I'm a former driver so I'll bite.
**Magic SPOILER alert**
Yep we drive them, gas and brake, and there is no emergency stop. You have to be alert at all times and looking for animals constantly, especially in the first scene (the forest) with all of the birds. Many trucks have driven off the path and even crashed, most notably coming off the croc bridge (there's an immediate sharp turn) and going down into the Savannah- which is why there is now a rock wall. Animals have been hit before, but nothing too serious.
Ask your driver about the helmeted guinea fowl, there's a good story behind them
Trucks do break down. A few weeks ago there was a 45 minute stop when a truck started smoking. They had to clear all the trucks ahead off the track and then bring in maintenance to tow it off. Everyone is told that it's the wildebeest in the ride path, but that's just preserving the magic.
The drivers do have a rigorous training and a few don't pass assessment each year and have to be transferred. It takes quick thinking, alertness, and the ability to multi-task: listen and respond to Wilson, look for animals, spiel about animals, keep an eye on the trucks ahead and behind you, answer guest questions, drive (!) and listen to personal radio for breaks/ride stops/animal reports/weather updates,etc. It's a lot harder than it looks, which is why there is a huge turnover rate for drivers.
There are pucks that trigger Wilson and they also show driver location to the coordinators. This helps them to track drivers and give them their breaks so they're not out there for hours on end, and also if a guest requests a certain driver, they know how long it will be til they come back around. Also if there is an animal stop or breakdown, they can quickly locate where that specific truck is to send out the animal keepers/maintenance. The trackers have no power to stop a vehicle and it's up to the drivers to maintain proper show spacing between vehicles.
Any questions?
