Fresh, falling powder on the winding mountain ski trails may be a delight to ski on, but that snow which transforms the Coloradan Rockies into a winter wonderland may be the same reason why it could ruin happy holiday plans. The drive leading up to the mountains from the airport consists of winding paths that are often covered in snow, ice and sleet, sometimes making the drive a treacherous one for those unfamiliar with the roads.
Colorado Mountain Express (CME) believes that driver safety training is the answer to providing a safe, comfortable ride for guests and their families to the beautiful mountain resort communities. CME requires all potential drivers to complete a nine-day driver training course before they begin driving guests. They believe the program is essential to the success of both driver and company as many drivers are seasonal employees or are from other countries.
Trainees first present themselves for a physical exam and pre-employment drug screen after submitting their driver’s license. Following which, they proceed to Denver’s Center for Transportation Safety where they spend six hours driving 10-passenger vans through a series of stations in a circuit course.
To simulate real-life driving conditions on the I-70, CME uses a simulator capable of replicating the difficult driving conditions of wintertime including introducing the presence of rocks, wildlife, traffic as well as variable weather conditions such as fog, snow, rain and the cover of darkness. While the experience may not be identical to real-life conditions, it does give them a sense of how much more alert they need to be when driving in less-than-ideal conditions.
From vehicle orientation—which includes checking mirrors, ensuring ski racks are secure—to emergency braking exercises, potential drivers are rigorously trained to be more alert, careful and skillful drivers. Learning to make sudden stops and weaving in and out of cones without knocking them over at a three-lane course in a 10-passenger van are all in a day’s training for these drivers. The skid van technology also incorporates lessons on training drivers to control a skid if the vehicle slides on a patch of ice and how they can come to an emergency stop safely.
Not only does it help them become more skillful drivers, the training also incorporates van familiarity where trainees learn to check vehicle fluids, adjust seat belts, install child seats, put tire chains on, secure skis and snowboards on the rack—all to ensure guests and their families enjoy a safe, comfortable journey to and from the airports.
Once basic skills training is complete, the course alternates between classroom instruction and supervised driving practice. Classroom instruction includes driver safety, guest relations, and guest incidents. The Colorado State Patrol also participates in CME driver training. The State Patrol presents road safety and defensive driving programs. Once classes are complete, driver-trainees proceed to landmark orientation where they familiarize themselves with roads, major lodges and hotels in the area. CME offers airport transportation from Denver International and Eagle Airports to most Colorado mountain resort locations, operating 220 vehicles which travel 9.3 million miles annually. Driver Training Must Be Working
Training for van drivers seems to be working very well as reported by Jean-Claude Murphy in the 400 Ski Club of Chicago Skilites talking about their December trip to Snowmass: “Our driver, Texas John, deftly avoided a brand new Kenmore range that slid off the back of the pickup just ahead of us. (That was) no small feat at 60 miles per hour. “Don’t worry folks,” he hollered. “Last time this happened, I had to swerve around a range, a fridge, a dishwasher, and a Waring blender.” | 
