Safe Driving Techniques Training for ESHOT Driver Candidates

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality started the Qualified Driver Training Project in order to further increase comfort and safety in rubber-tyred public transportation services. In the project, which includes theoretical and practical training and exams, the first group was entitled to enter safe driving techniques training.

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality implemented the "Qualified Driver Training Project". The project, which aims to make the comfortable and safe travel service in rubber-wheeled public transportation even more qualified, includes three-stage theoretical and practical training for bus driver candidates. Project ESHOT General Directorate, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Social Projects Department and İZELMAN A.Ş. It is carried out in partnership with the General Directorate. The first group of driver candidates, who successfully passed the interview and theoretical training processes, was trained in safe driving techniques at ESHOT.

First training, then work

Sevcan Tınaztepe, Head of the Human Resources and Training Department of the ESHOT General Directorate, said, “We aim to increase our service quality even more by providing employment on the condition of being educated and successful in the exams. We have always chosen our bus drivers who carry life meticulously. Moreover, we now have a much more comprehensive training program.”

Three-stage training model

Giving information about the training and examination processes, Tınaztepe continued as follows: “Driver candidates follow a three-stage program. They are first evaluated by the commission established in İZELMAN. Those who meet the determined criteria start awareness training at the Vocational Factory. Candidates who are successful in the exams here are accepted to the safe driving techniques training at the international standards training track of ESHOT. Here, too, there are both theoretical and practical trainings… Candidates who are successful in the final exams take the psychometric assessment test. Candidates who pass all stages are included in the 'candidate driver pool' within İZELMAN.”

Contribution to social transformation

Anıl Kaçar, Head of Social Projects Department of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, gave information about the theoretical training phase of the project. Kaçar said, “In the first stage, a group of 150 people was given 60 hours of training on basic topics such as gender equality, disability awareness, children's rights, sign language, fight against discrimination, communication skills, coping with stress and anger control. Here, we aim to employ knowledgeable and skilled personnel who have strong communication skills, can stay calm in times of crisis, as well as chauffeuring skills. Thus, we want to be able to provide quality service in which a culture of mutual respect, common sense and understanding prevails, and to contribute to social transformation," he said.

They learn to read traffic

ESHOT Driving Techniques Instructor Muaz Plovdiv emphasized that they give "defensive driving training" to driver candidates. Stating that this training includes reading the traffic and driving by foreseeing possible risks, Filibe said, “We train and test the candidates on slippery and dry driving practices, accident prevention techniques, bicycle awareness, mirror and steering control.”