The work Australia is doing in developing quality assured on-board mass monitoring (OBM) is recognised internationally, and through collaboration with international peers, is helping to drive standardisation and acceptance, says Transport Certification Australia (TCA) general manager of operations, Peter Girgis.
Having presented a key lecture at the ‘Milestones in Metrology’ international conference in Italy, Girgis said the international audience of regulators, researchers, metrology (science of measurement) professionals and the weighing industry were especially interested to learn how TCA was developing a certified OBM program in Australia.
“Key challenges discussed at the conference were the accurate measurement of mass, the importance of correct calibration and maintenance of OBM systems and an examination of the different applications including how OBM can provide regulatory and commercial benefits through a single In Vehicle Unit (IVU),” he said, going on to explain that OBM is a maturing technology which is transferable to a number of modes of land transport, be it rail, buses or heavy trucks.
“There was also a strong level of interest amongst the international delegates to understand how TCA’s National Telematics Framework™ is enabling the standardised delivery of telematics programs,” Peter added. “The presentation and sharing of knowledge and experiences at the international level provides a great opportunity for cross-learning.
“The challenges faced in Australia are in many ways no different to those in Europe and many other countries, particularly when it comes to meeting the growing freight task, tightening budgets and reducing environmental emissions. There is no better time to consider innovative approaches to these challenges,” Girgis concluded.
For further details on TCA visit www.tca.gov.au