Earlier this spring, Bison debuted a new truck driving simulator in our Winnipeg terminal. I had the opportunity to try out the new L3 VS7 simulator.

What was my first thought? Wow! Compared to our previous driving simulator, that was only five years old, this new one is incredible. It has a realistic motion-base which simulates bumps and moves with road conditions such as curves, even simulating acceleration and braking action.

Thanks to HD technology, the screens in the VS7 are bright and the picture is crisp. This alone brings the realism to a whole new level. While I was watching the road there were times I felt like I was actually driving when I held the steering wheel. Speaking of which, the steering wheel gives force feedback to simulate conditions such as wind and ice; road conditions that truck drivers experience on a regular basis. It’s one thing to battle these in a car but when it’s a truck, it’s completely different.

I’m an avid gamer and love playing racing games. I’ll admit that when I hopped into the driver’s seat I felt a little cocky. I could handle any condition. It’ll be a piece of cake. Bring it on! Boy, was I wrong.

Although trucks have commonalities with your everyday commuter cars, there is a lot more discipline and attention that needs to be put into driving such a large and powerful machine. It gives us car drivers a newfound respect for what a professional truck driver must operate every day.

Check out the video below to see the L3 VS7 in action.