ABSTRACT
Driving simulators are rarely used for professional driver training, but could be beneficial, especially for bus driver training given the conflicting demands placed on bus drivers. On the one hand, bus drivers must adhere to strict schedules in often-congested built -up areas. Yet, on the other hand, they are expected to be courteous to passengers and provide good customer service. These demands may impact on road safety. At present, the average new bus driver receives two weeks instruction in a driving school and approximately 2-3 weeks on-the-road experience with a mentor driver. However the traffic environment is increasingly complex and during training there is little control over the events trainees are confronted with in the real world. A simulator offers the possibility of training in
critical traffic conditions that are rarely encountered in traditional in-vehicle training, but are events that may lead to bus incidents (Dorn et al., 2002).
