum of one week for other vehicles in the large multi-purpose fleet, including refresher courses for experienced drivers.
As a result of requests from other companies for places on the courses, the Group is prepared to accept a limited number of outside trainees.
• GLASGOW Chamber of Commerce is giving 110,000 over two years to the department of social and economic research at Glasgow University for the study into the effects of container transport in wholesale distribution.