Try spending a 12 hour shift in the jump seat!
I was the truck trainer for my crew and my method was to have the trainee spend 2 complete shifts in the jump seat while I talked us through the shift, manouvering, placement in the drive while running, loading procedure, refuelling, prestarts and mid shift servicing. After that I would put the trainee in the drivers seat, locked in first gear and let them drive uphill in an area of the mine where traffic was only one way. Once I decided they were ready, I would click up to third gear, still driving uphill. Next I would let them drive all the way to the surface and give them fourth gear. I had a couple of spots where we practiced reversing using the camera, (never ever were they allowed to open the window and look out as it was too dangerous if you speared yourself on a piece of damaged mesh), on the surface I taught them to unload and take weighbridge readings. After around 60Hrs tuition I started them driving downhill, starting with second gear and progressing, at my discretion, up to fourth gear. By this time they were monitoring the radio,organising their own loads and calling their levels on the radio. Once I was confident in their ability, I would let them select fifth gear when they felt ready.
The last 60+ hours, (trainees had to have a minimum 120Hrs seat time to be passed out), was hell on my poor backside on the unsuspended jump seat!
After I told the safety and training department they were ready, the assessor would go for a ride over one complete cycle and voila! A new truck driver was born.
I preferred training in AD55 A models due to their shorter nose and lower speed downhill as well as the fact that they didn't have the deadman brake, making low speed positioning simpler, which made it easier to teach.
I imposed the condition, (nobody wanted to be truck trainer, so I had some bargaining power), that after the operator had been passed out on the tippers, that if they were to be put on a waste truck, (AD 55 or AD 45 ejector), I wanted a full 12Hr shift with them to teach them how to tip in an open stope and fill stockpiles properly.
I enjoyed truck training and also taught trainees how to do a re entry after firing and how to wash down a round before it was bogged out by an R2900 LHD.
I don't drive the trucks now, having moved up the ladder, but I still love the sound of Truck 152 lugging up the decline with her C27 barking.
I was driving around with another mechanic in the jump seat so we could figure out what speed to limit it to so it wasn't a dog but had a fair speed. It's great to have that jump seat, the DUX trucks that we have don't have a jump seat and the cab is small. No room for a trainer.
