Coach Captain Training

Let me tell you a little bit about the training we are all going through to become new Coach Captains, or bus drivers as we are often called.

Before arriving in Alaska, we went through the training required to actually drive a motor coach. We had several A model and E model coaches in Utah, on which we learned to drive. We started on a closed skills course, which was set up in a large parking lot. It was a course outlined by orange cones. We learned how to maneuver the coaches, both forwards, and backwards. We started with the slalom, which is a line of cones that you simply weave through. In the course, the cones were 40 feet apart, the same distance as the bumpers on one of the coaches. The idea was to weave between the cones without hitting any of them. Once that was done a few times forwards, it was then time to do it backwards. We also had a box set up, and we would back around a 90 degree corner into that box, and stop with the rear bumper of the coach within three feet of the end of the box. We had a 55 foot parallel parking spot, in which we learned to parallel park the coach from either side. That was required for the drivers test, but really is not a very practical skill. If I ever find that I have the opportunity to parallel park a bus, I will simply double park it. It is too risky to try to parallel park one in an actual city street. We also had a pair of lanes parked out with the cones, in which we learned how to back up in a straight line, and do offset backing. Offset backing is when you pull forward in one lane, but back into the other. It is not that difficult. In all this training, the most challenging thing was getting used to the fact that the mirror is the best way to see what is going on behind you when you back up. It is not possible to look back to back up, so you just have to rely on the mirror.

Once we could do everything on that skills course well, we moved to light density driving. This is easy driving, like in residential areas, where the biggest thing to worry about is a stop sign or parked cars. There are not a lot of decisions to be made, but it helps us get the feel of the coach on the road. This was supposed to be four driving sessions, but that was a little unrealistic for most people. Most people only needed one session, and then it was on to medium density driving. Medium density is sort of your average driving. There is other traffic, traffic lights, and an average amount of decisions to be made. There is nothing extreme, but it still keeps us on our toes. It is during these sessions that we learned to enter and exit the freeway, navigate narrow streets and tight turns, go up and down hills, without destroying the engine or overheating the brakes, cross railroad tracks properly, and deal with the every day driving situations.

Following several, at least four, sessions of medium density driving, we moved to high density driving. High density driving is the extreme situations that require a lot of decisions in a very short time. This would be found frequently during rush hours, accident scenes where the road is partially blocked, very busy areas of town, especially where the road is small, and on big hills that see a lot of traffic. Anywhere were more than the normal amount of decisions would need to be made could be considered high density. Since this does not represent the majority of the driving we will do, it is practiced, but not nearly as much as the medium density stuff is.

After all the driving sessions were completed, it was time for the commercial drivers license test. We scheduled a time to meet with an examiner from the state, and he had us go out and drive with him, testing our ability in a variety of situations. He also has us practice important things such as hill driving, and crossing railroad tracks. He also would ask us the height on bridges, after we were under them, to make sure we were paying attention to our clearances. At the end, he has us go through a pre-trip inspection, and identify various important components and parts of the vehicle. After that, he fills out some paperwork, which is given to the DMV, and the test os over.

Now, I am in Anchorage, and there is more local training. The training in Utah was primarily to help us learn to properly and safely operate the coaches. Our training here is more location specific. On Sunday afternoon, we had a big meeting where we met the various supervisors and managers for the different departments here. It was basically an orientation meeting. They also showed the promotional video for the Holland America Line, and the one for Princess Cruises, since those are the two companies we work under. They wanted us to get an idea of what the guests for each company are expecting when they come here.

On Monday, we had training over at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The first hour was a guided tour of the place, which was quite interesting. This will be a frequent stop for our guests, and it is important that we are familiar with it, to answer whatever questions our guests may have about the place. It was really fascinating, and a visit to Anchorage ought to include a stop there. After the tour, we used theis theater for a meeting, in which we went over many of the policies, operational schedules, and various abbreviations and acronyms that the company uses.

Tuesday's training found us at the South Shop, and dressed down a little. We were divided into groups, and then we went to various stations. At the first station, we learned how to properly clean and wash a coach, including emptying the lavatory. If we end our day here in town, we willnot normally have to clean and wash our coaches, but we will need to dump and clean the lavatory. Out of town, we will need to also wash and clean the coach. The second station was basically a fire drill. They had a smoke device on one of the coaches, and we all practiced evacuating a coach that was on fire. The third station was the spill response station, where we learned what to do if chemicals are spilled. Next, at the fourth station, we learned how to do a pre-trip inspection on some vans, and use the wheelchair lift on the airport vans. The fifth station was all about wheelchair lifts. We learned how to operate the lifts on the VanHool buses, and then on the MCI coaches. There are at least six different types of lifts that I can think of right now. The last station was a short video on Back Safety, and then a walk through the shop.

We had a barbecue for dinner. The comapny had a ton of food for us, and we ate a ton of food! It was great. After the barbecue, we had a meet the mechanics night. They showed us various parts of the coach, and helped us learn to troubleshoot in the event of a breakdown. They also lifted a coach about seven feet in the air and let us see the bottom. There actually is not a whole lot down there, except right around the wheels. In the middle, all you see is the botom of the baggage bays. It was interesting.

Tonight we have fire extinguisher training. They have scheduled that to run for five hours, so I am not sure what we are doing. I hope we get to shoot off some of the extinguishers, but I would be surprised if they did that. That can get expensive. Maybe they have some other activities planned also, and maybe we will just be done early. I guess we will see tonight.